Sheet Steel Gauge Size Chart
By: Leon Rhodes
Sheet steel thickness is displayed by standardized gauge. The lower the gauge number of a sheet of steel the thicker the sheet steel is. Conversely, the higher the gauge of sheet steel the thinner it is. The gauge measurement system used with sheet steel is called the Manufacturer's Standard Gage.
The thickness represented by each gauge varies slightly between standard, galvanized and stainless sheet steel. Use the appropriate gauge size conversion chart below for the sheet metal type you are measuring.
Standard Sheet Steel Size Chart
| Gauge | Standard Thickness | Metric Thickness |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 0.2391 inches | 6.073 mm |
| 4 | 0.2242 inches | 5.695 mm |
| 5 | 0.2092 inches | 5.314 mm |
| 6 | 0.1943 inches | 4.935 mm |
| 7 | 0.1793 inches | 4.554 mm |
| 8 | 0.1644 inches | 4.176 mm |
| 9 | 0.1495 inches | 3.797 mm |
| 10 | 0.1345 inches | 3.416 mm |
| 11 | 0.1196 inches | 3.038 mm |
| 12 | 0.1046 inches | 2.657 mm |
| 13 | 0.0897 inches | 2.278 mm |
| 14 | 0.0747 inches | 1.897 mm |
| 15 | 0.0673 inches | 1.709 mm |
| 16 | 0.0598 inches | 1.519 mm |
| 17 | 0.0538 inches | 1.367 mm |
| 18 | 0.0478 inches | 1.214 mm |
| 19 | 0.0418 inches | 1.062 mm |
| 20 | 0.0359 inches | 0.912 mm |
| 21 | 0.0329 inches | 0.836 mm |
| 22 | 0.0299 inches | 0.759 mm |
| 23 | 0.0269 inches | 0.683 mm |
| 24 | 0.0239 inches | 0.607 mm |
| 25 | 0.0209 inches | 0.531 mm |
| 26 | 0.0179 inches | 0.455 mm |
| 27 | 0.0164 inches | 0.417 mm |
| 28 | 0.0149 inches | 0.378 mm |
| 29 | 0.0135 inches | 0.343 mm |
| 30 | 0.0120 inches | 0.305 mm |
| 31 | 0.0105 inches | 0.267 mm |
| 32 | 0.0097 inches | 0.246 mm |
| 33 | 0.0090 inches | 0.229 mm |
| 34 | 0.0082 inches | 0.208 mm |
| 35 | 0.0075 inches | 0.191 mm |
| 36 | 0.0067 inches | 0.170 mm |
| 37 | 0.0064 inches | 0.163 mm |
| 38 | 0.0060 inches | 0.152 mm |
Galvanized Sheet Steel Size Chart
Galvanized sheet steel is slightly thicker per gauge than standard sheet steel due to the galvanization process. Galvanized sheet steel has a rust inhibiting protective coating which makes it slightly thicker than standard(unprotected) sheet steel.
| Gauge | Standard Thickness | Metric Thickness |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | 0.1681 inches | 4.270 mm |
| 9 | 0.1532 inches | 3.891 mm |
| 10 | 0.1382 inches | 3.510 mm |
| 11 | 0.1233 inches | 3.132 mm |
| 12 | 0.1084 inches | 2.753 mm |
| 13 | 0.0934 inches | 2.372 mm |
| 14 | 0.0785 inches | 1.994 mm |
| 15 | 0.0710 inches | 1.803 mm |
| 16 | 0.0635 inches | 1.613 mm |
| 17 | 0.0575 inches | 1.461 mm |
| 18 | 0.0516 inches | 1.311 mm |
| 19 | 0.0456 inches | 1.158 mm |
| 20 | 0.0396 inches | 1.006 mm |
| 21 | 0.0366 inches | 0.930 mm |
| 22 | 0.0336 inches | 0.853 mm |
| 23 | 0.0306 inches | 0.777 mm |
| 24 | 0.0276 inches | 0.701 mm |
| 25 | 0.0247 inches | 0.627 mm |
| 26 | 0.0217 inches | 0.551 mm |
| 27 | 0.0202 inches | 0.513 mm |
| 28 | 0.0187 inches | 0.475 mm |
| 29 | 0.0172 inches | 0.437 mm |
| 30 | 0.0157 inches | 0.399 mm |
| 31 | 0.0142 inches | 0.361 mm |
| 32 | 0.0134 inches | 0.340 mm |
Stainless Sheet Steel Size Chart
This is the size chart for stainless sheet steel. Stainless sheet steel is made from an iron alloy containing at least 11% chromium to prevent corrosion. Stainless sheet steel is more durable than standard and galvanized sheet steel but is slightly thicker per gauge.
| Gauge | Standard Thickness | Metric Thickness |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0.3125 inches | 7.938 mm |
| 1 | 0.2813 inches | 7.145 mm |
| 2 | 0.2656 inches | 6.746 mm |
| 3 | 0.2500 inches | 6.350 mm |
| 4 | 0.2344 inches | 5.954 mm |
| 5 | 0.2187 inches | 5.555 mm |
| 6 | 0.2031 inches | 5.159 mm |
| 7 | 0.1875 inches | 4.763 mm |
| 8 | 0.1719 inches | 4.366 mm |
| 9 | 0.1562 inches | 3.967 mm |
| 10 | 0.1406 inches | 3.571 mm |
| 11 | 0.1250 inches | 3.175 mm |
| 12 | 0.1094 inches | 2.779 mm |
| 13 | 0.0937 inches | 2.380 mm |
| 14 | 0.0781 inches | 1.984 mm |
| 15 | 0.0703 inches | 1.786 mm |
| 16 | 0.0625 inches | 1.588 mm |
| 17 | 0.0562 inches | 1.427 mm |
| 18 | 0.0500 inches | 1.270 mm |
| 19 | 0.0437 inches | 1.110 mm |
| 20 | 0.0375 inches | 0.953 mm |
| 21 | 0.0344 inches | 0.874 mm |
| 22 | 0.0312 inches | 0.792 mm |
| 23 | 0.0281 inches | 0.714 mm |
| 24 | 0.0250 inches | 0.635 mm |
| 25 | 0.0219 inches | 0.556 mm |
| 26 | 0.0187 inches | 0.475 mm |
| 27 | 0.0172 inches | 0.437 mm |
| 28 | 0.0156 inches | 0.396 mm |
| 29 | 0.0141 inches | 0.358 mm |
| 30 | 0.0125 inches | 0.318 mm |
| 31 | 0.0109 inches | 0.277 mm |
| 32 | 0.0102 inches | 0.259 mm |
| 33 | 0.0094 inches | 0.239 mm |
| 34 | 0.0086 inches | 0.218 mm |
| 35 | 0.0078 inches | 0.198 mm |
| 36 | 0.0070 inches | 0.178 mm |
| 37 | 0.0066 inches | 0.168 mm |
| 38 | 0.0062 inches | 0.157 mm |
The gauge thickness differences between the three types of sheet steel are small but not insignificant for many applications.
Sheet Steel Use in Automotive Applications
Sheet steel is used by automotive manufacturers to make panels for components, such as doors, hoods and floors, for new vehicles. Consumers and auto body shops typically use sheet steel to repair damage and/or patch corrosion on used vehicles.
Standard sheet steel is often considered the best option for repairs primarily because of the cost differences between metal types, which are not insignificant. A good piece of standard sheet steel can be protected with paints and other corrosion-inhibiting fluids which, for cars and trucks, lowers the overall cost of repairs.
Rusted panels can be repaired using sheet metal cut from other used vehicles in order to keep costs to a minimum, however, sheet steel should not be used to repair structural components like frames and door pillars for safety reasons.
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