Gauge chart
16 gauge steel thickness
16 gauge steel is 0.0598 inches thick, which is 1.52 mm. One square foot weighs 2.44 pounds.
16 gauge in figures
Inches 0.0598in
Millimetres 1.52mm
Weight 2.44lb/ft²
4×8 sheet 78lb
Close to 1/16 inch (0.0625). In practice, roughly a sixteenth of an inch.
| Material | Inches | mm | lb/ft² | Standard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steel | 0.0598 | 1.52 | 2.44 | Manufacturers' Standard Gauge (MSG) |
| Galvanized | 0.0635 | 1.61 | 2.59 | MSG plus G90 zinc coating |
| Stainless | 0.0625 | 1.59 | 2.60 | Manufacturers' standard for stainless sheet |
| Aluminium | 0.0508 | 1.29 | 0.71 | Brown & Sharpe (AWG) |
What 16 gauge steel is used for
The general-purpose sheet gauge. Ductwork, enclosures, panels, automotive patch panels, brackets and most shop projects.
Common questions
How thick is 16 gauge steel?
- 16 gauge steel is 0.0598 inches thick, which is 1.52 mm. One square foot weighs 2.44 pounds. For reference that is roughly a sixteenth of an inch. Thicknesses are nominal and mill tolerance applies, so measure the sheet for anything structural.
What is 16 gauge steel in mm?
- 1.52 mm. The conversion is exact: 0.0598 inches times 25.4 gives 1.519 mm, rounded to 1.52.
Is 16 gauge stainless the same thickness as 16 gauge steel?
- No. 16 gauge galvanized is 0.0635 inches, stainless is 0.0625 inches, aluminium is 0.0508 inches, against 0.0598 inches for uncoated steel. Each material is tabulated under a different standard, so the gauge number alone does not give a thickness.
What does a 4x8 sheet of 16 gauge steel weigh?
- About 78 pounds. A 4 foot by 8 foot sheet is 32 square feet and 16 gauge weighs 2.44 pounds per square foot, so 32 times 2.44 is 78.1 pounds.