Typically as gauge numbers increase, the thickness will DEcrease. So a piece of 16g stainless steel (higher gauge) is thinner than a piece of 11g. I can't speak to it being a fact but have read and heard a few times that gauge thickness was first numbered based on how many times the material was moved through rolls before coming to a given thickness. Thus a higher number (gauge) means a thinner material.
This system is used for both wire and flat sheet/plate of metal, not just stainless steel, though the actual decimal thickness of a given gauge will vary between materials, more specifically ferrous vs nonferrous. Following the gauge standards charts that I have 11g steel is .1196 thick while 11g aluminum is .0907 thick. There are actually also a number of different gauge standards that have slightly different thicknesses for a given gauge. Unless you needed absolute precision, you wouldn't have to worry what standard the particular mill that produced that material was used as the variance is negligible. Actually, since the material is rolled, it's thinner at its edges than in the center (again, a minor decimal difference) so if you needed that much precision you be better of getting "precision ground" material which is plus or minus a couple thousandths or ten thousandths across its entirety.
It really depends on what you're going to do with it. If you're making a sink you want 16 gauge because it's thicker and harder to punch holes in. If you're making a car hood, you want 18 gauge because it weighs less.
The difference between 18 gauge and 22 gauge stainless steel is the thickness. The 18 gauge is 0.050" thick, and the 22 gauge is 0.031" thick. A link is provided below to an article with a list of the conversions. You'll note that the cited thickness for the gauges of stainless do not apply to galvanized steel, aluminum, zinc, brass or other metals.
18 gauge stainless steel is 0.0500 inches thick.
22 gauge is thicker than 18 gauge if you live in an upside down and backwards universe. But since we don't, 18 gauge is quite a bit heavier than 22 gauge.
Depends on what you are using if for.
Ask any kitchen designer what goes into a spectacular kitchen design and they will tell you gorgeous cabinetry, eye-catching appliances and dramatic countertops. Often overlooked though, is one key aspect to a truly amazing kitchen design…the kitchen sink. Viewed by many as a utilitarian necessity, the kitchen sink is usually given very little consideration when designing a new kitchen. That's unfortunate because of all the appliances in the kitchen, the sink gets the most use and, in my opinion, is the most important appliance to consider. When considering a sink there are several key features to explore including: design, functionality and quality. And of course there are many materials to choose from, but for this article I will focus on stainless steel quality and more specifically the thickness of metal used to build the stainless steel sink. The thickness of the sheet metal used to fabricate a sink is called its gauge. The gauge of sheet metal for most sinks ranges from 22 -15 gauge. The lower the gauge number, the thicker the sheet metal is. High quality residential sinks range from 18-16 gauge while commercial quality sinks are offered in 15-16 gauge. When manufactures refer to the gauge of their product, they are referring to the thickness of the sheet metal before the manufacturing process begins. Most stainless steel sinks are manufactured using a process called deep draw forming where a sheet of metal is drawn down into a form through a series of steps called reductions. Each reduction stretches the sheet metal deeper and deeper into the form, so what started out as an 18 gauge sheet of metal will not end up being 18 gauge throughout the entire finished product. The industry standard is to state the gauge of the metal that the manufacturing process started with. Since this is the standard practice, it makes it easy to compare one sink to another. Not all sinks are made using deep draw forming, zero radius sinks are manufactured using a process called press brake forming where the sheet metal is bent into the main sink shape under tremendous pressure by a machine. The sides are then added and welded to the main assembly, forming a box shaped sink basin. Zero radius sinks are identifiable by their flat sides and unique 90 degree or near 90 degree corners. Since these sinks are bent into shape instead of drawn, they retain a more uniform thickness throughout the finished product. Whether you decide to purchase a deep drawn sink or one manufactured through press brake forming, make sure to identify which gauge of steel the manufacture used during the forming process, it is one of the most crucial factors when considering a sink investment. Remember, the lower the gauge number the thicker the metal and as a general rule of thumb, an 18 gauge or lower sink is considered a high quality gauge. Give yourself enough time during your project to make an educated decision; it will be well worth the time investment.
Most piercers will use a 16 gauge or 18 gauge 316L Surgical Stainless Steel labret stud that has been sterilized.
Ask any kitchen designer what goes into a spectacular kitchen design and they will tell you gorgeous cabinetry, eye-catching appliances and dramatic countertops. Often overlooked though, is one key aspect to a truly amazing kitchen design�the kitchen sink. Viewed by many as a utilitarian necessity, the kitchen sink is usually given very little consideration when designing a new kitchen. That's unfortunate because of all the appliances in the kitchen, the sink gets the most use and, in my opinion, is the most important appliance to consider. When considering a sink there are several key features to explore including: design, functionality and quality. And of course there are many materials to choose from, but for this article I will focus on stainless steel quality and more specifically the thickness of metal used to build the stainless steel sink. The thickness of the sheet metal used to fabricate a sink is called its gauge. The gauge of sheet metal for most sinks ranges from 22 -15 gauge. The lower the gauge number, the thicker the sheet metal is. High quality residential sinks range from 18-16 gauge while commercial quality sinks are offered in 15-16 gauge. When manufactures refer to the gauge of their product, they are referring to the thickness of the sheet metal before the manufacturing process begins. Most stainless steel sinks are manufactured using a process called deep draw forming where a sheet of metal is drawn down into a form through a series of steps called reductions. Each reduction stretches the sheet metal deeper and deeper into the form, so what started out as an 18 gauge sheet of metal will not end up being 18 gauge throughout the entire finished product. The industry standard is to state the gauge of the metal that the manufacturing process started with. Since this is the standard practice, it makes it easy to compare one sink to another. Not all sinks are made using deep draw forming, zero radius sinks are manufactured using a process called press brake forming where the sheet metal is bent into the main sink shape under tremendous pressure by a machine. The sides are then added and welded to the main assembly, forming a box shaped sink basin. Zero radius sinks are identifiable by their flat sides and unique 90 degree or near 90 degree corners. Since these sinks are bent into shape instead of drawn, they retain a more uniform thickness throughout the finished product. Whether you decide to purchase a deep drawn sink or one manufactured through press brake forming, make sure to identify which gauge of steel the manufacture used during the forming process, it is one of the most crucial factors when considering a sink investment. Remember, the lower the gauge number the thicker the metal and as a general rule of thumb, an 18 gauge or lower sink is considered a high quality gauge. Give yourself enough time during your project to make an educated decision; it will be well worth the time investment.
The thickness of the sheet metal used to fabricate a sink is called its gauge. The gauge of sheet metal for most sinks ranges from 22 -15 gauge. The lower the gauge number, the thicker the sheet metal is. High quality residential sinks range from 18-16 gauge while commercial quality sinks are offered in 15-16 gauge. When manufactures refer to the gauge of their product, they are referring to the thickness of the sheet metal before the manufacturing process begins. Most stainless steel sinks are manufactured using a process called deep draw forming where a sheet of metal is drawn down into a form through a series of steps called reductions. Each reduction stretches the sheet metal deeper and deeper into the form, so what started out as an 18 gauge sheet of metal will not end up being 18 gauge throughout the entire finished product. The industry standard is to state the gauge of the metal that the manufacturing process started with. Since this is the standard practice, it makes it easy to compare one sink to another. Not all sinks are made using deep draw forming, zero radius sinks are manufactured using a process called press brake forming where the sheet metal is bent into the main sink shape under tremendous pressure by a machine. The sides are then added and welded to the main assembly, forming a box shaped sink basin. Zero radius sinks are identifiable by their flat sides and unique 90 degree or near 90 degree corners. Since these sinks are bent into shape instead of drawn, they retain a more uniform thickness throughout the finished product. Whether you decide to purchase a deep drawn sink or one manufactured through press brake forming, make sure to identify which gauge of steel the manufacture used during the forming process, it is one of the most crucial factors when considering a sink investment. Remember, the lower the gauge number the thicker the metal and as a general rule of thumb, an 18 gauge or lower sink is considered a high quality gauge. Give yourself enough time during your project to make an educated decision; it will be well worth the time investment.
Ask any kitchen designer what goes into a spectacular kitchen design and they will tell you gorgeous cabinetry, eye-catching appliances and dramatic countertops. Often overlooked though, is one key aspect to a truly amazing kitchen design…the kitchen sink. Viewed by many as a utilitarian necessity, the kitchen sink is usually given very little consideration when designing a new kitchen. That's unfortunate because of all the appliances in the kitchen, the sink gets the most use and, in my opinion, is the most important appliance to consider. When considering a sink there are several key features to explore including: design, functionality and quality. And of course there are many materials to choose from, but for this article I will focus on stainless steel quality and more specifically the thickness of metal used to build the stainless steel sink. The thickness of the sheet metal used to fabricate a sink is called its gauge. The gauge of sheet metal for most sinks ranges from 22 -15 gauge. The lower the gauge number, the thicker the sheet metal is. High quality residential sinks range from 18-16 gauge while commercial quality sinks are offered in 15-16 gauge. When manufactures refer to the gauge of their product, they are referring to the thickness of the sheet metal before the manufacturing process begins. Most stainless steel sinks are manufactured using a process called deep draw forming where a sheet of metal is drawn down into a form through a series of steps called reductions. Each reduction stretches the sheet metal deeper and deeper into the form, so what started out as an 18 gauge sheet of metal will not end up being 18 gauge throughout the entire finished product. The industry standard is to state the gauge of the metal that the manufacturing process started with. Since this is the standard practice, it makes it easy to compare one sink to another. Not all sinks are made using deep draw forming, zero radius sinks are manufactured using a process called press brake forming where the sheet metal is bent into the main sink shape under tremendous pressure by a machine. The sides are then added and welded to the main assembly, forming a box shaped sink basin. Zero radius sinks are identifiable by their flat sides and unique 90 degree or near 90 degree corners. Since these sinks are bent into shape instead of drawn, they retain a more uniform thickness throughout the finished product. Whether you decide to purchase a deep drawn sink or one manufactured through press brake forming, make sure to identify which gauge of steel the manufacture used during the forming process, it is one of the most crucial factors when considering a sink investment. Remember, the lower the gauge number the thicker the metal and as a general rule of thumb, an 18 gauge or lower sink is considered a high quality gauge. Give yourself enough time during your project to make an educated decision; it will be well worth the time investment.
18 gauge
18 gauge is thinner than 10 gauge.