What is a Gauge?
Definition of a Gauge in Construction
The term gauge used in construction, can mean any number of things. As a piece of equipment, a gauge is a measuring device that could measure temperature, pressure, humidity, etc. A gauge is a universal term that has a meaning that is associated with measuring.
The gauge of a material is also a measuring descriptive term. Wire is measured by the gauge of the wire. Normally the gauge is from 0 to 30 with the heaviest wire being 0 and the smallest being 30. This is the standard measuring gauge for standard wire sizes.
Special identification of wire larger than 0 and smaller than 30, is customized within special applications such as computers and high tension transmission lines. Sheet metal is also identified by gauge, the heavier or thick the sheet metal is, the lower the number. Normally this gauge extends from 7 to 30 with the heaviest or thickest starting at 7 and the thinnest at 30. As with the wire nomenclature, specialized sheets of metal thicker than a 7 are normally indicated in fractions of an inch, or with other means of measurement. The term “to gauge “, is an expression that is used to indicate approximate dimensions, width, weight, etc. Gauge is a very commonly used term in construction.