Wire Gauge Table

Wire Gauge

Sizes of Beading and Jewelry Wire

Below is a helpful conversion table for Wire Gauge (also sometimes spelt as gage). The conversion is best approximation only as there seems to be no general and consistent agreement to the exact conversion.

Wire gauges can be confusing for beginners and is perversely counter-intuitive. There is no universal exact conversion. However the one rule that holds is that:

Wire Gauge Conversion - An explanation

Please take a moment to read this as it is important.

There are a number of gauge rating systems.

• AWG (American Wire Gauge) aka BS (Brown & Sharpe)
  - for precious metals - copper, gold, silver, etc.
• SWG ((Imperial or British) Standard Wire Gauge)
  - used mainly for industrial metals like steel, aluminum, brass, etc.
• US Steel Wire aka W&M (Washbum & Moen) or Roebling Gauge
  - for steel
• Birmingham Gauge aka Stubs Iron Gauge
  - for iron

Of these the AWG and the SWG are the 2 most used and well known gauge systems. So the table below will include these 2 systems. As you will see, the same gauge number does not give the same measurement. It depends on which system is used.

For instance, you are buying wire from a seller who tells you that the gauge is 20ga. From the table below, you can see that
20awg = 0.813mm but 20swg = 0.914mm. Not the same at all. (Sometimes it does not make much difference to you but sometimes it might. Depends on your project.)

The seller may not always be able to tell you if the gauge is in AWG or SWG. However if you are buying precious metals, then it is more likely than not that it is in AWG.

Use the conversion table to convert to one unit of measurement you most use, either millimeters or inches.

Jewelry Wire Gauge Conversion Table - Gauge to Inches/Millimeters

Which Wire Gauge Should I Use?

The size of the wire you choose will have a dramatic impact on the success of your project. And while this will eventually fall into a personal taste and experience selection, for the wire work newbie, it is immensely helpful to get an idea of what the different wire sizes are generally suitable for.

Sample	Wire Gauge	Comments and Uses (from thick to thin)
	14-16	Very thick, heavy wire. Need heavy duty, strong tools. Uses: stand-up forms, unsupported shapes, napkin rings, bracelet bases, strong neck wires
	18 (aka Stem Wire)	Fairly thick wire. Can use regular jewelry tools. Can be bent with hands but will require looping pliers to form loops and proper angles. Uses: in wire work, generally to form stems to which flowers, leaves, petals are attached.
	20 gauge	Medium thick wire. A good general purpose wire. Can use regular jewelry tools. Uses: ear wires, headpins, small wire clasps. For beaded flowers, leaves, and petals in wire craftwork.
	22 gauge	Medium wire. Good substitute when 20ga is just too thick. Can use regular jewelry tools. Uses: Wire wrapping large-holed beads like glass, bone and wood. For beaded flowers, leaves, and petals in wire craftwork. In form craftwork, if using steel wire, the thinner 24 or 26 gauge steel wires might be better as the thicker 22ga steel might be too stiff on the fingers. If using precious metal wires or soft wire, then 22 or 24 gauge wire would be better than the thinner 26 ga. Note: will fit most crystal and stone beads and seed beads size 10 and 11 comfortably. Could also fit pearl.
	24 gauge	Medium Thin Wire. Can use regular jewelry tools. Has tendency to kink so use wire straightening pliers. Uses: wire wrap most beads (not fine gemstones, small briolettes, fragile beads). Note: will fit pearls and seed beads size 10 and 11 comfortably.
	26 gauge	Thin Wire Use tools with fine tips. Use straightening pliers as this wire tends to kink. In wire wrapping, loops must be wrapped closed for it to maintain a loop shape. Uses: Wire wrap beads to tiaras. Use with small gemstones, briolettes. Use in any project where 24ga is a little too heavy. Note: will fit pearl and seed beads size 10 and 11 comfortably.
	28-30 gauge	Very Fine Wire Use tools with very fine tips. Use straightening pliers as this wire tends to kink. Uses: wire weaving, crocheting, knitting, wrapping with small beads, wire-wrapping very small, fine gemstones
	32 gauge (aka Lacing Wire)	Very Very Fine Wire Only about as thick as standard sewing threads, with about the same strength. Must be kept as straight as possible at all times because it breaks easily when kinked. Though so fine, use wire cutter as it can still ruin scissor blades. Uses: lacing together rows of bead (e.g. in making beaded leaves or flowers)