What is the gage for hollow metal frames? The gage of metal is just referring to the thickness of the metal sheets used to fabricate the frame or door. Gage was a term used prior to 1970, but it is no longer used by ASTM or ANSI. Since the term is still commonly used in vocabulary today, it is often a common reference people use to specify how thick they want their hollow metal frames.

lcn closer

Hollow metal frames for commercial doors come in three main thickness options.

16 Gage — 0.053 in.

The thinnest gage used for hollow metal commercial door frames is 16 gage. This is a heavy-duty metal that is the most common gage used in buildings. 16 gage is 0.053 inches thick and can be made of cold-rolled steel or be galvannealed steel for rust resistance. It can be used with commercial wood doors or hollow metal doors with 18 gage or 16 gage steel. A general rule of thumb for hollow metal doors is that the gage is 2 more than the frame gage, so for a 16 gage frame the recommended hollow metal door is 18 gage.

14 Gage — 0.067 in.

14 gage is the next thickness used for hollow metal frames. This gage is 0.067 inches thick and used on high abuse, extra heavy-duty applications. It is commonly used at exterior openings because it is much more durable. It can also be made with cold-rolled steel or galvannealed metal. It is recommended for use with hollow metal doors with 16 gage or 14 gage metal.

12 Gage — 0.093 in.

Finally, 12 gage hollow metal frames are the maximum duty option for extremely high abuse potential. These frames can often be found in correctional facilities or extremely high use areas. 12 gage metal is 0.093 inches thick. These frames also have a 3/4″ stop height as standard, compared to the 5/8″ stop on the 16 and 14 gage frames that is standard. The 12 gage steel is also limited in the type of profile available, so be sure to check with your frame distributor before selecting this gage of metal.

Exit Devices Less Dogging

For any questions concerning which hollow metal frame thickness is right for your application, please do not hesitate to contact a representative at Beacon Commercial Door & Lock. We will provide you with solutions and answer your questions.