Lead gauging is expressed in which unit?

• A. Kilograms per square meter
• B. Inches per gauge
• C. Ounces per square foot
• D. Pounds per square foot

Answer: (D)

Gauging for lead is about how much the sheet weighs over a given area. Since the weight of lead is the practical way to convey thickness, the standard unit used is pounds per square foot. This tells you exactly how heavy a one-foot-by-one-foot piece of lead will be, which is how lead sheets are typically specified and handled in field work.

Kilograms per square meter is a metric alternative, not the traditional unit in many trades. Inches per gauge isn’t a weight-per-area measure at all, so it doesn’t describe how heavy the sheet is. Ounces per square foot is a weight-per-area unit too, but the common convention for lead gauging in this context is pounds per square foot, which directly links thickness to load and application.