A primary factor in any woven wire cloth specification is the wire diameter which is frequently expressed as a "gauge number".

Gauge sizes are indicated as whole numbers, the tables below give the decimal equivalents of the different gauge numbers.  Much confusion has resulted from the use of gauge numbers, in ordering wire cloth or wire mesh it is preferable to state the exact dimensions in decimal fractions of an inch or a millimeter.  The decimal method of indicating wire diameters has the advantage of being self-explanatory, whereas arbitrary gauge numbers are not.

The Washburn & Moen wire gauge is the standard utilized by Screen Technology Group, and most North American wire weavers.  Many European weavers utilize the SWG gauge standard although the wire weaving industry is moving toward global standardization by avoiding the confusing use of gauge specifications altogether.

Most common wire cloth specifications such as Bolting Cloth,  Filter Cloth, Fine Mesh, Market Grade and Mill Grade utilize decimal wire diameters.

Industrial Hardware Cloth and Space Cloth specifications are typically identified by a gauge number rather than the actual decimal value of the wire diameter. 

Most of the specification tables provided in this website include both imperial and metric decimal diameter values.