How to Measure the Thickness of Aluminum Foil

Aluminum foil has enough strength that a thin sheet is flexible enough for multiple household uses.

Aluminum foil is used for everything from wrapping potatoes to lining ovens. Aluminum foil comes in different thicknesses, from thin to heavy duty. You can get an accurate measurement of the thickness of foil through a couple of methods. The precision of the measurement will depend upon the precision of the instrumentation. One method uses a precise direct measurement of thickness, while the other uses a precision scale to get the required accuracy.

Things You'll Need

• Micrometer, vernier caliper or thickness gauge
• Ruler
• Accurate balance

Instructions

Direct Thickness Measurement

1. 

   Calipers precisely measure small distances.

   Close the measurement device and adjust the scale to show zero.

2. 

   Micrometers provide extremely accurate measurement of small distances.

   Open the device and insert a thickness of foil. To improve the accuracy, you can fold the foil a few times, as long as there's no extra space between the layers.

3. Close the measurement device. The micrometer and the vernier caliper will allow you to control the tension during the measurement, but be careful not to overtighten.

4. Read the value off the measurement device. If you've folded the foil, divide the overall measurement by the number of layers.

Indirect Thickness Measurement

1. 

   Using a fair-sized piece of aluminum foil helps improve the accuracy of an indirect measurement.

   Roll out and cut a large sheet of foil, perhaps two or three feet long.

2. Measure the dimensions of the foil in square centimeters using the ruler.

3. 

   An accurate balance will improve the final accuracy of the thickness measurement.

   Fold the foil into a small enough packet to fit onto the balance and place the foil on the balance. Measure the mass in grams.

4. Calculate the thickness from the measured mass. The mass equals the area times the thickness times the density, which means the thickness is given by thickness= mass / (area * density). The density of aluminum is 2.70 grams per cubic centimeter.

References

• General Graphics: Precision Measurement Tools
• Merriam-Webster Visual Dictionary: Micrometer Caliper

Resources

• Starrett: Precision Measuring with Calipers