What is the difference between 18-gauge and 20-gauge steel in a lateral file cabinet?

Steel gauge specification is one of the primary quality differentiators in commercial lateral file cabinets, and OfficeFurniture2go.com specifies it explicitly in our filing recommendations. The principle: lower gauge = thicker steel = more durable. Commercial standard is 18-gauge cabinet body construction; premium commercial is 16-gauge. 20-gauge is acceptable for lower-use environments. 22-gauge and above is residential/light-duty grade — it dents under normal commercial use, corners deform, and drawers misalign over time. For medical records, legal file storage, and high-volume corporate filing, we specify 18-gauge minimum without exception. Call 1-800-460-0858 for a gauge-specific filing specification.