Standard 9-gauge fabric requires less tension than which gauge?

• A. 7 gauge
• B. 11 gauge
• C. 13 gauge
• D. None of the above

Answer: (A)

Wire gauge works with thickness: a smaller gauge number means thicker wire, which is stiffer and resists stretching. That stiffness means you have to apply more tension to pull it taut. Among the gauges shown, 7-gauge is thicker than 9-gauge, so it requires more tension to reach the same tautness. The 9-gauge fabric, being thinner, can be tightened to the same level with less tension. The 11- and 13-gauge wires are thinner than 9-gauge, so they generally need more tension than 9-gauge to achieve the same tautness. So the standard 9-gauge fabric requires less tension than the 7-gauge.