Welding Helmet Shade Number Guide: Which Shade for Every Process

Shade 10 is the right starting point for most MIG and stick welding at 80-200A. It’s the most commonly used shade across all arc welding processes and covers the majority of hobby and light professional welding. From there, adjust up or down based on your specific process, amperage, and personal preference.

Here’s the complete shade number reference for every welding and cutting process, the ANSI standards behind the recommendations, and how to dial in the right shade for your work.

How Shade Numbers Work

Shade numbers indicate how much visible light a welding lens blocks. Higher numbers block more light (darker lens). Lower numbers block less light (lighter lens). The scale runs from shade 1.5 (very light, essentially clear with slight tint) to shade 16 (extremely dark, used only for very high-amperage processes).

Each shade number represents a specific light transmission percentage. The relationship is logarithmic, not linear. Moving from shade 10 to shade 11 blocks roughly three times more light, not a small incremental change.

Notice the transmission drops dramatically between shade numbers. Shade 10 transmits 0.01% of visible light. Shade 11 transmits 0.003%. That’s more than three times darker. This is why moving even one shade number makes a noticeable difference in what you see through the lens.

Shade Selection by Process

MIG Welding (GMAW)

Most hobby and light shop MIG welding falls in the 80-200A range. Shade 10 handles this comfortably. If you’re running a larger machine at 250A+ for heavy fabrication, bump to shade 11-12.

Short-circuit MIG (common at lower amperages on thin material) produces a slightly dimmer arc than spray transfer MIG at the same amperage. If your short-circuit arc seems too dim at shade 10, shade 9 is appropriate.

Stick Welding (SMAW)

Stick welding arcs tend to be brighter than MIG arcs at equivalent amperages because the flux coating produces a more intense light. Running 1/8" 7018 at 130A, shade 10-11 is standard. Running 5/32" 7018 at 200A, shade 11-12 is typical.

Arc gouging (carbon arc) at 300-400A requires shade 12-13 due to the extremely bright arc and intense heat radiation.

TIG Welding (GTAW)

TIG arcs are dimmer than MIG or stick arcs at the same amperage because there’s no filler metal or flux contributing to the arc brightness. This is why TIG welders typically use one shade lower than MIG welders at equivalent amperages.

Low-amperage TIG on thin stainless or aluminum (10-30A) requires shade 8-9. Using shade 10 at these amperages makes the puddle too dim to control accurately. This is one reason variable shade helmets matter for TIG work.

Flux-Core (FCAW)

Flux-core arcs are comparable to stick arcs in brightness because the flux inside the wire produces a similar intense light. Use the same shade recommendations as stick welding at equivalent amperages.

Plasma Cutting

Plasma cutting produces a focused arc that’s bright in a small area. Shade 8-9 covers most hand-held plasma cutting. Helmets with shade ranges starting at 5 give you flexibility for low-amperage plasma and cutting prep.

Oxy-Fuel Cutting and Welding

Oxy-fuel processes produce much less light than arc welding. Standard welding shade (10+) is too dark for oxy-fuel work. You need shade 4-7 depending on the specific process. Most oxy-fuel cutting is done with shade 5 cutting goggles, not a full welding helmet.

ANSI Z87.1 and Shade Standards

ANSI Z87.1+ is the American National Standards Institute standard for eye and face protection. For welding helmets, ANSI Z87.1+ specifies:

UV and IR blockage: All welding filters must block at least 99.97% of UV radiation and significant IR radiation regardless of the visible light shade. This applies to both auto-darkening and passive helmets.

Shade tolerance: A shade 10 lens must transmit visible light within the specified range for shade 10. Manufacturing variations must stay within ANSI-defined tolerances.

Impact resistance: The filter and cover lenses must withstand high-velocity impact testing.

Auto-darkening performance: Auto-darkening helmets must darken within the specified switching speed and maintain consistent shade depth across the lens area.

AWS (American Welding Society) publishes shade selection guidelines based on process and amperage that form the basis for the tables in this guide. OSHA references these guidelines in their safety regulations for welding operations.

The shade recommendations in this guide follow AWS guidelines. They represent safe starting points. Individual welders may prefer one shade higher or lower based on personal sensitivity, shop lighting, and comfort.

Adjusting for Personal Preference

The shade charts provide guidelines, not rigid rules. Within a safe range, shade selection has a personal component:

If the puddle seems too bright and your eyes water or feel strained during or after welding, increase the shade by one number. Eye strain after welding is a clear signal that your shade is too light.

If the puddle is too dim to see clearly and you’re struggling to track the leading edge, decrease the shade by one number. An overly dark shade forces you to weld without adequate visual feedback, which hurts weld quality.

Shop lighting matters. In a dark shop, the contrast between the arc through the lens and the dark surroundings can make the same shade feel different than in a well-lit shop. Some welders adjust shade based on their shop environment.

Eye sensitivity varies. Younger eyes typically tolerate slightly lighter shades. Older eyes or eyes with existing sensitivity may prefer one shade darker. Neither preference is wrong if you’re within the recommended range.

True color lenses change perception. Helmets with ClearLight, 4C, or True Color technology show the arc in more natural colors instead of monochrome green. The same shade number can feel different through a true color lens versus a standard lens because the color rendering affects perceived brightness.

The Light State: Pre-Weld Visibility

Auto-darkening helmets have a “light state” shade when the arc is not detected. This is typically shade 3-4, which lets you see the joint and workpiece before striking.

Some helmets offer shade 2.5 in the light state (like the Optrel Panoramaxx), which is closer to looking through lightly tinted glass. Others default to shade 4, which is noticeably darker.

The light state matters because:

• A lighter light state lets you see the joint and surroundings more clearly before welding
• In dim shops, the difference between shade 3 and shade 4 in the light state is very noticeable
• A lighter light state doesn’t affect safety because the UV/IR filter blocks radiation regardless

Common Mistakes With Shade Selection

Using too dark a shade because “darker is safer.” Within the recommended range, darker is not necessarily safer. It reduces your ability to see the puddle, which leads to poor weld quality. The UV/IR filter provides the actual radiation protection, not the visible light shade. Shade 10 is as safe as shade 13 for radiation protection at typical hobbyist amperages.

Using one shade for everything. Shade 10 works for most MIG and stick welding, but it’s too dark for low-amp TIG and too light for high-amp stick or gouging. If you weld multiple processes, adjust your shade for each one.

Not adjusting for amperage changes. If you run your MIG welder at 80A for thin sheet and then crank it to 250A for heavy plate, your shade should change from 10 to 11-12. The higher amperage produces a brighter arc.

Ignoring eye strain symptoms. If your eyes feel tired, dry, or sensitive to light after welding, your shade may be too light. Don’t dismiss these symptoms as normal. Adjust your shade and see if the symptoms improve.

Shade Guide Quick Reference Card

Print this out and stick it on your shop wall:

The Bottom Line

Start at shade 10 for MIG and stick. Adjust from there based on your process, amperage, and personal comfort. TIG welders generally run one shade lighter than MIG welders at equivalent amperages. Higher amperages need higher shades.

The correct shade is the one where you can see the puddle clearly without eye strain. If you can see it and your eyes feel fine after welding, you’ve found the right shade. If something feels off, adjust one number at a time until it’s comfortable.

Check out our guide to auto-darkening vs. passive helmets for help choosing between helmet types.

This guide follows AWS and ANSI shade selection recommendations. Individual preferences within the recommended range are normal and acceptable.