Rubber and Synthetic Rubber Gaskets

Shop all Rubber and Synthetic Rubber Gaskets

Important: If you have any uncertainties about what material to use, just call us! We have employees that have been selling gaskets and servicing gasket applications for decades. We have sold gaskets in over 100 different materials! What follows below are generalizations for different categories of gasket materials. Use the information below only as a general guideline, and not as advice for your specific application.

Rubber and Synthetic Rubbers: Rubber and synthetic rubber gaskets are some of the most common materials used in gasket applications. This is due to their inherent properties as elastomers. They typically, bend, stretch, twist, flex and conform to other shapes easily. This makes them a very good options to fill up the nooks and crannies between the two uneven surfaces (flanges) we are trying to seal. Rubbers, however, can face significant limitations in certain situations where temperatures become too cold (or hot) or if it comes in contact materials that don't play well with rubber. Moreover, in some cases, if materials are too soft, creep relaxation can lead to a lack of load or force (compression) from bolts and ultimately a lack of seal.

Material	General Temperature Range	Tensile Strength (psi)	Positive Attributes	Drawbacks	Things To Avoid
Red Rubber (SBR)	-30°F to +150°F	600	Inexpensive, good for hot or cold water, good strength, resistant to ketones	Not for use in applications coming into contact with hydrocarbons, not as resistant to sunlight	Avoid solvents, fuels, oils, hydraulic fluids
EPDM	-40°F to +220°F	1100	Inexpensive, multiple hardness ratings, resistance to sunlight, oxygen, and acids	Not for use in applications coming into contact with hydrocarbons	Avoid fuels and oils
Buna (Nitrile or NBR)	-30°F to +200°F	1000	Good conformability, resistance to oils, fuels and hydrocarbons, relatively inexpensive	Single hardness rating, not as resistant to sunlight as EPDM, poor flame resistance	Avoid ethers, ketones and amines, many acids
Neoprene	-20°F to +170°F	900	Great conformability, good resistance to sunlight, multiple hardness ratings, very good impact resistance, good flame resistance	Susceptible to acid attack	Avoid ketones, chlorine, many acids
Viton® (FKM)	-15°F / 450°F	1000	Good for fuel oils, hydrocarbons, resistant to sunlight, higher service temperatures	More expensive than other synthetic rubbers, other rubbers can withstand slightly colder temperatures	Avoid ketones and solvents