How to Use Silicone Rubber Sheeting

Silicone rubber comes in many guises, but perhaps one of the simplest is a silicone rubber sheet. You can buy this in various lengths, widths, and thicknesses, allowing for use in a range of situations and applications.

There are a few things to understand about this type of sheeting. For example, it comes in many grades, so you have everything from standard grade sheeting to those that are approved for use in medical or food situations. This means that even when two sheets look identical, they may possess different properties allowing them to be more suitable when used in certain situations.

Of course, you can also take advantage of the versatility of all silicone rubber products. The sheeting will perform to high standards in high and low temperatures, indoors, outdoors, and in many industries. Let’s look at how you might use the sheeting, so you can see this versatility in action.

Sheeting for gaskets

It’s possible to buy silicone rubber gaskets ready-made – ideal if you need some that are available off the shelf as common sizes or shapes. However, there might be situations where you know you need gaskets but you’re not ready for them just yet. If you are creating a product from scratch, you might need some but you’re unsure of the size or shape required.

In this case, you may find it easier to buy sheets of silicone rubber, so you can experiment with finding the best gasket for your requirements.

Sheeting for strips

Sheets are large enough to cut into silicone rubber strips as well. You can easily get several strips – depending on width, of course – out of a single sheet of silicone rubber.

Strips are often used to seal gaps between two other surfaces, especially tiny gaps that would not be visible yet are there and could cause issues when those two surfaces meet. You can use them to prevent contact, along with providing a flexible cushion between those surfaces.

Sheeting for warmth and reduced vibration

These are examples of silicone rubber sheeting usage whereby the sheet doesn’t always need to be cut. That said, sheets can easily be cut to fit any area where they are required. They’re commonly used in airplanes to reduce noise and to make sure the temperature throughout is comfortable.

In such instances, it is easier to buy the type of silicone rubber sheeting that you need, possibly on a roll. You can then use it as required in areas where protection from the elements and from excessive noise is important to the overall appeal of the area that you’re working in.

These are just a few of the many uses of silicone rubber sheeting. As you can imagine, it is also ideal for use across many industries. From automotive to aerospace and many others, you may be surprised to learn how essential this product is to many jobs, machines, vehicles, and much else besides. The more you know about sheeting, the easier it is to see how you can use it.