When considering an elastomer or sheet rubber product for heavy wear applications, finding the right material for the right price can be tricky. Of the assortment of products offered, how does one choose a tough rubber product that meets their needs?
Skirtboard sheet rubber may be the answer to that question. This durable sheeting product is a brilliant blend of SBR (styrene butadiene rubber) and Gum rubber. Skirtboard is black in color, and is commonly available in 65-75 durometer (shore A) and in gauges 1/8 to 1-1/2 inch, with a variety of widths from 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 36 to 48 inch wide. It's usually kept in stock for delivery and can be die, laser or water jet cut to your requirements, given that your needs are large enough to minimize tooling or slitting charges.
So now that we know what Skirtboard is and its broad usage, you may wonder what specific applications it works best for. Well that depends on who you are. If you work in an industrial or commercial setting and require rubber flaps for street sweepers or special rubber blades for a snowplow on delicate surfaces, then Skirtboard will work for you. But it is also a great choice for homeowners looking for a tough, affordable product to line narrow garage entrances, preventing damage to the side of your car or to act as a buffer against baseballs hitting the side of the house.
But abrasion resistance is not all that Skirtboard has to offer. It also has good oil, petroleum, and grease resistance. So to make gaskets or seals which must stand up to a lot of abuse, Skirtboard will definitely work for you. Plus, it can be used in a foam rubber format to make strip pads for impact and shock absorption.
Another key aspect of Skirtboard is its availability in shorter widths--as short as 3 inches. This makes it ideal for applications which would normally require costly fabrication of other sheet rubber products in order to get shorter widths. So for bumper pads, skirting jobs, or a host of other applications for both the Industrial and Residential client, consider Skirtboard when thinking about a tough elastomer.
Jeffrey Stephens
09/30/2005
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3.Skirtboard rubber is our least expensive product.
4.Skirtboard rubber is sold in lots of gauges, widths, and lengths.
5.Skirtboard is exactly what you would think, when thinking black industrial rubber.
Skirtboard rubber is a simple product to understand. It is the product which one would normally think of as “black rubber.” If you are looking for a rubber pad, a layer of insulation, a simple rubber flap, or a rubber skirt, then black (Skirtboard) rubber is ideal. The availability of this product in anything from 1/8 inch to 1.5 inch thick, in stock and in variety of widths from 4 inch to 48 inch makes this product very versatile.
The reason most rubber is black is due to one of the ingredients of synthetic rubber, carbon black. Carbon black is a material produced by the incomplete combustion of heavy petroleum products such as coal tar and a small amount from vegetable oil. Carbon black is used as a pigment and reinforcement in rubber and plastic products. The most common use of carbon black is as a pigment and reinforcing agent in (black) rubber and (black rubber) tires. Carbon black also helps conduct heat away from the (black rubber) tread and belt area of the tire, reducing thermal damage and increasing tire life. Practically all black rubber products where tensile and abrasion wear properties are crucial use carbon black, so they are black in color. Therefore black rubber is a function of its carbon black content.
Skirtboard is no different, which is why we sometimes refer to it as black rubber as well!
When considering an elastomer or sheet rubber product for heavy wear applications, finding the right material for the right price can be tricky. Of the assortment of products offered, how does one choose a tough rubber product that meets their needs? 
