Rubber material is everywhere! From the mat underneath your feet to the rubber pads which cushion the legs of your computer desk, synthetic rubber is abundant in everyday uses. It may go unnoticed, but it is there helping to seal or protect common objects around you. By and large, rubber that is synthetic is available in many different varieties. Synthetic elastomers are specifically engineered to possess certain characteristics that will make them ideal for specific applications or useful in specific locations. For example, some rubber lining would be useful in an application where there will be a high amount of exposure to chemicals, but would fare poorly when exposed to extreme temperatures or when placed in outdoor applications. It is not only important to know that many different kinds of rubber exist, but also that each kind of rubber is going to be suitable for a different set of uses. So whenever you buy sheet rubber, you must take these things into consideration; the success of your project could depend on it!

Here are some of the more popular uses of synthetically-made rubber, as well as a bit of insight as to which specific rubber material would be most-suitable for the application:

• Gaskets: One of the main uses for elastomers is gaskets and depending on the type of function and situation different types of synthetic rubbers can be chosen. There is perhaps more variety in the materials used to make gaskets than any other sort of product, since gaskets are used in so many different applications, each with their own set of conditions. Gaskets can be made by cutting out the needed gasket shape from a large rubber mat or sheet.

• Seals: Like gaskets, some elastomers can be used as a sealant. Using rubber to seal in certain products or to keep out debris is very common. Santoprene is often used as an oven seal because of its ability to withstand high temperatures. This rubber is helpful with preventing the metal door of an oven from scratching and grating against the metal body of the object; all while being resistant to the hot temperatures ovens are used for.
• Outdoor Uses: Many sheets are made of materials that can be durable in the sun, ozone, and for outdoor occasions. Some synthetic rubbers, such as nitrile, do not do extremely well in severe outdoor occasions; however, EPDM has excellent performance outdoors. You may even find rubber lining present in man-made bodies of waters, such as lakes or ponds. You’d want to have a rubber which was resistant to water swell, in this case.
• Bumpers: Some Rubber material, such as nitrile, offers good shock-absorbing qualities that make them suited for these applications. This quality is directly related to anti-vibration for industrial machinery, as well as sound proofing for music studios and other noise-sensitive applications. Simply think of the versatility that you provide yourself whenever you buy sheet rubber.
• Rubber Feet: With desktop computers and laptops, rubber feet can be put on the bottom to keep it from scratching the top layer of another surface. The rubber feet also help with keeping the heat of a laptop from directly affecting another surface. For this, you might want a synthetic which has a large operable temperature range. By far Silicone performs the best in the large range of temperatures, hot and cold.
• Spacers: For glass applications rubber is sometimes used to act as the spacer between objects. An example of this would be when glass is being delivered. A company would not want the different glass products to bump against each other since it will cause scratches or even breakage. Rubber helps absorb the shock of any movement that occurs when delivering glass products while also keeping the glass separated and protected.

These are just some basic items and applications which you can harness when you buy sheet rubber. Rubber material is common in more everyday places than we could possibly list. It is versatile in that it is useful for products that are both small and large. Rubber products such as rubber lining make the conveniences that we take for granted possible, and keep industries moving smoothly. Just about anything can be done with rubber!