EPDM Gaskets and Seals

EPDM stands for ethylene propylene diene monomer. It is a synthetic rubber developed to provide excellent resistance to weathering, ozone, UV exposure, moisture and ageing.

Its combination of flexibility, environmental resistance and useful temperature performance makes EPDM one of the most widely used elastomers for outdoor and water-related sealing applications.

EPDM combines flexibility and compressibility with excellent resistance to environmental ageing. When compressed between mating surfaces, an EPDM gasket can conform to small surface variations and provide an effective barrier against water, air, dust and other environmental contaminants.

Its ability to withstand prolonged exposure to weather, ozone and UV radiation makes it particularly useful where sealing performance needs to be maintained outdoors.

Standard EPDM compounds can typically operate across a temperature range of approximately -40°C to +120°C, although the precise operating limits depend upon the particular compound, component design and application conditions.

Specialist EPDM formulations may be capable of operating at higher temperatures, so the intended operating environment should be considered when selecting a material.

Yes. Outdoor sealing is one of the principal applications for EPDM because the material offers excellent resistance to ozone, UV radiation, weathering and oxidation.

EPDM gaskets and seals are commonly used in external enclosures, HVAC equipment, building applications, automotive assemblies and other equipment exposed to changing weather conditions.

Yes. EPDM provides excellent resistance to water and moisture and also performs well with hot water and steam.

This makes EPDM particularly suitable for water-handling equipment, pumps, HVAC installations and other applications where the gasket or seal may experience regular or prolonged exposure to water.

EPDM offers good resistance to many dilute acids, alkalis, detergents and aqueous chemicals. It can also perform well with a variety of polar fluids, depending upon the particular compound and operating conditions.

Chemical compatibility should always be considered where a gasket or seal will be exposed to concentrated chemicals, elevated temperatures or specialist process fluids.

EPDM is generally not recommended for prolonged contact with petroleum-based oils, petrol, diesel or hydrocarbon solvents.

Where resistance to oils and fuels is an important requirement, materials such as nitrile rubber may provide a more appropriate solution. The correct material should be selected according to the particular fluid and operating conditions.

EPDM offers significantly better resistance to weathering, ozone, UV exposure, water and outdoor ageing than nitrile rubber, making it particularly suitable for environmental and water-related sealing.

Nitrile rubber, by contrast, provides much better resistance to petroleum-based oils and fuels. The choice between EPDM and nitrile therefore depends largely upon the fluids and environmental conditions to which the gasket or seal will be exposed.

Yes. Bluemay Weston manufactures bespoke EPDM gaskets and seals to customer drawings, dimensions, samples and specifications.

Components can be produced in simple circular and rectangular formats as well as complex profiles incorporating apertures, fixing holes, slots and other features.

Bluemay Weston manufactures EPDM gaskets and seals from sheet material using precision punching and water jet cutting techniques.

Punching provides an efficient manufacturing method for repeat quantities, whilst water jet cutting is particularly useful for prototypes, lower-volume batches, larger components and intricate profiles where dedicated tooling may not be appropriate.

Bluemay Weston can manufacture EPDM gaskets and seals in quantities ranging from prototypes and small development batches through to high-volume production runs of many thousands or millions of components, depending on the component design, material specification and customer requirements.