How to Choose the Right Gasket Material.

Material choice is the most load-bearing decision in a sealing spec. Pick the wrong compound and the gasket will quit on you. Chemical attack, thermal breakdown, compression set, or a failed regulatory audit. Pick the right one and the seal outlasts the hardware around it.

This is the framework our engineering team walks through on every RFQ. It's not a substitute for that conversation, some applications need specific grades, certifications, or exotic compounds. But it'll get you 90% of the way and point you at the right product page for specs and a quote.

Start here: the 5 questions that drive selection

1. What fluids contact the gasket? List every oil, fuel, solvent, acid, base, water, steam, or gas it sees in normal service. Then list what it's splashed with off-cycle.
2. What temperature range? Both continuous operating temperature and worst-case spikes. Short excursions above the continuous rating can be OK; sustained exposure accelerates failure.
3. What bolt load / pressure? A thin-wall plastic flange with 200 psi bolt load needs a softer rubber than a steel flange at 5,000+ psi that can crush a rigid sheet gasket.
4. What regulatory compliance? FDA 21 CFR 177.2600 for food contact, USP Class VI for medical devices, NSF-61 for potable water, UL-157 for flammability, MIL-spec, DoT brake-fluid compatibility. These narrow material selection dramatically.
5. What's the volume and cost target? Prototype runs tolerate premium compounds; 100K-piece annual builds need the cheapest material that still meets the spec.

Quick decision matrix

Lead with the dominant constraint. That's usually chemical compatibility. Let it narrow the field to a short menu of candidates, then sort by temperature and cost.

Material comparison matrix

Side-by-side specs for the gasket compounds we run most often. Every material links to its own product page for full durometer, thickness, and certification detail.

Regulatory compliance shortcuts

A named regulatory standard on the print narrows material selection fast. The compounds below carry the listed certifications in standard production grades. Ask our engineering team if you need lot-specific documentation.

• FDA 21 CFR 177.2600 (food contact): Silicone, EPDM, Nitrile, Neoprene, and Viton all have FDA-compliant grades. See FDA Medical Grade Gaskets.
• USP Class VI (medical): Medical-grade silicone is the default. Specific Nitrile, EPDM, and Viton compounds also qualify.
• NSF-61 (potable water): EPDM is the standard; specific Nitrile and Silicone grades also qualify.
• UL-157 (gasket flammability): Neoprene is inherently flame-retardant. Specific compounded grades of other elastomers also qualify.
• MIL-PRF and AS568 (aerospace / military): Fluorosilicone, Viton, and Nitrile cover most MIL-spec fuel and hydraulic applications. Viton ETP grades qualify for the most aggressive chemical-resistance callouts.

Use engineering tools to narrow faster

When to call Cannon Gasket

If the material and dimensions are standard, order straight from the product page (Custom Gaskets, Rubber Washers, Plastic Washers, O-Rings). Call engineering first if any of the following apply. We'll confirm selection, float alternates, and quote tooling and production.

• Exotic materials (EPM, HNBR, Aflas®, perfluoroelastomer)
• Multiple incompatible requirements, like FDA plus aggressive chemical attack
• Non-standard durometer, thickness, or profile
• Prototype quantities before a production-volume decision
• Applications already failing in the field. Pull the failure mode and the original spec before calling.

Request a Material Recommendation