Post Office Sponge Pads
Post Office Sponge Pads
Cut pads can be supplied by Advanced Seals & Gaskets Ltd which can be made using stocks of one of our hundreds of material types. As well as the more popular foam and rubber materials, we also specialise in supplying pads cut using one of other more unique and specialist materials such as “Post Office Sponge” or orange open cell natural sponge as it is also known.
Post office sponge is manufactured and stocked in buns (blocks) of various sizes and thicknesses up to 80mm, which vary depending on density, which we can split down using state-of-the-art splitting machines, to thicknesses starting from as little as 1.5mm from which pads can be cut.
Post office sponge pads are produced on-site using drawings or measurements provided by our customers, with whom we work closely to ensure the final product is to their exact specification. Depending upon the size and quantity of pads required, one of many presses, bandsaws or CNC machines can be used to manufacture the final product, from one-off samples to multiple thousand batch runs, which can be supplied as loosely cut parts, or kiss-cut on rolls - where a high quantity is required or for use on fast-paced assembly lines. Our Post Office sponge Pads can be supplied in a plain finish, laminated in layers to create greater thicknesses, laminated to other materials or coated with a choice of self-adhesives and foils prior to the pads being cut.
Product Enquiry
For information on Post Office Sponge Pads please complete the following quick enquiry or call us on +44(0)1384 252555.
Product Specification & Key Characteristics
- Colour: Orange
- Structure: Open cell (fine or medium)
- Density: 140 to 600 Kg/m3
- Sheet Size: upto 2120mm x 920mm (depending on density)
- Temperature Range: -40ºC - +80ºC
- Tensile Strength: 0.23 N/mm2 - 1.2 N/mm2 approx (vary between densities)
- Elongation at Break: 455% - 817% (vary between densities)
- Resistances (Ozone/Acids/Alkalis/oils/fats/solvents): Not resistant
- Flammability: Highly flammable
Full technical data can be supplied upon request,
or downloaded from our online portal.
What are Post Office Sponge Pads?
Orange open cell is manufactured using high quality natural rubber, and available in a range of densities from 160kg/m3 to 600kg/m3 and with a choice of pore sizes creating very soft or very firm materials each suited to different applications. Orange open cell natural sponge is recognisable by its bright orange colouration and the visible cell structure which is designed to be absorbent to hold liquids within it (you may have seen this sponge in the post offices on which they would moisten stamps before the self adhesive backed ones were introduced!). Sheets of Post office sponge are split to order from master blocks and are taken in thicknesses starting from as little as 1.5mm, which can then be cut into pads which are often utilised in the same way as a gasket, whereby they are used to create a seal between uneven surfaces and fill irregularities, provide cushioning or dampen noise and vibration. Our Post Office sponge pads can be produced as squares or rectangles with the option of radius corners, and also as circular or oval-shaped pads or ‘discs’, in a range of thicknesses. Manufacturing pads in-house even means we can supply them in a plain or self-adhesive backed finish and even laminate multiple types of material together to create bespoke and unique variations.
Why use Post Office Sponge Pads?
Post Office sponge pads are not only used for anti-vibration and sealing, they are also found in wet applications (e.g. painting), labelling, packaging and vacuum lifting, etc. As the material is not resistant to oils, acids or alkalis, these pads are limited in their suitability for use in certain industrial or automotive applications. As with many other types of block foam, post office sponge can be split down into sheets and cut down into pads in a range of sizes and thicknesses.
Post office sponge has been formulated and developed so that it can be produced in a choice of densities, pore sizes and firmness in order for the pads to be utilised in a wider range of applications. Prior to cutting into pads, Post Office sponge sheets can be laminated with a choice of foils and self-adhesives applied to one or both faces. For very thick sheets or where a combination of properties are required, open cell sponge sheets can be laminated together in layers or can be laminated to other materials for use within more specialist applications when composite materials are needed.
Benefits of using Open Cell Natural Sponge Rubber
- Good abrasion resistance
- Soft and flexible to seal around uneven or complex shapes
- open cell structures also allows for water absorption
- Excellent recovery following repeated compression
- Good tear resistance
Other Grades of Sponge Materials Available
- EPDM - medium, firm, semi-open cell, high temperature
- Neoprene - FR, medium, firm
- Silicone
- Polyurethane
- Open Cell industrial sponge
The Advantages of using Post Office Sponge Pads
Using pads cut from post office sponge offer numerous advantages, available in a choice of soft or very firm densities, with an open cell structure allowing the material to be used in wet applications for water absorption for example within packaging applications where these pads help protect goods from impact damage or liquid spillages, whilst allowing for the circulation of moisture and gas when the application requires it. As this material catches liquid and holds it - these pads are perfect for applications which then re-use the retained moisture such as paint pads and rollers, or floats used for plastering and tiling, etc. Post office sponge pads are available in a range of thicknesses, all offering excellent compression recovery, particularly when used for repetitive loading and distortion applications such as packaging and vacuum lifting. Orange open cell natural rubber depending on density is available in sheet sizes of up to 2120 x 920mm and in thicknesses up to 80mm, all of which can be split down and laminated with a choice of foils and adhesives prior to being cut into pads.
Please contact us using the form below or by calling us on +44(0)1384 252555.