HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) is the technical term for this plastic. So this material is not meant to be beautiful, but functional. And it is! For a start, it is extremely impact resistant and can take a big hit. It is also highly resistant to chemicals, moisture and UV rays. It is not for nothing that HDPE is found in sea buoys and as floors of truck trailers.
Another big advantage is that dirt and other substances have difficulty adhering to HDPE. This is ideal for some applications. However, this makes it more difficult to glue or stick the material. Furthermore, HDPE is easy to work with, for example with a drill, saw or mill. It can also be welded, which makes it possible to fuse parts together, especially with a supply of HDPE welding wire.
As HDPE is a technical plastic, the colour is not so important. We therefore only offer black in our range, but in approximately 10 different thicknesses. HDPE sheets have no protective film layer and can sometimes show some scratches. On the other hand, HDPE is one of the most affordable engineering plastics.
Did you know that…
You can use HDPE perfectly as an epoxy mould, because HDPE does not easily adhere to many other materials such as epoxy, and you can therefore easily remove the HDPE mould again?
The most common other designation for HDPE you will come across is PE300. That figure refers to the molecular density. There are also more advanced versions with an even higher molecular density: PE500 and PE1000. These are therefore even harder and more wear resistant. In addition to HDPE (PE300), we also sell these harder qualities under the names HMPE500 and HMPE1000.
| Name | Chemical abbreviation | Alternative names |
|---|---|---|
| Polyethylene | PE | Rigid PE, HDPE, HMPE, PE-HD, UHMW |
As mentioned, we have only one type of HDPE in our range: the PE300. This is the best and also the most economical choice if you are looking for a robust material that can withstand chemicals and dirt well. However, if it is important for the material to be extremely wear resistant, hard or food-safe, it is better to choose HMPE500 or HMPE1000.
Polyethylene also has a number of softer, flexible varieties, such as LDPE and MDPE. These types are more often used for films and packaging. You are less likely to come across them as sheet material.
HDPE is extremely strong and can handle a lot, even in rough conditions. As a sea buoy in salt water, the material lasts for years, and as a floor of a truck trailer it also has a tough life. Yet the material will not crack or break easily, even if you drop tiles on it. At most, it will get a few scratches. Precisely because HDPE is so tough, it is also widely used as packaging material. The material is then produced in a thin film form, for example for toothpaste tubes. As a sheet material, HDPE is of course many times stronger!
HDPE is widely used for:
HDPE can be seen in a variety of products, such as:
Did you know that…
HDPE is the ideal material for building a pond, as it is moisture resistant and does not allow dirt to adhere to it?
Perhaps a little boring, but we only supply HDPE sheets in black. This is because this technical plastic is mainly used for products where you do not see the colour, or where the colour is not important. The black dye is specially added to the material, because it will immediately provide UV resistance. However, we do offer a choice of around 10 thicknesses, ranging between 3 and 20 mm. For a complete overview, see the diagram below.
HDPE can be processed in many ways. In general, it is problem-free if you want to drill, turn, mill, hot bend or saw it. What is even more convenient is that HDPE can also be welded very well, allowing several sheets to be permanently fused together. For this, you can use HDPE welding wire. Since many other materials are difficult to bond to HDPE, gluing or sticking is usually not an option.
HDPE can be processed in many ways. In general, it is problem-free if you want to drill, turn, mill, hot bend or saw it. What is even more convenient is that HDPE can also be welded very well, allowing several sheets to be permanently fused together. For this, you can use HDPE welding wire. Since many other materials are difficult to bond to HDPE, gluing or sticking is usually not an option.
HDPE is a material that is quite easy to work with. You can use it for a variety of applications and process it in all sorts of ways. This is partly due to a number of pleasant and sometimes special properties. For example, HDPE is known for being extremely impact and wear resistant, able to withstand high pressure and impact force, and for its excellent resistance to moisture, UV light and most chemicals. The material also has a long lifespan and is recyclable. Moreover, dirt, bacteria and other materials have little or no adhesion to HDPE, which can often be an advantage.
HDPE’s properties include:
Did you know that…
HDPE’s UV resistant property is not standard, but is added together with the black dye?
You order your HDPE sheets in a few simple steps:
Not sure which HDPE sheets you want? Then first order a sample! This can be done via the product pages of the HDPE sheets that you are interested in.
Do you have any questions about our products or the ordering process?
We are happy to help you. Please contact our customer service:
