Choose the right rubber sheeting for your needs

Not all rubber sheets are created equal. Some are made of porous materials that are called sponge or open-celled rubbers, which are good for padding. These are rubbers such as silicon or natural gum rubber. They can be used as sound or impact barriers. If you're looking for something that will keep moisture, dirt and chemicals contained or out of something, you want to choose closed-cell rubbers like Neoprene.

I recommend: Find the right type of rubber sheeting for your needs. US Rubber has a wide variety of open- and closed-cell rubbers to meet your needs. JW Industries has more than a dozen different types of rubber to suit just about any industrial application.

Ask about prices and services available when you buy rubber sheets

Each rubber sheet supplier has its own policy about cutting the rubber into usable portions. Some may offer two cuts for free and then start charging after that, while others may offer unlimited cuts as long as they're uniform in size. Discuss your options with the supplier to make sure that you're truly getting a good deal on your sheet rubber.

I recommend: Get the facts before you buy. Aero Rubber can do a variety of precision cuts, but they do have minimum order requirements that may be hard for some small businesses to meet. Direct Industry has several set colors, thicknesses and widths; you simply choose the one that fits your needs best and cut them yourself.

Look into the ways industrial rubber sheets can be attached to other items

Many rubber sheet distributors go a step further and offer to apply the adhesive or use another method to apply sheet rubber to a metal or surface of your choice. This could help speed up the manufacturing process for you and get the end product to your customers quicker.

I recommend: Make your rubber sheets go further. Sioux Rubber can use vulcanized rubber to apply varying thicknesses to just about any metal surface. Timco Rubber specializes in applying different types of pressure-sensitive adhesives to create just about any product that you want.