HDPE
HDPE (high-density polyethylene) is the tough, slick, easy-to-machine sheet that fabricators reach for when the part has to work rather than look pretty: jigs and fixtures, wear strips, machine guards, sliding surfaces, tank and cabinet parts. It cuts and drills cleanly, does not rot or splinter, and takes a hard knock without cracking.
We cut it to your exact size on a saw, with a square edge and no polish option, because HDPE does not polish. Natural is the milky, semi-translucent sheet, from a thin 0.060" up to 1"; white, black and gray are UV-stabilized for outdoor and marine work. Pick a standard size or enter your own, see the price instantly, no minimum order.
HDPE and lasers: expect a poor result
HDPE is not a laser material. The beam melts it rather than cutting it, and the edge comes out rough, beaded and out of square. It is not dangerous to try, but you will not get a clean part. We cut HDPE on a saw; if you are buying stock for a laser, use acrylic.
Can HDPE be glued?
No. HDPE is a low-surface-energy plastic, so solvent cement and ordinary adhesives do not hold on it. Join it mechanically, with screws, bolts, rivets or inserts, or by plastic welding. If your design depends on a glued joint, choose acrylic or polycarbonate instead.
Can I use HDPE outdoors?
The white, black and gray sheets we sell are UV-stabilized lines and are the ones to use outside or around water; the gray is a marine-grade line made for exactly that. Natural HDPE is not UV-stabilized and belongs indoors: in sunlight it turns brittle and chalky over time.
What is natural HDPE?
Natural is the unpigmented sheet: milky, semi-translucent in the thinner thicknesses and more opaque as it gets thicker. It is not white. If you need a solid white part, order the white sheet.
How is HDPE cut, and can the edge be polished?
Every piece is saw cut to a clean, square edge. HDPE cannot be polished, so there is no edge-finish option on it. It is not a laser material either: a laser melts it and leaves a rough, beaded edge, so cut it on a saw, router or mill.
What sizes can I order, and is there a minimum?
Twelve standard sizes from 12" x 12" up, or any custom size you enter, priced as you type. There is no minimum order. Natural comes in 0.060", 1/8", 1/4", 3/8", 1/2" and 1"; white and black in 1/4", 3/8", 1/2", 3/4" and 1"; gray in 1/2". Larger pieces of the thickest sizes exceed our parcel weight limit, so the size list trims itself as you choose. Orders ship to the contiguous US only.