Exactly Rubber - Translucent Silicone Sheet, 50A Durometer Rubber Sheet, Semi Clear Silicone, Resistant -80 to 450°F, Food-Grade Silicone Placemat, 450% Elongation, Made in The USA, 1/32 x 9” x 12”

I keep a small stack of gasket materials and heat-safe mats in the shop, and a thin silicone sheet is one of those things that ends up solving problems beyond its pay grade. Exactly Rubber’s translucent silicone sheet has now lived in that rotation for months, and I’ve used it for everything from cutting custom seals to standing in as a mini work mat. It’s a simple product done well: a 1/32-inch, 9-by-12-inch, semi-clear slab of food-grade silicone rated for -80 to 450°F, with a smooth, non-adhesive finish.

Build, feel, and first impressions

Out of the sleeve, the sheet lays flat with no noticeable curl. My calipers put the thickness at just about 0.033 inches, which aligns with the stated 1/32. The surface is smooth and slightly “grabby,” as silicone tends to be, with a faint translucence that makes tracing layouts easy. There was no noticeable odor. The cut edges were clean and square.

The listing mentions 50A in the title and 60A in the features; the sheet I have feels on the softer side of mid-range—call it around Shore A 50–55 by hand. That tracks with how it compresses under clamping pressure and how it conforms over minor surface imperfections. In use, that softness is a plus for sealing and forming, and the material’s rated tensile strength (1200 psi) and elongation (450%) showed up as expected when I stretched, bent, and tugged on offcuts without getting edge tears.

Size-wise, 9 by 12 inches doesn’t qualify as a large bench mat, but it’s the right footprint for cutting a couple of gaskets or making small liners and seals. If you need a full sheet for a large appliance or a big tray, plan on buying multiples or stepping up to a larger size.

Cutting and fabrication

Silicone’s flexibility is both a help and a hurdle. It doesn’t chip or crack, but the stretch can make precision cuts wavy if you rush. Here’s what worked for me:

• Straight cuts: fresh utility blade, steel straightedge, and two or three light passes rather than one heavy slice. Back the sheet with a self-healing mat.
• Circles and rings: a sharp circle cutter or a hollow punch set over a sacrificial board. For bolt holes, I used a leather punch—clean, fast, and repeatable.
• Scissors: fine for rough sizing, but they can leave a slightly scalloped edge on thin silicone. I reserve them for quick trims.
• Managing stretch: a light mist of isopropyl alcohol under the sheet helps it sit still while you cut. Masking tape on the cut line can also keep edges crisp.
• Sewing: I tested a few seams with a walking foot and a leather needle. It’s doable, but silicone drags; a Teflon foot or tissue paper underfoot helps. For most builds, mechanical clamping or a frame is a better approach than stitching.

Silicone is famously hard to bond; standard cyanoacrylate and many contact cements won’t hold. If you must stick it, look for a silicone-based pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) or an FDA-compliant RTV and keep it off any surface that will touch food. For gaskets, a dry-fit with proper compression is usually the safer, cleaner route.

In use: gaskets and seals

My primary test was a custom gasket for a countertop hot water appliance that runs around 125–130°F. I traced the old seal, cut the profile with a circle cutter, and installed it dry between two stainless halves. The 1/32-inch thickness compresses easily, and the material conformed well around minor casting marks without extruding. After several weeks of daily heat cycles, no leaks, no creeping, and no noticeable compression set. The soft-mid durometer is a sweet spot for low-torque fasteners—enough give to seal, enough body to avoid squeezing out.

I also cut replacement rings for pantry canisters and mason-jar style lids. The translucent look actually helps here—you can see the seat and alignment while you close things up—and the sheet’s smooth finish doesn’t snag on threads. Food-grade certification matters when seals are in contact with ingredients; this material is made from FDA-listed components, and, importantly, it didn’t impart smell or taste in my tests.

As a small work surface

At 9 by 12 inches, it’s a handy “travel mat” for messy bench tasks. PVA glue, hot glue squeeze-out, and most cured epoxies release with a flick of a scraper. Spray paint overspray peels once it’s fully dry. Heat-wise, I hit a corner with a heat gun set to 400°F for short bursts; it didn’t discolor or warp. I wouldn’t hover a flame over it or park a soldering iron on it, but for general hot-tool work and baking-adjacent tasks, the 450°F rating gives comfortable headroom.

A note on dust: smooth silicone is static-prone, so fines and sawdust love it. A quick wipe with soapy water or an anti-static spray keeps it from turning into a lint magnet. I store it in a zip bag when it’s not on the bench.

Chemical and temperature performance

Silicone’s chemical resistance is one of its main advantages, and this sheet behaved as expected. I spot-tested short exposures of white vinegar, canola oil, 70% isopropyl alcohol, and acetone on a sacrificial strip. No swelling, staining, or surface tackiness after wipe-down and a 24-hour check. If you’re working around aggressive solvents long-term, spot testing on an offcut is still smart, but for typical household and light industrial use, it’s a robust choice.

On the temperature front, the cold rating of -80°F means it remains flexible in the freezer, which makes it handy for removable liners or food prep surfaces that move in and out of cold storage. At the high end, I’ve baked small parts on it at 375°F with no odor or residue. As with any silicone, keep it away from open flame and avoid direct contact with heating elements.

Precision and quality notes

The piece I received was flat and uniform, with tight dimensional accuracy for a consumer sheet. On one edge I found a tiny cosmetic inclusion—more of a visual “fisheye” than a functional flaw—and it didn’t propagate under bending or stretching. If you’re cutting thin rings where every millimeter of material matters, check your sheet for any blemishes and orient your parts accordingly.

The food-grade callout is worth reiterating. Silicone varies widely in filler content and purity; the semi-clear look here typically indicates low filler and is consistent with materials intended for food contact. It’s also made in the USA, and while that doesn’t automatically guarantee better quality, it often correlates with tighter process control for specialty elastomers.

Limitations

• Size: 9x12 inches is generous for small gaskets and liners, but it’s not a full bench mat. Plan accordingly.
• Thickness: at 1/32 inch, it’s ideal for conformable seals and light-duty spacers; if you need a cushion or a seal to span large gaps, you’ll want thicker stock.
• Cutting perfect curves takes a bit of setup. Use proper punches or circle cutters for the best results.
• Dust attraction is real. Keep a cleaning routine if you use it as a work surface.
• The durometer listing straddles 50A/60A. Mine felt on the softer side, which I prefer for sealing, but be aware if you’re matching a spec.

Who it’s for

• DIYers and repair techs who want to cut their own gaskets for appliances, pumps, or containers.
• Crafters and kitchen tinkerers looking for a food-safe liner or small, heat-tolerant mat.
• Makers who need a chemically resistant barrier for glue-ups, paint, or epoxy work.
• Anyone maintaining containers or jars where OEM seals are discontinued or degraded.

If you need abrasion resistance, structural rigidity, or fuel exposure tolerance, silicone isn’t the right rubber; look at nitrile (NBR) or Viton for those edge cases. But for general purpose sealing, food-contact projects, and heat exposure, this sheet hits the mark.

Recommendation

I recommend Exactly Rubber’s silicone sheet. It’s dimensionally accurate, truly food-grade, easy to fabricate with basic tools, and it performs across a wide temperature range without drama. The 1/32-inch thickness and medium-soft feel make it a particularly good choice for custom gaskets and small container seals, while the smooth, non-stick surface lets it double as a compact, easy-clean work mat. The main caveats are size and static—neither are deal-breakers, just realities of the format and the material. If your projects live in the intersection of food safety, heat resistance, and versatility, this sheet is a smart, dependable staple to keep on hand.