Felt

What is felt and how is it applied?

Felt is a material made up of fibres that are matted, condensed and pressed together. These fibres are mainly derived from wool, which is then used to make wool felt. Wool is used most often, as the fibres hook together easily due to their distinctive scales. When these scales slide past each other in opposite directions, they latch onto each other. Felt can also be produced artificially, and is then called synthetic felt or needle felt. Needle felt consists of one or more types of synthetic fibres such as polyester, polyamide, polypropylene, acrylic, aramid, viscose, glass or ceramic fibres, metal fibres or recycled fibres. Each has its own specific characteristics. The fibres are mechanically tangled together when pierced with a needle. For this reason, synthetic felt is also called needle felt. Felt can be used for a variety of applications, such as for bearings, as a covering, as carpet or as an acoustic material due to its sound-absorbing properties. While consumers also use it a lot for crafting (designer felt), EKI supplies felt for professional industrial applications. All types of felt are also available with a self-adhesive layer, and are mainly sold as black felt and white felt.

Types of felt

Wool felt

Wool felt is highly resistant to the influences of sunlight and acids at normal concentrations, and will not become discoloured in the event of flooding. This material has good insulating properties, is durable and fully recyclable. Wool felt can be used for very light bearings involving very little horizontal displacement. This type of felt is also called industrial felt. Examples include insulation for floating floors and wooden partition walls, and sealing gaps in masonry work.

Needle felt

Needle felt is made of synthetic fibres that are mechanically tangled together by means of a piercing process. It has a variety of uses, such as for carpeting or for covering walls and ceilings in the automotive and maritime sectors, but also as an acoustic material. Needle felt is strong and hardwearing and is therefore long-lasting. The material is resistant to rotting and mould.

Industrial felt

Industrial felt can be made from different types of felt. In addition to wool felt and needle felt, steel felt can also be used as industrial felt. This is used for heavy bearing applications in which there is the potential for horizontal displacement, and where there is a need to accommodate edge stresses due to angular displacements. Steel felt provides good sound insulation and shock absorption under heavy loads. Synthetic industrial felt (needle felt) is also used for heavier constructions, such as bearings for beams and plates in order to absorb edge stresses. No horizontal displacements occur in this case.

Construction felt

Construction felt is usually synthetic, which means that it will not rot in a humid environment and is not susceptible to damage by animals and pests. It is widely used to level out uneven surfaces and as industrial felt for glass bearings. It also offers excellent shock absorption, heat resistance and sound insulation. Finally, construction felt can be used to reduce the transmission of impact sound.

Want to buy felt?

Nijmegen-based manufacturer EKI can supply you with high-quality adhesive felt, rolls of felt, felt rings and rolls of self-adhesive felt in both standard and custom sizes. The items we produce from our materials are extremely durable and can be delivered both in bulk and in small quantities. Regardless of the size of the purchase, we can deliver our products quickly throughout Europe. If you have specific requirements or questions about our products or their technical specifications, please contact us via+31(0)243773378 or info@eki.nl.