What is HDPE used for?

HDPE is used for chopping boards, water and chemical tanks, playground equipment, marine fenders and bollards, wet area cubicles, signage, wear strips, food prep surfaces, and a huge range of industrial parts that need chemical resistance and toughness. If a job is outdoors, gets wet, or sees aggressive chemicals, HDPE is usually on the shortlist.

HDPE is food safe by composition and is used worldwide for chopping boards, food storage and milk bottles. For applications that require formal certification (such as commercial food production), we supply HDPE that is certified to FDA and EU 10/2011 food contact standards.

Not reliably. HDPE has a very low surface energy, which means most adhesives slide off. The two practical ways to join HDPE are heat welding (which fuses the parent material) and mechanical fasteners such as stainless steel bolts. Specialist polyolefin primers and structural adhesives exist for bonding HDPE, but for most jobs welding or fastening is the better answer.

Will HDPE crack in the sun?

Standard non stabilised HDPE will degrade and become brittle after a few years of direct UV exposure. UV stabilised grades, which have carbon black or hindered amine light stabilisers added during manufacture, will survive 10 to 20 years outdoors with no significant loss of properties. We supply UV stabilised HDPE as standard for any outdoor application.

What is the difference between PE 300 and PE 500?

PE 300 is standard density HDPE used for tanks, signage, chopping boards and most general fabrication. PE 500 is a higher molecular weight grade with better impact, wear and abrasion resistance. It is used where the material is taking real punishment, such as truck bed liners, ore chute liners and heavy industrial wear strips. PE 500 is more expensive but lasts considerably longer in abrasive service.

HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene)

Name: Associated Plastics
Address: 1 Birdwood Ave, Moonah, Tasmania, 7009, AU
Telephone: 1300 198 924
Price range: $$

A tough, chemically inert and food safe plastic that is the standard for tanks, chopping boards, wear strips and outdoor signage.

Overview

About HDPE

HDPE is a rigid, high strength material mainly used in the marine, mining, agriculture and food industries. HDPE offers high chemical and abrasion resistance. This material is also resistant to both hot and cold temperature extremes.

It is approved for direct food contact, which makes it the standard for commercial chopping boards and food preparation surfaces. It absorbs no moisture, machines cleanly, and welds reliably for tanks, bunds and containment work. We stock it in natural, black, blue, green, red and yellow.

Tell us the size you need and we will cut it. We also weld, drill and fabricate HDPE to order.

Key Properties

Polymer family: High-density polyethylene, HDPE, PE 300 or PE 500
Density: Around 0.95 g/cm3 (floats in water)
Max service temperature: Approximately 80 C continuous
Tensile strength: Around 25 to 30 MPa
Common thicknesses: 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 15, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50 mm
Food contact: FDA and EU food grades available

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Key Features

What makes HDPE useful

Excellent chemical resistance against acids, bases, salts and most solvents

Food safe in standard grades, with certified food contact grades available

Naturally low friction surface that does not need lubrication

Resistant to UV in stabilised grades for long outdoor service

Will not absorb water and floats

Plastic weldable for tanks, fittings and large fabrications

Applications

Common uses for HDPE

Chopping boards and food prep surfaces

Chemical storage tanks and bunds

Marine bollards, fenders and dock components

Children's playground equipment

Wear strips, slide rails and guide blocks

Outdoor signage and bench seats

Cubicle dividers in wet areas such as pools and showers

Cutting and packing surfaces in food production

Greywater tanks and rainwater tanks

Skid plates, bash plates and undertrays

Conveyor parts including pulleys and wear pads

Boat hatches, decks and trim

Pros and Cons

The honest picture

Every material has trade offs. Here is where HDPE shines and where it falls short.

Pros

Survives almost any common chemical you will encounter
Standard food grade by composition, with certified grades for direct food contact
Naturally slippery surface that resists sticking and ice build up
Plastic weldable, which makes large tank and fabrication work practical
Excellent outdoor durability with UV stabilised grades

Limitations

Cannot be solvent welded, only heat welded or mechanically fastened
Paint and glue do not bond well without surface treatment such as flame or corona
Lower stiffness than acrylic, ABS or polycarbonate of the same thickness
Will creep under sustained load, so fixings need to allow for this

Comparisons

HDPE versus the alternatives

Polypropylene

HDPE is slightly stiffer and a little more durable outdoors, while polypropylene tolerates higher temperatures (around 100 C) and is more rigid. For cold service and outdoor signage HDPE wins, for hot water and steam polypropylene is the choice.

ABS

ABS is stiffer, paints well and machines like wood, but is not as chemically resistant or weather durable as HDPE. ABS is for visible product housings, HDPE is for tanks, wear parts and outdoor use.

Acrylic

Acrylic is clear, glossy and brittle. HDPE is opaque, matte and tough. They serve completely different purposes and are rarely substitutes for each other.

Our Services

How we work with HDPE

The fabrication methods best suited to HDPE, and what we do with them in our Moonah workshop.

CNC Router Cutting

HDPE machines beautifully on a CNC router, holding tight tolerances on wear strips, machine parts and signage. We cut sheets up to 50 mm thick.

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Plastic Repairs

HDPE is one of the most weldable plastics, so cracks in kayaks, tanks and bins can usually be heat welded back to service.

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Custom Fabrication

We fabricate HDPE tanks, bunds, cubicles, signage and play equipment, with edges that can be polished, chamfered or left clean cut.

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Cut To Size

HDPE cut to your dimensions in white, black, blue, green, natural and food grade colours, with thicknesses from 3 mm up to 50 mm.

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FAQ

HDPE FAQs

Need HDPE for Your Project?

Talk to our team about how we can cut, fabricate or repair HDPE for you. Free quotes, expert advice and Australia wide delivery from our Moonah workshop.

Get a Free Quote Call 1300 198 924