Chute Liners

Urethane hardness is specified by a Shore durometer (A or D scale). Higher Shore A values mean stiffer, harder material. For the harshest abrasion, a very hard urethane (around Shore A 90–95) is recommended, since 90A is classified as very hard and provides very high wear resistance. In applications where both abrasion and impact are present, a slightly softer range (about 80A–90A) is often used for added toughness. For example, 80A offers high abrasion resistance while remaining more flexible, whereas 90A is very high in abrasion resistance but less elastic. (In general, engineers balance these properties: soft urethanes absorb shock, and hard urethanes support loads and resist wear.)

Chute liners are typically fabricated from Universal Urethane’s standard stock shapes. Flat sheet stock is the primary material for liner panels, since it can be cut to any required panel size and provides continuous wear-resistant coverage. Thicker sheets mean more wear life under abrasion. For corners, edges, or special profiles, we also use rod or bar stock to form custom shapes. Our urethane bars and rods are molded with the same high-performance formulations as the sheets – they are abrasion- and chemical-resistant. By combining sheet panels with bar-edge liners, you can fully protect a chute interior with compatible urethane materials.

Universal Urethane offers sheet stock in a wide range of thicknesses (from 1/8″ up to 4″). For chute liners, typical thicknesses range from 3/8″ (0.375″) to 1″ or more, depending on the wear conditions. A 3/8″ sheet is generally sufficient for light sliding abrasion, whereas 3/4″–1″ thickness is often used in heavy-impact, high-wear zones. (Our sheet inventory covers all these sizes.) All sheets are cast to tight tolerances, ensuring uniform performance across panels. In summary, choose thinner stock (e.g., 3/8″) for light-duty wear surfaces and thicker stock (up to 1″ or higher) where severe impact or abrasive load occurs.