Gasket material
Compressed Non-Asbestos Fiber (CNAF) Gasket Material
Compressed non-asbestos fiber sheet is aramid or mineral fiber bound in nitrile or another elastomer and calendered into a dense, strong sheet. It is the flange gasket for water, steam, oil and gas piping up to a few hundred degrees C, the material that replaced compressed asbestos. We cut it to your drawing on the waterjet.
- Family
- Compressed fiber sheet
- Temperature
- -73 C to 205 C continuous (-100 F to 400 F); 371 C (700 F) maximum
- Thickness
- 1/32 in, 1/16 in, 1/8 in
- Formats
- Sheets 30 x 30 in, 30 x 60 in, 60 x 60 in
- Designations
- ASTM F104 (F71 line callouts)
- Product
- Sheet gaskets waterjet-cut to your drawing in Orange, California
Figures are the cited maker or standards values; the sheet datasheet and your application govern the final choice.
Every common gasket sheet material is quick for us to source, and we cut it to your print on our waterjet.
What compressed fiber seals
CNAF is the general flange gasket for bolted pipe joints and equipment covers carrying water, steam, oils, gasoline and gases. The fiber gives it tensile strength and blowout resistance under bolt load, and the elastomer binder sets the fluid resistance: the nitrile-bound grades are the ones sold for oils and fuels [S1]. The cited grade runs to 205 C continuous and 1000 psig, with a P x T limit that falls as the sheet gets thicker [S1].
It is not a conformable sheet. A CNAF gasket wants a flat, machined flange and a proper bolt torque; on a stamped or warped cover, cork-rubber or solid rubber seals better at low load.
Reading the F104 callout
ASTM F104 gives every nonmetallic gasket sheet a line callout that starts with F and encodes the type, class and test results [S3]. BLUE-GARD® 3000 carries F712102A9B4E22K5L101M5 [S1], and the first position of that callout is the material type. Brand names such as BLUE-GARD, Klingersil® and Durlon® appear on prints as often as the callout; either one is enough to match the sheet.
Specifications
Compressed Non-Asbestos Fiber (CNAF) specifications
| Property | Value (in / mm, C / F as stated) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Composition | Aramid fibers with a nitrile binder (Garlock® BLUE-GARD 3000) | [S1] |
| Density | 100 lb/ft3 (1.60 g/cm3), ASTM F1315 | [S1] |
| Compressibility | 7 to 17 percent, recovery 50 percent (ASTM F36) | [S1] |
| Temperature | Minimum -73 C (-100 F); continuous maximum 205 C (400 F); maximum 371 C (700 F) | [S1, S2] |
| Pressure | 1000 psig (70 bar) maximum; P x T 350,000 psig x F at 1/32 and 1/16 in, 250,000 at 1/8 in | [S1] |
| Thickness | 1/32 in, 1/16 in and 1/8 in (0.8 mm, 1.6 mm, 3.2 mm) | [S1, S2] |
| Formats | Sheets 30 x 30 in, 30 x 60 in, 60 x 60 in; blue | [S2] |
| Designations | ASTM F104 line callout F712102A9B4E22K5L101M5 (BLUE-GARD 3000); the standard classifies nonmetallic gasket materials by type and class | [S1, S3] |
How we cut it
Gaskets are waterjet-cut to your drawing in Orange, California. Send a DXF, DWG or PDF with the thickness, the material or the specification callout, and the quantity. There is no die to build, so a single prototype and a repeat run go through the same setup, and a revision needs only a new file. The sheet comes from the sheet makers we buy from, to the callout on your print; the cutting is ours. Compressed fiber is dense and cuts clean at 1/32 in through 1/8 in.
Where Compressed Non-Asbestos Fiber (CNAF) is used, and the usual alternatives
The print or the sheet datasheet governs; these are the sheets usually specified instead:
- Cork-rubber: when the cover is stamped or warped and the bolt load is light.
- Filled PTFE: when the medium is a strong acid, a solvent or another chemical the elastomer binder cannot take.
- Flexible graphite: when the joint runs hotter than the fiber sheet's continuous limit.
- Cellulose fiber: when a thin, low-cost paper gasket in oil or water is enough.
Related gasket materials: Cork-Rubber Gasket Material, Filled PTFE Gasket Material, Flexible Graphite Gasket Material, Cellulose (Vegetable) Fiber Gasket Material. The full index is on the gaskets hub; send the drawing through request a quote.
Frequently asked
What replaced compressed asbestos sheet?
Compressed non-asbestos fiber: aramid or mineral fiber in an elastomer binder. Prints written for the old material usually accept a CNAF grade with an ASTM F104 callout.
How hot can a CNAF gasket run?
The cited grade is rated 205 C continuous with a 371 C maximum, and the pressure-temperature product falls as thickness rises. Check the maker's sheet for the grade on your print.
What does the F104 callout mean?
It is the ASTM classification line for nonmetallic gasket sheet. The first digit after the F is the material type; 7 is non-asbestos fiber. The rest encodes class and test results.
Which thickness should a flange gasket be?
1/16 in is the usual choice for machined flanges. 1/32 in seals flatter faces and holds more pressure; 1/8 in is for rougher or uneven faces at lower pressure.
Can you cut BLUE-GARD or Klingersil by brand?
Yes. Name the brand and style, or the ASTM F104 callout, and the sheet is matched to it before the gasket is cut.
Sources
- [S1] Garlock BLUE-GARD 3000 spec sheet (January 2016), Garlock, https://legacy.garlock.com/sites/default/files/documents/en/GarlockGASBLUEGARD3000SpecSheetJan2016%20EN.pdf, accessed 2026-09-13.
- [S2] Garlock BLUE-GARD Style 3000 Sheet, Gasket Supply, https://www.gasketsupply.com/products/garlock-blue-gard-3000-sheet, accessed 2026-09-13.
- [S3] ASTM F104-11(2020), Standard Classification System for Nonmetallic Gasket Materials, https://store.astm.org/f0104-11r20.html, accessed 2026-09-13.
Garlock and BLUE-GARD are trademarks of Garlock Sealing Technologies; Klingersil and Durlon are trademarks of their owners. No affiliation or endorsement is implied.
Related guides
Send the Compressed Non-Asbestos Fiber (CNAF) gasket drawing and the quantity
Upload a DXF, DWG or PDF of the gasket with the quote request, or a photo of the part with a ruler if no drawing exists. Add the sheet thickness, the durometer or grade, the quantity and whether adhesive backing is wanted. Gaskets are cut in our own shop in Orange, California; a Conquest representative replies.
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