SAE F-3 Wool Felt FR
Flame-retardant grade
also J314 F-3
FR = flame-retardant / mothproof treated F-3 felt
Choose for enclosures, rail/transit and appliance parts needing self-extinguishing behaviour and insect resistance.
Values for the FR condition
Other SAE F-3 Wool Felt tempers and conditions
SAE F-3 Wool Felt is listed in 2 conditions; see the grade overview at SAE F-3 Wool Felt.
- OIL
- FR
Compare all 2 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Oil-impregnated / saturated F-3 felt | Pick when the felt must act as a lubricant reservoir or oil wiper on shafts, ways and bearing seals. | — | 1 | 45 | — | 0.08 W/m·K |
FRThis page Flame-retardant / mothproof treated F-3 felt | Choose for enclosures, rail/transit and appliance parts needing self-extinguishing behaviour and insect resistance. | — | 2 | 35 | — | 0.05 W/m·K |
What is SAE F-3 Wool Felt FR?
SAE F-3 Wool Felt FR is SAE F-3 Wool Felt in the FR grade — choose for enclosures, rail/transit and appliance parts needing self-extinguishing behaviour and insect resistance. SAE F-3 Wool Felt FR has a tensile strength of 2 MPa (0.232 ksi), weaker than 94% of natural material grades. Elongation at break is 35% and the elastic modulus is 0.01 GPa (8.7×10⁻⁴ Msi). SAE F-3 Wool Felt FR has a density of 0.32 g/cm³ (0.0116 lb/in³), lighter than 89% of natural material grades.
Advantages
- Ductile — tolerates forming and impact — 35%, better than 91% of natural material grades
- Lightweight — 0.32 g/cm³ (0.0116 lb/in³), better than 89% of natural material grades
Limitations
- High embodied carbon — 22 kg CO₂/kg, worse than 100% of natural material grades
- Low stiffness — 0.01 GPa (8.7×10⁻⁴ Msi), worse than 96% of natural material grades
- Poor heat conductor — 0.05 W/m·K (0.0312 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 89% of natural material grades
SAE F-3 Wool Felt FR properties
Typical room-temperature values for SAE F-3 Wool Felt FR; 11 are specific to this condition. Other listed values are SAE F-3 Wool Felt reference data and may not represent this condition. Bars are the position among natural material grades.
Physical2
SAE F-3 Wool Felt FR has a density of 0.32 g/cm³ (0.0116 lb/in³), lighter than 89% of natural material grades.
Mechanical4
SAE F-3 Wool Felt FR has a tensile strength of 2 MPa (0.232 ksi), weaker than 94% of natural material grades. Elongation at break is 35% and the elastic modulus is 0.01 GPa (8.7×10⁻⁴ Msi).
Thermal4
SAE F-3 Wool Felt FR is rated for continuous service to 110°C (230 °F). It conducts heat at 0.05 W/m·K (0.0312 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 89% of natural material grades.
Electrical1
SAE F-3 Wool Felt FR has an electrical resistivity of 5×10⁹ Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental1
Corrosion resistance is fair (40/100), worse than 57% of natural material grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of SAE F-3 Wool Felt FR takes about 80 MJ of energy and emits 22 kg of CO₂ — more than 91% of natural material grades. Typical recycled content is 10%.
Manufacturability1
SAE F-3 Wool Felt FR's machinability is excellent (85/100, better than 63% of natural material grades).
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Confirm any required mill or lot documentation when quoting.
Working with SAE F-3 Wool Felt FR
Is SAE F-3 Wool Felt easy to machine?
Die-cut, rotary-cut, waterjet or laser (laser scorches and smells); avoid conventional milling — clamp lightly to prevent crushing.
Can SAE F-3 Wool Felt be welded?
Not weldable; join by sewing, stitching, mechanical clamping or adhesive lamination.
Can SAE F-3 Wool Felt be formed, bent or molded?
Cold-forms readily into rings and washers; can be steam-moulded/blocked over a mandrel and dries to shape.
What surface finishes work on SAE F-3 Wool Felt?
Available with PSA backing, oil/wax saturation, silicone or flame-retardant/mothproof treatment; no plating or painting.
SAE F-3 Wool Felt chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| non-wool fibre (reprocessed/other)allowed only in blended J314 grades; nominally absent in F-3 | 0 – 10 | 0 |
| moisture regainat 20 °C / 65 % RH; affects weight and resistivity | 8 – 14 | 11 |
| residual processing oil / greasescouring residue on dry felt | 0.3 – 2 | 1 |
| wool fibre (keratin)SAE J314 F-series wool content; F-3 is an all-wool pressed felt | ≥ 90 (balance) | — |
SAE F-3 Wool Felt FR — frequently asked
What is SAE F-3 Wool Felt FR used for?
SAE F-3 Wool Felt FR is typically used for gaskets, vibration dampers, instrument padding and filters. In short: general-purpose wool felt; softer than SAE F-1; conformable gasket stock.
What is the tensile strength of SAE F-3 Wool Felt FR?
SAE F-3 Wool Felt FR has a typical tensile strength of 2 MPa (0.232 ksi) — weaker than 94% of natural material grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 2 listed tempers.
Is SAE F-3 Wool Felt FR easy to machine?
Yes — machinability is rated excellent (85/100, better than 63% of natural material grades). Die-cut, rotary-cut, waterjet or laser (laser scorches and smells); avoid conventional milling — clamp lightly to prevent crushing.
Can SAE F-3 Wool Felt FR be welded?
Not weldable; join by sewing, stitching, mechanical clamping or adhesive lamination.
What surface finishes work on SAE F-3 Wool Felt FR?
Available with PSA backing, oil/wax saturation, silicone or flame-retardant/mothproof treatment; no plating or painting.
Can SAE F-3 Wool Felt FR be formed, bent or molded?
Cold-forms readily into rings and washers; can be steam-moulded/blocked over a mandrel and dries to shape.
What is the maximum service temperature of SAE F-3 Wool Felt FR?
SAE F-3 Wool Felt FR is rated for continuous use to about 110°C (230 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
Sources
- SAE J314 — Felt, Wool and Part-Wool — SAE International (2016)
- ASTM D461 — Standard Test Methods for Felt — ASTM International (2018)
- Industrial wool felt grade & property tables — Sutherland Felt / Western Felt (US felt mills) (2023)
- Wool fibre physical and thermal properties — Textile Institute / Woodhead (2009)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.