The Shore durometer (pictured right) is a scale for measuring the hardness of a material, such as rubber, plastic, thermal  plastics (TPE), and rigid plastics. The term "durometer" is often used to describe a material's rating on the scale, for example “this material has a durometer of 60.”

  

It's worth noting, there are a variety of durometer scales since elastomeric and plastic resins vary over a wider range than one scale can accommodate. Download our comparison chart to see how these scales overlap.

 

Durometer hardness is one of many physical properties considered when selecting a material for a specific application. Beware of some common misconceptions. Durometer hardness is often inaccurately confused with the properties described below.