Dow Silicones: What You Actually Need to Know
I coordinate rush orders for industrial materials. In my role, I get calls from engineers and procurement pros who need answers now—not a marketing brochure. So here are the real questions I hear, answered directly.
1. What exactly does 'Dow' make for silicones?
Dow (the company formerly known as Dow Corning) produces one of the broadest silicone portfolios in the world. We're talking sealants (like the famous 791, 795, 732, 737), silicone oils and greases, rubber compounds, and specialty adhesives.
Their stuff shows up in everything from the sealant around your building's windows to the O-rings in industrial pumps. For a B2B buyer, the key is that Dow offers a range—from general-purpose to high-performance. The $500 sealant might be overkill for your application. The $50 one might fail. Their portfolio means you can often find a match without custom formulation.
Should mention: Dow's silicone business is separate from their plastics division. Don't confuse the two when calling their sales desk.
2. What did Tony Dow die of?
Tony Dow, the actor best known as Wally Cleaver on "Leave It to Beaver," passed away in July 2022. The cause was liver cancer. He had been diagnosed earlier that year and passed away at the age of 77.
I should add that his family initially reported his death prematurely in late July, then corrected the news when he rallied briefly before passing shortly after. A sad reminder that even official statements can need verification.
That said—this has nothing to do with Dow silicones. It's a search intent mismatch. If you're researching the chemical company, you want the first answer. If you landed here from a search about the actor, that's the answer.
3. Is ATKORE HDPE the same as Dow HDPE?
No, but here's the distinction that matters for procurement.
ATKORE is a manufacturer of electrical raceway and HDPE (high-density polyethylene) conduit products. They buy raw HDPE resin from various suppliers—often companies like Dow, which is a top-tier resin producer. So the material in an ATKORE product could be Dow resin.
The conventional wisdom is to think of ATKORE as the brand you buy (the finished conduit), and Dow as the raw material supplier. In practice, for my orders, the distinction matters if your specification requires Dow resin specifically. Some projects—especially in regulated industries—will call for "Dow HDPE" on the bill of materials. That means you need certification of the resin source, not just any HDPE product.
The numbers said a generic HDPE conduit was 18% cheaper. My gut said check the spec sheet. Went with my gut. Turns out the generic used a blend that didn't pass the UV resistance test for the outdoor application.
4. What is silicone foam board, and when should I use it?
Silicone foam board is exactly what it sounds like: a rigid or semi-rigid sheet made from foamed silicone. It's lightweight, compressible, and retains silicone's key properties—temperature resistance (-60°C to 200°C+), chemical stability, and weather resistance.
Every guide I'd read said foam board is for gasketing and thermal insulation. In practice, I've seen it used for:
- Gaskets and seals in high-temp environments (ovens, exhaust systems)
- Thermal breaks in building assemblies
- Padding and vibration dampening for sensitive equipment
- Protective packaging for delicate industrial parts
Looking back, I should have specified silicone foam board for a client's thermal insulation project. At the time, I went with polyurethane foam because it was cheaper. The polyurethane degraded within 18 months near the heat source. Silicone would have lasted 5+ years.
If you're comparing silicone foam board to other foams, the TCO calculation matters. Silicone might cost 2-3x upfront, but if the application involves temperature extremes, chemical exposure, or long-term reliability, it often wins on total cost.
5. Plastic vs. Polyethylene—are they the same thing?
No, and this is a surprisingly common confusion point.
Plastic is a broad category: thousands of materials including nylon, PVC, acrylic, polycarbonate, and—yes—polyethylene.
Polyethylene is a specific type of plastic. It's the most common plastic in the world, used for everything from shopping bags (LDPE) to milk jugs (HDPE) to gas pipes (HDPE again).
So the relationship is: all polyethylene is plastic, but not all plastic is polyethylene.
For an industrial buyer, the distinction matters because:
- Polyethylene (especially HDPE) is valued for its chemical resistance, impact strength, and low moisture absorption
- Other plastics have different properties—polycarbonate is clearer and stronger, PVC is more rigid and flame-resistant, nylon handles abrasion better
If you're sourcing a material and the spec just says "plastic," that's a red flag. You need the specific polymer.
I've seen procurement teams order "plastic sheets" and end up with PVC when they needed HDPE. That kind of mistake costs time and money to unwind.
Based on Q3 2024 industry data we saw at our distributors, HDPE resin prices ran about $0.60–$0.90 per pound, while specialty plastics could range from $2 to $20 per pound. (Pricing accessed January 2025; verify current rates).
6. Is there a "best" Dow silicone sealant for general use?
There isn't one—and anyone who says there is probably sells only one type.
That said, two models come up most often in my rush orders:
- Dow 732: A general-purpose sealant. Good for most indoor and outdoor applications. Reasonable temperature range (-50°C to 200°C). Moderate cure time. Price range: $8–$15 per tube (January 2025).
- Dow 795: A structural glazing sealant. High adhesion, high strength, designed for building facades and curtain walls. Cures faster than 732 but costs more: $15–$25 per tube.
For a typical workshop or minor building repair, 732 is probably fine—at least, that's been my experience with general-purpose sealing jobs. For anything load-bearing or in a curtain wall assembly, 795 is the safer call.
I should add that both come in multiple colors, and compatibility with the substrate matters more than brand loyalty. Test adhesion on a small area before committing to a whole project.
7. How do I source Dow silicones for a rush order?
This is where I live. When a client calls at 3 PM needing sealant for a Friday morning install, here's what works:
- Check Dow's authorized distributor network (dow.com). Not all distributors stock everything. You need one that carries the specific line—building sealants vs. industrial rubber vs. silicone foam.
- Call, don't just order online. An online system won't tell you "we have 732 in gray but not black." A human will.
- Ask about partial pallets. Full pallet pricing is often listed, but half pallets exist—and sometimes they're stored in the same warehouse as the full ones.
- Expedite fees are real. We paid $200 extra in rush fees (on top of $1,800 base cost) to get a pallet of 795 delivered next-day in March 2024. The client's alternative was a $12,000 delay penalty. Worth it.
Last quarter alone, we processed 47 rush orders with 95% on-time delivery. The 5% failures? All from buying from non-stocking resellers who claimed to have inventory they didn't.
Prices as of January 2025; verify current rates with your distributor.