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welding blankets

How to Care for a Carbon Felt Welding Blanket

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a carbon felt welding blanket

One essential safety measure in welding is the use of welding blankets, with carbon felt welding blankets being a popular choice. These blankets serve as a protective barrier against sparks, slag, and heat, keeping you and your surroundings safe. To ensure your investment lasts and offers maximum protection, it’s crucial to know how to care for a carbon felt welding blanket.

How to Care for a Carbon Felt Welding Blanket

Regular Cleaning

Regular cleaning is the cornerstone of caring for your carbon felt welding blanket. After each use, inspect the blanket for any signs of burns, tears, or excessive wear. If any damage is visible, repair or replace the blanket to maintain its effectiveness. For general cleaning, shake off loose debris and use a brush to remove any stubborn particles. If there are any stains, you can use a mild detergent and water to gently scrub them away. Be sure to rinse thoroughly and allow the blanket to dry completely before storage.

Carbon Felt Welding Blanket, Proper Storage 

Proper storage is essential to prevent your carbon felt welding blanket from becoming damaged or contaminated. When not in use, store it in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight, moisture, and extreme temperatures. Avoid folding it tightly, as this can cause creases that reduce its effectiveness. Instead, roll it up loosely to maintain its structural integrity. Using a dedicated storage bag can also help protect the blanket from dust and debris.

Protection from Sparks and Splatter

While carbon felt welding blankets are designed to withstand sparks and splatter, it’s essential to take extra precautions to prolong their lifespan. Position the blanket in a way that it doesn’t come into direct contact with the welding arc, and make sure it’s not in the line of fire for any molten metal splatter. Additionally, consider using additional protective materials, like silicone-coated fiberglass sheets, in high-risk areas to further shield the blanket from intense heat.

a carbon felt welding blanket

Avoid Chemical Exposure

Carbon felt welding blankets are durable, but they can be sensitive to certain chemicals. Avoid contact with oils, solvents, and acidic substances, as they can weaken the fabric and reduce its fire-resistant properties. If any chemical exposure occurs, clean the affected area immediately with mild detergent and water to prevent long-term damage.

Regular Inspection and Replacement

Regularly inspect your carbon felt welding blanket for signs of wear and tear, including thinning, discoloration, or any areas where the carbon felt has lost its integrity. If you notice any of these issues, it may be time to consider replacing the blanket. Investing in a new one is a small price to pay compared to the safety risks associated with a damaged welding blanket.

Caring for your carbon felt welding blanket is crucial for ensuring the safety of your welding operations and the longevity of your investment. Regular cleaning, proper storage, protection from sparks and splatter, avoiding chemical exposure, and regular inspection are all important steps in maintaining your welding blanket. By following these guidelines, you can continue to rely on your carbon felt welding blanket for efficient and safe welding operations while extending its lifespan. Remember, a well-maintained welding blanket not only protects you but also safeguards your work environment from the hazards of welding.

3 Other Ways to Use Welding Blankets

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charcoal on a fiberglass welding blanket
  • Welding blankets for Grilling
  • Welding blankets for outdoor camping
  • Welding blankets for home emergencies

What are welding blankets used for? Just by the name itself, welding blankets are used for, of course, welding. But because of the materials used in manufacturing them which makes them heat resistant, welding blankets, whichever type you have – leather welding blankets, fiber welding blankets, or felt welding blankets – have been proven to be of use for different purposes by different people. Here we give you the other ways welding blankets can be used aside from welding. 

The best welding blankets are known for their protective features. It’s fire retardant making it highly effective in protecting welders and their equipment and other materials against heat, sparks, and splatters. It’s also very useful while grinding, cutting, and any other activity that creates heat. Because of these, people have found out that it can be used for other purposes at home or even outdoors. 

welding blankets
Waylander Welding Blanket/Photo AZ Do Lover on Amazon
welding blankets
Blanket turned black but no signs of melting/Photo by AZ Dog Lover on Amazon

3 Other Ways to use Welding Blankets

Below you find 3 other ways welding blankets can be used apart from its main purpose for welders. Here we see how people can get really creative when it comes to using things around them which they can find useful in different situations. 

Welding Blankets used for Grilling 

Who doesn’t love flame-grilled burgers? Families everywhere would get together in their own backyard, most especially during the 4th of July, to celebrate over grilled burgers or barbecue. 

If there’s one thing that you can’t have whenever you grill is to have undercooked or burnt meat. 

To make sure that doesn’t happen, you need a significant amount of direct and radiant heat to make sure you grill those burgers well. But what if you wanted to grill even during the cold weather or even when it’s rainy or windy? This is where welding blankets become useful. 

What you need to do is to take a welding blanket and wrap it around your cooking chamber or smoker. The blanket protects it from rain or wind and most importantly insulates the grill giving you the perfect amount of heat you need while stabilizing it longer burning less fuel or pellets. It’s efficient and it doesn’t cost that much. Make sure you have a welding blanket the next time you get the whole family for an outdoor grill soon.  

welding blankets

Welding Blankets for Outdoor camping

Aside from using welding blankets for grilling, many also use it to make bonfires when camping to protect the lawn underneath. Welding blankets are not 100% fireproof (read more about this below) but they are fire-resistant up top a certain level of heat. Choosing a welding blanket that can withstand very high temperatures will do the job. 

For outdoor camping, welding blankets can also be used in case of emergencies as a fire blanket to extinguish starting fires. Most welding blankets are made of fiberglass which makes it very heat resistant and could withstand high temperatures making it the perfect tool to put off the incipient fire. 

waylander blankets

Welding Blankets at home for safety

Next on the list is using welding blankets at home in the kitchen in case of emergencies to put off starting fires as well. It protects everyone at home, it protects goods, and it doesn’t need any maintenance at all. Just keep and store it in a place where it can be easily seen and reached by anyone at home in case of a fire. Restaurants are also encouraged to have welding blankets aside from fire extinguishers to have adequate displays to prevent and fight against fires.

Other things you need to know about Welding Blankets

Are welding blankets fireproof?

When you say fireproof, it means it is able to withstand fire or great heat. If we use this definition, then yes, welding blankets are fireproof but they also have certain limits when it comes to temperature resistance and that depends on the kind of material they’re made of. 

Fiberglass welding blankets, for example, can stand working temperatures ranging from 300-2,300 degrees Fahrenheit while Felt welding blankets can only stand working temperatures of up to 1800 degrees Fahrenheit. 

welding blankets

Are welding blankets waterproof?

Welding blankets are not 100% waterproof but they are water-resistant. Let’s not forget that welding blankets are still primarily to protect welders against heat, sparks, and splatter and not really about protection against water. 

Knowing welding blankets are useful for other things apart from welding – grilling, outdoor camping, and even at home –  it would be wise to get a welding blanket that would work for the specific use you need it for. Read our blog on How do I Choose the right Welding Blanket?

How do I choose the right welding blanket?

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a welder using a welding blanket

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How do I choose the right welding blanket?

a welder using a welding blanket

Welding blanket, so many different materials, sizes, functions... It's very hard to decide what type of welding blanket you actually need. If you don't want to make the wrong choice, be sure to read this entire article. We will give you information about all the different materials and its applications

If you search for a welding blanket, the first thing you will notice is that there are a lot of different materials used. Most welding blankets are made of fiberglass. But even then, there’s a wide variation of coatings. Which welding blanket do you need? And what makes a blanket the right fit for your job? In this article we will discuss the applications of a welding blanket, the different materials used, coatings and other useful details if you want to buy a welding blanket.

For what applications can I use a welding blanket?

For welding, obviously!

Welding blankets are originally made for the purpose of welding. Since it’s heat resistant, it can work as a shield to protect other material against sparks and splatter. Like the bodywork of a car, a wooden floor, a carpet, … Of course, it also comes in handy while grinding, cutting and every other activity that creates heat. When welding, it’s important to know if the blanket can be used on both vertical as horizontal surfaces. Keep in mind that welding blankets on horizontal surfaces, need to sustain a lot more heat.

a welder using a welding blanket

But also a lot of other applications.

Since welding blankets serve as an excellent shield against heat and fire, it can also be used for many other applications. For example, a fire blanket is basically a light welding blanket and helps to prevent fires. Many people also buy a welding blanket to insulate their grill during cold weather. That way their grill keeps and stabilizes the heat longer and burns less fuel or pellets.

We also heard people using a welding blanket to protect their wood deck or lawn from a the fire pit or grill. You can even make a bonfire on a good welding blanket, the lawn underneath will be protected.

It has so many different applications, the possibilities are endless. But it’s very important to know which welding blanket you need for what purpose.

What you must know about the materials of a welding blanket.

In the past, welding blankets were made of woven asbestos. For safety reasons, this production has been stopped worldwide in the early nineties. Other, more safe materials are being used now. Usually the blankets are made of a basic material. Fiberglass blankets normally are also coated depending on the wanted features. Make sure you always choose a welding blanket that is sewn with Kevlar thread. This thread is very strong and when getting in touch with high heat, it doesn’t melt, but disintegrates. Making it more safe to use.

What are the differences in welding blanket materials?

Most welding blankets are made from fiberglass. But you can also find leather and felt blankets, each with their own characteristics.

Fiberglass welding blanket

welding blanket

Fiberglass is made of the same components to make glass. Those are mixed together, heated up and from that threads are spun. Those threads are woven and that’s how a fiberglass blanket is made. Since fiberglass has a high melting temperature, it’s an excellent tool for us. The downside is that fiberglass loses small sheds that irritates the skin. To avoid this, and to increase other features like heat resistance, fiberglass fabric gets a coating.

Pros:
  • Cheap
  • Very heat resistant
  • Strong and durable
Cons:
  • Sheds when not coated, irritates skin

The different coatings are discussed further in this article.

Leather welding blanket

leather welding blanket

Leather is a natural product that is fire resistant on its own. For that reason, many welding apparel (like welding aprons, welding sleeves, welding jackets etc.) is made of leather, more specific split cow leather. Leather blankets are nicer to work with than fiberglass, but it’s also much more expensive and heavier. Normally a leather blanket doesn’t have any grommets, so they work perfectly as a cover to protect car bodies against sparks and splatter.

Pros:
  • Feels smooth on skin, no coating needed
  • Strong and durable
Cons:
  • Very expensive
  • Heavy, less useful to work with

Felt welding blanket

carbon felt blanket

Felt is a sort of textile that is not woven, but by pressing the fibers together. To make a felt welding blanket, carbon is used for the heat resistant character. Carbon felt has a temperature resistance of 1800 degrees Fahrenheit (about 1000 degrees Celsius), which is incredibly higher than fiberglass and leather. Felt also feels soft and won’t irritate your skin. The downside is that it’s not as strong as fiberglass and leather, and it won’t last as long either.

Pros:
  • Cheap
  • Resistant against very high temperatures
  • Feels soft on skin
Cons:
  • Not durable, not for using in the long term

Different fiberglass coatings, what is important to know?

There are very much different coatings, each with their own specifics. We will discuss the most used. It happens often that multiple coatings are combined, with the purpose to add multiple specifics.

Heat treated coating

The cheapest welding blankets are heat treated. With this treatment, fiberglass sheds less and has a higher heat resistance. Fire blankets are usually heat treated. This type of welding blanket is for light duty welding work. Even with the heat treatment, the fiberglass still sheds a lot and should be used wearing gloves.

Silicon and acrylic coating

Silicon and acryl are a heat resistant materials that feel soft. These characteristics make it excellent to use as a coating for fiberglass. The downside is that they are not resistant against high temperatures. They are great for light duty welding work.

Vermiculite coating

If you need a welding blanket that doesn’t irritate your skin and has a great heat resistance, vermiculite coated welding blanket could be the right choice. Vermiculite is a safe coating that increases all the wanted requirements of a welding blanket: it can resist a high temperature and it doesn’t irritate the skin. Vermiculite welding blankets are the best choice for both light as heavy duty welding.

welding blanket

Different fiberglass coatings, what is important to know?

If you’re buying a welding blanket, don’t forget to check if it has grommets. So you can hang the welding blanket if needed.

Also check if the welding blanket is suitable for what you need. For example the temperature of plasma cutting is much higher than normal welding.

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