Canvas Phenolic (Micarta) C/CE

What Is Micarta? Canvas Phenolic C/CE

Canvas phenolic is the material most people know as Micarta®: cotton canvas bonded with phenolic resin and pressed into a dense, tough laminate. Phenolic Canvas Grades C and CE are machining-grade laminates designed for structural and mechanical applications. These laminates combine a medium weave cotton fabric with a phenolic resin binder, providing a durable material with good wear resistance, low moisture absorption, and solid mechanical strength at an economical cost. Grade C is the mechanical grade; CE adds electrical properties.

Material Structure and Performance

Canvas Grades C and CE are phenolic laminates built from medium weave cotton fabric impregnated with phenolic resin. This combination produces a material with stable mechanical strength, predictable wear characteristics, and consistent dimensional behavior under load. The cotton reinforcement provides toughness and impact resistance, while the resin binder contributes rigidity and surface durability. These properties make Canvas C/CE suitable for components that require reliable performance across varied mechanical environments.

Machining Canvas Micarta Sheet, Rod and Tube

Canvas Micarta sheet (sometimes sold as Micarta board), rod and tube machines cleanly using standard fabrication methods, allowing for precise shaping, threading, and contouring. The material’s internal structure supports stable chip formation and reduced tool chatter, enabling accurate tolerances in both simple and complex geometries. Sheets, tubes, and rods can be converted into custom parts such as spacers, guides, bushings, and mechanical supports. Sanded surfaces with ±0.005″ tolerance provide consistent thickness control for applications requiring tight dimensional alignment.