It is necessary for a gasket to have the ability to recover after compression and due to the design of the spiral wound gasket it both solves the problem of adequate flexibility and recovery to maintain a seal in extreme fluctuating conditions.  Spiral wound gaskets consist of both non-metallic and metallic materials, the metal provides the strength and resilience of the gaskets while the filler provides the seal and chemical resistance required.

 
CAUTION:
While spiral wound gaskets give excellent service under difficult conditions, the nature of the gasket does not allow for warped or buckled flanges.  Under no circumstances can spiral wound gaskets be re-used eg. after pressure testing.