What material are hockey pucks typically made of?

What material are hockey pucks typically made of? The answer is vulcanized rubber. A regulation ice hockey puck is a dense, black rubber disk designed to slide quickly across ice while remaining durable enough to withstand repeated impacts from sticks, skates and boards.

Vulcanization is a chemical process that strengthens rubber, traditionally by heating it with sulfur and other ingredients. Modern puck manufacturing mixes natural rubber with additives such as antioxidants and bonding materials, then compresses the mixture in molds. The finished puck is about three inches in diameter and one inch thick, with a textured edge that helps players control it with their sticks.

Hockey pucks were not always standardized. Early versions included wood, square rubber disks and even cut-down lacrosse balls. The round puck became established in the late nineteenth century, while consistent professional specifications developed later. Pucks are often chilled before games because colder rubber is less bouncy and behaves more predictably on the ice. Plastic, steel and wood may appear in practice or novelty products, but they are not the typical regulation material.