-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 TZSo0cvV5w1IvR3xhDSSBCn0gLTPHZYCK0BxTK9PlHqralXzYbI1N1TAc27GhUI+
 Q2ENQBb3RNn15s1AE37WLA==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001208561-03-000001.txt : 20030707
<SEC-HEADER>0001208561-03-000001.hdr.sgml : 20030704
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030703205939
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001208561-03-000001
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030508
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030707

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			WIDMANN ROGER M
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001208561

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-07665
		FILM NUMBER:		03776064

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		LYDALL INC
		STREET 2:		ONE COLONIAL RD.
		CITY:			MANCHESTER
		STATE:			CT
		ZIP:			06045-151

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			LYDALL INC /DE/
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000060977
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	TEXTILE MILL PRODUCTS [2200]
		IRS NUMBER:				060865505
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		ONE COLONIAL RD
		STREET 2:		P O BOX 151
		CITY:			MANCHESTER
		STATE:			CT
		ZIP:			06045-0151
		BUSINESS PHONE:		2036461233

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	COLONIAL BOARD CO
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19700115
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-05-08</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000060977</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>LYDALL INC /DE/</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>LDL</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001208561</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>WIDMANN ROGER M</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-06-30</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate><value>2003-07-01</value></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1122</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>93064</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnershi
p><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>8.85</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-05-08</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>3000</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2004-05-08</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-05-07</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>3000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlying
Security><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>118591</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>8.85</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-05-08</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>325</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2004-05-08</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></exerci
seDate><expirationDate><value>2013-05-07</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>325</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>118916</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Semiannual Stock Award to Outside Directors in lieu of cash retainer.</footnote><footnote id="F2">Automatic grant to each Outside Director on the date of Annual Meeting of Stockholders.  Options become exercisable in four equal annual installments beginning on 5/8/04.</footnote><footnote id="F3">Grant to each Outside Director in lieu of cash-based retirement benefits.  Options become exercisable in three annual instal
lments beginning 5/8/04.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Margaret R. Murphy, Attorney-in-fact for Roger M. Widmann</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-07-03</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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