Thermal Conductivity of Common Wood Types
Wood is a natural material with a relatively low thermal conductivity, meaning it is not a very good conductor of heat. The thermal conductivity of wood varies depending on the species of tree and the moisture content of the wood, but it generally ranges from around 0.05 to 0.2 (W/m·K).
The following table provides a comprehensive list of thermal conductivity values for different wood types at 12% moisture content, taken at room temperature (approximately 20°C or 68°F) and 1 atm pressure. (1 atm = 101,325 Pa)
Click on the icon to switch between SI (W/m·K) and Imperial (BTU/h·ft·°F) units.
| Ash (black) | 0.15 |
| Ash (white) | 0.17 |
| Aspen (bigtooth) | 0.12 |
| Aspen (quaking) | 0.12 |
| Basswood (American) | 0.11 |
| Beech (American) | 0.18 |
| Birch (paper) | 0.18 |
| Birch (silver) | 0.18 |
| Birch (sweet) | 0.19 |
| Birch (yellow) | 0.18 |
| Cedar (eastern red) | 0.14 |
| Cedar (northern white) | 0.094 |
| Cedar (southern white) | 0.1 |
| Cedar (western red) | 0.1 |
| Cherry (black) | 0.15 |
| Chestnut (American) | 0.13 |
| Cottonwood (black) | 0.1 |
| Cottonwood (eastern) | 0.12 |
| Cypress | 0.13 |
| Douglas fir (coast) | 0.14 |
| Elm (American) | 0.15 |
| Elm (rock) | 0.18 |
| Elm (slippery) | 0.15 |
| Fir (balsam) | 0.11 |
| Fir (white) | 0.12 |
| Hemlock (eastern) | 0.12 |
| Hemlock (western) | 0.14 |
| Hickory (mockernut) | 0.21 |
| Hickory (shagbark) | 0.21 |
| Larch (western) | 0.15 |
| Magnolia (sweetbay) | 0.14 |
| Maple (black) | 0.16 |
| Maple (red) | 0.15 |
| Maple (silver, creek) | 0.14 |
| Maple (sugar) | 0.18 |
| Oak (black) | 0.18 |
| Oak (bur) | 0.18 |
| Oak (northern red) | 0.18 |
| Oak (white) | 0.19 |
| Pine (eastern white) | 0.11 |
| Pine (jack) | 0.13 |
| Pine (lobolly) | 0.15 |
| Pine (longleaf) | 0.17 |
| Pine (pitch) | 0.15 |
| Pine (ponderosa) | 0.12 |
| Pine (red) | 0.13 |
| Pine (shortleaf) | 0.15 |
| Pine (western white) | 0.12 |
| Poplar (yellow) | 0.13 |
| Redwood (old growth) | 0.12 |
| Redwood (young growth) | 0.11 |
| Spruce (black) | 0.12 |
| Spruce (red) | 0.12 |
| Spruce (white) | 0.11 |
| Sycamore | 0.15 |
| Tupelo (black) | 0.15 |
The thermal conductivity of wood can vary depending on the specific species, moisture content, and other factors.
Related Tables
References: 1) Cardarelli, François. Materials Handbook: A Concise Desktop Reference. Switzerland: Springer International Publishing, 2018. 2) Forest Products Laboratory. Wood Handbook: Wood as an Engineering Material. United States: USDA, 2010.