Determination of thermal conductivity properties in some wood species obtained from Turkey

With the increased awareness of thermal insulation of buildings, the knowledge of thermal conductivity of non-structural materials applied for roughing, cladding or flooring has become more important. The objective of this study was to investigate the thermal conductivity of 31 different wood species originated from the region of Izmir in Turkey. Thermal conductivity of air dried boards was determined in accordance to ASTM 5334 standard which measures this property on the interior of wood rather than on the surface. Thermal conductivity varied from 0.090 to 0.197 W/mK. The highest thermal conductivity was obtained for oak and the lowest for Canadian poplar. A linear relation was obtained between wood density and thermal conductivity.