Insulation·timber 50mm
timber · 50mm
R 0.38
U 1.803 W/m²·K

timber, 50 mm — R 0.38

50 mm divided by a conductivity of 0.13 gives an R-value of 0.38. The U-value is 1.803, so a square metre leaks 36.06 W across a 20-degree difference.

Standards it meets

Not up to any of them yet

Material
timber
Thickness
50 mm
Thermal conductivity
0.13 W/m·K
Thermal resistance
0.38 m²·K/W
U-value
1.803 W/m²·K
Heat lost per square metre
36.06 W
As concrete
0.62 m

Thickness for the same performance

This is the number that shows what insulation is worth. Matching 100 mm of XPS with concrete alone would take 5.7 metres of it. No one builds a wall like that — which is why a concrete building only gets warm once a thin layer of insulation is added.

  • vacuum panel3 mm
  • phenolic foam8 mm
  • rigid polyurethane9 mm
  • extruded polystyrene11 mm
  • graphite EPS12 mm
  • white EPS14 mm
  • glass wool14 mm
  • mineral wool15 mm
  • cellulose16 mm
  • plasterboard69 mm
  • concrete615 mm

Nearby cells

Same material, other thicknesses

Same thickness, other materials

How to read this

  • Thermal resistance is the thickness in metres divided by the conductivity. Bigger is better.
  • The U-value adds 0.17 of surface resistance and then flips the total. Smaller is better.
  • Resistances add across layers, so a whole wall is the sum of its parts.
  • Conductivity varies by product; the values here are typical for the material.

Frequently asked questions

Q. What is the R-value of 50 mm of timber?

0.38 — 50 mm in metres divided by a conductivity of 0.13.

Q. And the U-value?

1.803. That is 0.55 — the resistance plus 0.17 of surface — turned upside down, and a square metre leaks 36.06 W across 20 degrees.

Q. How much concrete would match it?

0.62 metres.

Q. Which standards does it meet?

At 1.803 it does not clear any of them yet.