Wood vs Tile Floor Heat Transfer

[RJB32482]

My friend asked me a question on why tile floor always seems colder than wood floor even though they are both at the same ambient temperature. I told him it must have something to do with the heat transfer coefficient of the surfaces. Anyone else have any insights? Know it might not be a design question, but just wanted to see how others would answer this.

Thanks.

 

[IRstuff]

That's why pan handles are often wooden:

http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/thermal-conductivity-d_429.html

TTFN

 

[RJB32482]

So then I was correct. The thermal conductivity of wood is less than tile floor. That means less heat is transfered from your feet to the floor, making the tile seem cooler than the wood?

Please respond.

Thanks.

 

[IRstuff]

Wasn't that consistent with my answer?

TTFN

 

[torpen]

Hello,

It is the thermal effusivity and not the thermal conductivity that explains this phenomen.

Let us consider two objects at different temperatures in thermal contact with each other.

The object which has the higher effusivity tends to impose its temperature to the other one.

That's why fakirs can walk (if done fast enough) on hot coals and not on steel plate for example.

We are interested by the contact temperature immediately after the contact.

If we go barefoot (at 37.5 °C) on steel plate (at 60 °C) or on wood floor (at 60 °C) the "temperature sensation" will be different.

The contact temperature for a foot-wood contact is equal to 44 °C whereas for a foot-steel contact it is 58 °C high.
On the other hand if we stay on the wood floor the result is the same.

Regards,

Torpen