Thermal Expansion Coefficient Chart — Metals, Plastics, Wood & Glass
Linear thermal expansion coefficients for 80+ building materials, grouped by category, with computed movement per unit length and temperature.
Updated August 20, 2026
Every material grows when it warms, and the coefficient of linear thermal expansion α says by how much: movement = α × length × temperature change. The tables below list α for 80 building and engineering materials — the same per-material database, with per-material source citations, that the thermal movement calculator uses — grouped the way façade and mechanical designers meet them: metals, glass, stone, composite panels, wood, concrete, and plastics. The last column makes α tangible by computing the movement of a 3 m element over a 50 K temperature swing, roughly what a dark façade panel sees between a winter night and summer sun.
The spread is what matters at the joints: plastics move an order of magnitude more than masonry — a 3 m rigid PVC profile moves over 10 mm across that swing while the same length of granite moves barely 1 mm — and pairing aluminum (α ≈ 23) with steel (α ≈ 12) or glass (α ≈ 9) builds differential movement into every frame. Wood is the odd one out: along the grain its thermal coefficient is tiny, and in service moisture movement dwarfs thermal movement. The 13-family properties table in the material properties chart carries the same quantity at family level; this chart is the per-alloy, per-product superset.
Metals — Coefficient of Linear Thermal Expansion
| Material | α (×10⁻⁶/K) | Movement, 3 m @ ΔT 50 K (mm) |
|---|---|---|
| Aluminum 6060-T5 | 23.4 | 3.51 |
| Aluminum 6063-T6 | 23.4 | 3.51 |
| Aluminum 6082-T6 | 23.1 | 3.46 |
| Aluminum 5005-H34 | 23.8 | 3.57 |
| Aluminum 3003-H14 | 23.2 | 3.48 |
| Mild Steel (S275) | 12 | 1.80 |
| Stainless Steel 304 | 17.3 | 2.60 |
| Stainless Steel 316 | 16 | 2.40 |
| Corten Steel (Weathering) | 12 | 1.80 |
| Zinc (rolled) | 30 | 4.50 |
| Copper C110 | 17 | 2.55 |
| Bronze (Phosphor) | 17.8 | 2.67 |
| Titanium Grade 2 | 8.6 | 1.29 |
| Lead (sheet) | 29 | 4.35 |
| Brass (CuZn37) | 20.5 | 3.08 |
| Nickel Alloy 625 | 12.8 | 1.92 |
| Galvanized Steel | 12 | 1.80 |
| Aluminum 2024-T3 | 23.2 | 3.48 |
| Stainless Steel 430 (Ferritic) | 10.4 | 1.56 |
| Monel 400 (Ni-Cu Alloy) | 13.9 | 2.08 |
α at room temperature per the per-material source encoded in the thermal movement calculator. Movement column computed as α × 3000 mm × 50 K, never transcribed.
Glass — Coefficient of Linear Thermal Expansion
| Material | α (×10⁻⁶/K) | Movement, 3 m @ ΔT 50 K (mm) |
|---|---|---|
| Float Glass (Annealed) | 9 | 1.35 |
| Tempered Glass (Toughened) | 9 | 1.35 |
| Laminated Glass | 9 | 1.35 |
| Borosilicate Glass | 3.3 | 0.50 |
| Low-Iron Glass (Extra Clear) | 9 | 1.35 |
| Heat Strengthened Glass | 9 | 1.35 |
| Glass Ceramic (Neoceram) | 0.5 | 0.07 |
α at room temperature per the per-material source encoded in the thermal movement calculator. Movement column computed as α × 3000 mm × 50 K, never transcribed.
Stone — Coefficient of Linear Thermal Expansion
| Material | α (×10⁻⁶/K) | Movement, 3 m @ ΔT 50 K (mm) |
|---|---|---|
| Granite | 7.5 | 1.13 |
| Marble | 10 | 1.50 |
| Limestone | 6 | 0.90 |
| Sandstone | 11 | 1.65 |
| Slate | 9 | 1.35 |
| Travertine | 8 | 1.20 |
| Basalt | 6.5 | 0.97 |
| Quartzite | 11 | 1.65 |
| Gneiss | 7 | 1.05 |
| Onyx | 8 | 1.20 |
α at room temperature per the per-material source encoded in the thermal movement calculator. Movement column computed as α × 3000 mm × 50 K, never transcribed.
Composites & Façade Panels — Coefficient of Linear Thermal Expansion
| Material | α (×10⁻⁶/K) | Movement, 3 m @ ΔT 50 K (mm) |
|---|---|---|
| ACP (PE Core) | 24 | 3.60 |
| ACP (FR/A2 Core) | 24 | 3.60 |
| Fiber Cement Board | 10 | 1.50 |
| Phenolic Resin Panel | 20 | 3.00 |
| GFRP (Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer) | 15 | 2.25 |
| Terracotta (Extruded) | 6 | 0.90 |
| HPL (High Pressure Laminate) | 16 | 2.40 |
| FRP (Fiber Reinforced Polymer) | 18 | 2.70 |
| CFRP (Carbon Fiber Reinforced) | 1 | 0.15 |
| Ceramic Granite (Porcelain) | 7 | 1.05 |
| Sintered Stone (Neolith/Dekton) | 6.5 | 0.97 |
| Solid Surface (Corian) | 30 | 4.50 |
| Compact Laminate (Interior) | 14 | 2.10 |
α at room temperature per the per-material source encoded in the thermal movement calculator. Movement column computed as α × 3000 mm × 50 K, never transcribed.
Wood & Engineered Timber — Coefficient of Linear Thermal Expansion
| Material | α (×10⁻⁶/K) | Movement, 3 m @ ΔT 50 K (mm) |
|---|---|---|
| Timber Softwood (along grain) | 4 | 0.60 |
| Timber Hardwood (along grain) | 5 | 0.75 |
| CLT (Cross Laminated Timber) | 4.5 | 0.68 |
| Glulam (Glued Laminated Timber) | 4 | 0.60 |
| Accoya (Acetylated Wood) | 3.5 | 0.53 |
| ThermoWood (Heat-Treated) | 3.8 | 0.57 |
| Bamboo (Laminated) | 3 | 0.45 |
| LVL (Laminated Veneer Lumber) | 4.2 | 0.63 |
α at room temperature per the per-material source encoded in the thermal movement calculator. Movement column computed as α × 3000 mm × 50 K, never transcribed.
Concrete — Coefficient of Linear Thermal Expansion
| Material | α (×10⁻⁶/K) | Movement, 3 m @ ΔT 50 K (mm) |
|---|---|---|
| Dense Concrete | 10 | 1.50 |
| Lightweight Concrete | 8 | 1.20 |
| Precast Concrete | 10 | 1.50 |
| UHPC (Ultra High Performance Concrete) | 11 | 1.65 |
| GRC (Glassfibre Reinforced Concrete) | 10 | 1.50 |
| Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC) | 8 | 1.20 |
| High-Strength Concrete (C60/75) | 11 | 1.65 |
| Fiber Reinforced Concrete | 10 | 1.50 |
| Self-Compacting Concrete (SCC) | 10.5 | 1.57 |
α at room temperature per the per-material source encoded in the thermal movement calculator. Movement column computed as α × 3000 mm × 50 K, never transcribed.
Plastics & Rubbers — Coefficient of Linear Thermal Expansion
| Material | α (×10⁻⁶/K) | Movement, 3 m @ ΔT 50 K (mm) |
|---|---|---|
| PVC (Rigid / uPVC) | 70 | 10.50 |
| Polycarbonate | 65 | 9.75 |
| Acrylic (PMMA) | 72 | 10.80 |
| EPDM Rubber | 80 | 12.00 |
| Silicone Rubber (Gasket) | 60 | 9.00 |
| FRP Panel (Translucent) | 25 | 3.75 |
| Nylon 6 (Polyamide) | 80 | 12.00 |
| PTFE (Teflon) | 100 | 15.00 |
| HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) | 100 | 15.00 |
| ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) | 85 | 12.75 |
| PEEK (Polyether Ether Ketone) | 47 | 7.05 |
| POM (Acetal / Delrin) | 90 | 13.50 |
| PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) | 60 | 9.00 |
α at room temperature per the per-material source encoded in the thermal movement calculator. Movement column computed as α × 3000 mm × 50 K, never transcribed.
Sources & Further Reading
- Per-alloy metal values: ASM Handbook Vols. 1–2 entries (plus EN 1993 / EN 10346 / ASTM A588 for structural steels), as encoded per-material in the thermal movement calculator
- Glass: EN 572-1 / EN 12150-1 / EN 1863-1 and Schott borosilicate 3.3 technical data; stone: CIBSE Guide A Table 3.49 and Natural Stone Institute data
- Concrete: EN 1992-1-1 §3.1.3 family plus PCI / FHWA / ACI publications; wood: FPL Wood Handbook Ch. 4, CLT Handbook, EN 14080/14374; composites and plastics: manufacturer technical data sheets and MatWeb entries (each row carries its named source in the calculator database)
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I calculate thermal expansion from this chart?
Multiply: movement = α × length × ΔT, keeping α in per-kelvin form. A 6 m aluminum 6063 mullion (α = 23.4 × 10⁻⁶/K) over a 60 K swing moves 23.4e-6 × 6000 mm × 60 = 8.4 mm. The movement column in each table does exactly this arithmetic for a 3 m element and ΔT = 50 K.
Why do aluminum façades need bigger movement joints than steel ones?
Aluminum expands about twice as much as steel per degree — α ≈ 23 × 10⁻⁶/K for the 6xxx architectural alloys against 12 × 10⁻⁶/K for structural steel. Over a 3 m panel and a 50 K swing that is 3.5 mm versus 1.8 mm, and the difference compounds where aluminum members are fixed to a steel or concrete frame, which is why fixed-plus-sliding connection patterns exist.
Which common materials move the most and the least?
At the top of this chart sit the thermoplastics — PTFE and HDPE at α = 100 × 10⁻⁶/K, POM at 90, rubbers at 60–80 — which is why long PVC and HDPE runs need expansion loops. At the bottom are glass ceramic (0.5), CFRP (≈1), borosilicate glass (3.3), and laminated bamboo and wood along the grain (3–5). Ordinary metals, stone, and concrete cluster between 6 and 24.
Does temperature matter for wood the way it does for metal?
Rarely. Along the grain wood’s α is only 3–5 × 10⁻⁶/K — less than half of steel — and in service, swelling and shrinkage from moisture change dwarf thermal movement. That is why timber detailing rules revolve around moisture gaps and ventilation rather than thermal expansion joints; the FPL Wood Handbook treats the two effects separately.
Try the Calculators
Thermal Expansion Coefficient Chart — Metals, Plastics, Wood & Glass — reuven.tools/reference/thermal-expansion-coefficients — verified against: Per-alloy metal values: ASM Handbook Vols. 1–2 entries (plus EN 1993 / EN 10346 / ASTM A588 for structural steels), as encoded per-material in the thermal movement calculator; Glass: EN 572-1 / EN 12150-1 / EN 1863-1 and Schott borosilicate 3.3 technical data; stone: CIBSE Guide A Table 3.49 and Natural Stone Institute data; Concrete: EN 1992-1-1 §3.1.3 family plus PCI / FHWA / ACI publications; wood: FPL Wood Handbook Ch. 4, CLT Handbook, EN 14080/14374; composites and plastics: manufacturer technical data sheets and MatWeb entries (each row carries its named source in the calculator database)