Investigating the tactile warmth of untreated and modified wood surfaces by measuring cold sensitivity in paired-comparison experiments

ABSTRACT The tactile warmth quality of various untreated and modified wood surfaces was compared at a room temperature of 22°C using the Thurstone’s psychophysical method of paired comparison. The test surfaces included 12 varieties of untreated and modified wooden surfaces. A total of 17 participants took part in the experiments, in which they compared 33 specimen pairs arising from various surface combinations. The results demonstrated the considerable differences in tactile warmth quality among wood surfaces. Surface coatings, such as oil and varnish, and thermal modification induced a change in the tactile warmth of wood. In pine and birch, a decrease in the tactile warmth of the surface was readily perceived after surface densification. The results provide some insights into how materials could be selected, based on their warmth quality, to improve the thermal comfort of living spaces and suggesting that this could be achieved by the extensive use of wood.