Is wood a conductor or an insulator? Yes, and no. Wood is a conductor and an insulator depending on some circumstances.
Dry wood is not an electrical conductor, even though it allows some electrical current to pass through if used near high-voltage power lines.
Green, growing wood conducts even more electricity because it is wet and contains dissolved salts. That’s why it’s not a good idea to be under a tall tree during scary lightning storms.
So, is wood a conductor or insulator? Stick with me and let’s learn why and how wood can be both a conductor and an insulator.
Is Wood a Conductor or Insulator
Wood is an insulator, not a conductor. It does not allow electricity to pass through it easily and therefore serves as a barrier to the flow of electricity.
The Differences Between A Conductor and an Insulator
To understand why wood is an insulator of heat (thermal energy) and a possible conductor of electricity, let’s see the difference between insulators and conductors.
Insulators
Materials that do not allow electricity to pass through are called insulators. They resist electric current. This means that the electrical charge will travel through them very slowly.
The electrical property that makes conductors different from insulators is their resistivity. Wood, cloth, glass, quartz, and mica are good insulators.
They offer protection against heat, sound, and electrical currents. Furthermore, insulators lack free electrons. This is the primary reason they do not conduct electricity.
So, insulators such as rubber are used as insulating materials. Plastic and ceramics are good electrical insulators. Rubber is a good electrical insulator.
Conductors
Good conductors are materials or substances that allow electricity to pass through them. They conduct electricity since electrons can easily flow from atom to atom inside them.
A good conductor also transfers heat or light from one conductive material to another. All metals, humans, the earth, and animals are excellent conductors.
This is why we get electric shocks. Conductors have free electrons on their surfaces, allowing electric current to flow freely. Metals are better conductors and can never be excellent insulators.
See: How to repair heat damage on wood table
Differences Between Conductors and Insulators
| Conductors | Insulators |
| A conductor enables current to flow through it. | Insulators don’t permit electric current to flow through it. |
| Conductors are used in creating electrical equipment. | They’re used for insulating electrical equipment to ensure safety. |
| Electric charge lives on the surface of a conductor. | Electric charges are not present in insulators. |
| The resistance of conductors is a bit low. | The resistance of insulators is very high. |
| The thermal conductivity of conductors is very high. | Thermal conductivity of insulators is very low. |
Reasons Why Wood Conducts electricity
Wood is a conductor, albeit not a particularly good one. On the other hand, high-voltage power has no trouble passing through the wood.
When damp, the wood transforms into a superb conductor, even at very low voltage. Be cautious when using wooden and even metal ladders near power lines.
Wet wood conducts electricity due to water, minerals, and dissolved salts. Ions present in wet wood act as charge carriers and aid in electrical conduction.
The estimated electrical conductivity of dry wood ranges from 10-16 to 10-14 S/m, whereas that of wet wood ranges from 10-4 to 10-3 S/m.
Let’s get this right. The impurities (electrolytes) in the wet wood make it a conductive material—the electrical resistance of wood increases when the moisture levels in wood increase.
However, not all wood will conduct heat even when wet. It will largely depend on the type of wood and voltage applied.
Types of Wood that Conduct electricity when wet
If you love woodworking, it is critical to know if the wood you’re working with is a conductor of electricity. It could save your life. Here are some of the wood species that will let electric current flow through them when wet.
| Softwood | Hardwood |
| Spruce | Red Oak |
| Hemlock | Red Maple |
| Cedar | White ash |
| Pine tree | Raft |
| Fir tree | Black cherry |
Factors Affecting Electrical Properties of Wood
Under normal circumstances, dried oven wood does conduct electricity unless used near high voltages to cause an electric shock. Nonetheless, other factors play a hand in determining whether wood will be a conductive material or an insulator.
Let’s look at some of the factors that influence a wood’s electrical conductivity:
Length
The electrical conductivity of pieces of wood is proportional to their length. Longer wooden sticks have a lower conductivity. Electric current will flow faster through shorter pieces of wood than through longer pieces.
Temperature
The electrical conductivity of wood is affected by temperature changes as it causes an increase in conductivity and vice versa.
The main reason is that temperature influences the nature of ions and viscosity. Ions become more active at higher temperatures and less active at low temperatures.
If you want to know whether your piece of wood conducts electricity, then take it from room temperature (~75°F) and touch the surface with your finger.
If you feel no sensation, then it is likely that the wood is an insulator. If you feel some sensation like tingling, the wood is more likely to be a conductor.
Moisture
The moisture ( water content in wood) will determine whether the wood will be a conductor or insulator.
If the moisture content is high, the wood might conduct electricity due to the presence of dissolved salts ( electrolytes) and impurities in the wood as they move in the wood allowing the electric charge to flow through them.
Impurities
The presence of impurities makes water a better conductor of electricity. Similarly, electricity could flow through wood with impurities, such as pieces painted with metallic paints.
Voltage (Current Frequency)
Electric current works perfectly when electrons flow without resistance. We consider wood a poor conductor as it lacks free-flowing electrons. However, there is an exception to this principle.
Dry wood will conduct electricity excellently when it comes into close contact with electrical lines. Electrical lines are high voltage, and it is risky to use wooden ladders near them.
Wood Species
Some wood species have a higher percentage of horizontal fibers than vertical ones, making them very good conductors than those with vertical fibers.
It is safe to say that electrical conductivity is higher along the wood grain than across the grain. Woods for pyrography should have higher electrical conductivity to ensure more efficient heat transfer.
In addition, wood species with a high electrical resistance tend to be harder than those with lower levels of resistance, providing greater durability and reliability.
Reasons Why Dry Wood Does not Conduct Electricity
Dry wood, unlike other materials, does not conduct electricity very well. With metals, the case is different. The electrons of metal atoms, such as silver, are loosely bound to the nucleus.
They can move easily around the atom. This enables the electric current to pass through them in a process called metallic bonding.
Dry wood is a dielectric substance. When an electrical field is applied to it, no current will pass through it. The densely packed molecules do not allow the electrons to move freely.
As a result, if you keep the wood dry, it’ll be a great insulator. Please do not use wooden ladders near electrical lines to avoid being shocked.
Related: How to dry wood slices
Best Electrical Conductors
If you love wood works, you’ll need to have some knowledge of electricity because you’ll come close to it in your daily life.
You may also work with metal, and it helps to know whether a metal conducts electricity well to take calculated risks. The metals below conduct electricity excellently.
Silver
Pure silver is the best conductor of electricity, hands down. But it is not widely used because it has a few disadvantages.
It is very expensive, and most individuals or companies won’t use it even if they want to. They opt for copper and aluminum as they’re more affordable.
It also tarnishes with use, which causes problems with the skin effect. Skin effect, in simple terms, is unequal current frequency distribution that could happen across high-voltage currents. Silver is one of the best strong conductors.
Copper
Copper is the go-to metal for electrical conductivity. It can conduct electricity unlike rubber. Copper is pliable. That means it is effortless to solder or wrap, making it the top choice for large amounts of wiring.
Copper’s primary electrical function pertains to electricity transmission and power generation. You can find it in motors, transformers, and generators.
When appropriately installed, copper is the most secure and effective metal for producing electricity.
Gold
Gold is also a good conductor of electricity. But because it is pricey, it is used sparingly. Gold wires make excellent non-corroding wires.
However, they do not have as low resistance as copper or silver, which are less expensive and have lesser resistivity. So gold is not the best nor the most feasible material for low-resistance wiring.
So you will never find any gold wiring anywhere. Nonetheless, you could find fine gold wires in bond wires in transistors and integrated circuits as they’re ductile and do not rust.
Aluminum
Aluminum is a better conductor, but it is not the best. Silver is the best electrical conductor. That’s why it is used for conducting electricity. Silver is six percent more conductive than copper.
Aluminum has lower conductivity than silver and copper. Still, it is preferred because of its low density, low price, and unmatched corrosion resistance.
Lemon Juice
Lemon juice contains citric acid. When you mix lemon juice with water, the acid disintegrates into charged anions and cations. As a result of these charged ions being capable of flowing inside the acid, they could conduct electricity.
Other materials that Could conduct electricity are:
- Steel
- Iron
- Seawater
- Concrete
- Mercury
- Platinum
- Brass
- Bronze
- Graphite
- Dirty water
FAQs
Can wet wood Conduct electricity?
Yes, wet wood can conduct electricity. Wet wood contains moisture and other substances. It is the water molecules and the impurities ( dissolved salts) that will in the wood that will act as electrolytes and let the electric current pass through the wood and not the wood itself. Pure water and tap water are insulators. However, the amount of moisture in the wood and wood species determines its electrical conductivity. The higher the moisture, the higher the conductivity, and the lower the moisture, the lower the conductivity.
Does wood conduct electricity?
Yes and no. Wet wood can conduct electricity. Don’t worry, though. Not all wet wood will conduct electricity. It’ll depend on wood species and the level of moisture. Wood species with a higher percentage of horizontal fibers, such as wet red Cedar or white and Red Oak, will conduct electricity. Dry wood is a non conductive material as it is covalently bound compound. Dry wood lacks free moving electrons and won’t conduct electricity unless when used near high-voltage areas.
Why is wood a good insulator?
Wood is a natural insulator as it has pocket holes within its cellular structure. So, it does not conduct electric current and heat. Wood prefers to retain heat instead of transferring it. Wood has a higher heat-insulating capability than concrete, marble, and glass. So, you can use it to insulate your home to keep the energy bills down. It ensures that your home will stay warm, regardless of the weather. However, remember that some types of wood conduct electricity when wet. So, take the necessary precautions.
Is air a conductor or insulator?
Generally, the air is an insulator. Air will not conduct electricity like metals such as silver or copper do. Metals are good conductors because their electrons move freely within them. Air has no freely moving electrons, so we can’t say it is a better conductor. However, there are instances when air can allow an electric current to flow through it.
During a rainstorm, the air between the ground and the cloud acts as a capacitor. When an electric field is potent, the air ionizes, allowing free electrons to carry electric current. So, the air becomes highly conductive.
Is wood an electrical conductor or insulator of heat
Because of its material structure, wood is an excellent insulator. Wood contains electrons that do not freely move in the wood, preventing electricity or heat from passing through. Wood also has air space, which holds the electrons together, restricting free movement. Dry wood is an insulator because it is a poor conductor of heat and electricity. However, the dissolved salts in wet wood can let small currents flow through them.
Is silver a conductor or insulator
Silver is a good conductor of heat and electricity. The presence of free valence electrons, which function as charge carriers and aid in the transfer of electricity, is the primary reason silver metal acts as an excellent conductor. Even though silver is the best conductor of electricity and heat, it has yet to be widely used. It is very expensive, oxidizes easily, and it is very soft. So, silver is a conductor and not an insulator.
Next, read on: Best electrical wood carving tools.
Conclusion
Is wood a conductor or insulator? Yes, and no. Wood can act as a conductor and insulator. Ordinarily, dry wood will not conduct electricity unless used near high-voltage power lines.
Wood, whether wet or dry, won’t let heat pass through it, so it is a good insulator. Because of dissolved salts and minerals in the water, wet wood conducts electricity.
Ions present operate as charge carriers and aid in electrical conduction. But not all wood will conduct electricity even when damp.
It’ll largely depend on other factors such as moisture content, length of the wood, wood species, etc.