# Problem with generating table? [closed]

I am using the array package and have a problem with generating the following table:

\begin{table}
\renewcommand{\arraystretch}{1.5}
\centering
\caption{Design values of thermal properties of typical building materials}
\label{t:material_prop}
\begin{tabular}{l@{\hskip 1.5cm} >{\centering}p{1.5cm} >{\centering}p{1.5cm} >{\centering}p{1.5cm}}
\toprule[3pt] \toprule
\textbf{Material} & \textbf{Thermal conductivity (W/m.K)} & \textbf{Density (kg/m\textsuperscript{3})} & \textbf{Specific heat (kJ/kg.K)} \\ \midrule
Acoustic tile & 0.061 & 481 & 0.84 \\
Clay tile & 0.571 & 1121 & 0.84 \\
Common brick & 0.727 & 1922 & 0.84 \\
Dense insulation & 0.043 & 91 & 0.84 \\
Face brick & 1.333 & 2002 & 0.92 \\
Felt and membrane & 0.19 & 1121 & 1.67 \\
Finish & 0.415 & 1249 & 1.09 \\
heavy-weight concrete & 1.731 & 2243 & 0.84 \\
heavy-weight concrete block & 0.813 & 977 & 0.84 \\
Light insulation & 0.043 & 32 & 0.84 \\
light-weight concrete & 0.173 & 641 & 0.84 \\
light-weight concrete block & 0.381 & 609 & 0.84 \\
Plaster or gypsum & 0.727 & 1602 & 0.84 \\
Slag & 0.19 & 1121 & 1.67 \\
Steel siding & 44.998 & 7689 & 0.42 \\
Stone & 1.436 & 881 & 1.67 \\
Stucco & 0.692 & 1858 & 0.84 \\
Wood & 0.121 & 593 & 2.51 \\
\bottomrule \bottomrule[3pt]
\end{tabular}
\end{table}


## closed as unclear what you're asking by doncherry, jub0bs, Stefan Kottwitz♦Nov 27 '13 at 16:50

Please clarify your specific problem or add additional details to highlight exactly what you need. As it's currently written, it’s hard to tell exactly what you're asking. See the How to Ask page for help clarifying this question. If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.

• Any help please ! – Muhammad Nov 27 '13 at 15:45
• Please post a real question and tell us the specific problem. We will close it for now. Obviously the answer by @Johannes_B was solving your problem, so I guess there's no need to reopen for additional answers - but it's possible. – Stefan Kottwitz Nov 27 '13 at 16:53

Using the S column of siunitx gives you a much cleaner table, the table numbers are properly aligned.

The \centering command changes the behaviour of the line ending \\. You need to restore it using arraybackslash. I just defined a new columntype P, so the code is cleaner.

But I still think using siunitx gives a result much more pleasing to the eye.

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{booktabs}
\usepackage{array}
\newcolumntype{P}{>{\centering\arraybackslash}p{1.5cm}}
\usepackage{siunitx}

\begin{document}

\begin{tabular}{l@{\hskip 1.5cm} PPP }
\toprule
{Material} & {Thermal conductivity } & {Density} & {Specific heat} \\
\midrule
Acoustic tile & 0.061 & 481 & 0.84 \\
Clay tile & 0.571 & 1121 & 0.84 \\
\bottomrule
\end{tabular}

\begin{table}
\centering
\caption{Design values of thermal properties of typical building materials}
\label{t:material_prop}
\begin{tabular}{lSSS}
\toprule
{Material} & {Thermal conductivity } & {Density} & {Specific heat} \\
&  \si{\watt\per\meter\per\kelvin} & \si{\kilo\gram\per\cubic\meter} &
\si{\kilo\joule\per\kilo\gram\kelvin}\\
\midrule
Acoustic tile & 0.061 & 481 & 0.84 \\
Clay tile & 0.571 & 1121 & 0.84 \\
Common brick & 0.727 & 1922 & 0.84 \\
Dense insulation & 0.043 & 91 & 0.84 \\
Face brick & 1.333 & 2002 & 0.92 \\
Felt and membrane & 0.19 & 1121 & 1.67 \\
Finish & 0.415 & 1249 & 1.09 \\
heavy-weight concrete & 1.731 & 2243 & 0.84 \\
heavy-weight concrete block & 0.813 & 977 & 0.84 \\
Light insulation & 0.043 & 32 & 0.84 \\
light-weight concrete & 0.173 & 641 & 0.84 \\
light-weight concrete block & 0.381 & 609 & 0.84 \\
Plaster or gypsum & 0.727 & 1602 & 0.84 \\
Slag & 0.19 & 1121 & 1.67 \\
Steel siding & 44.998 & 7689 & 0.42 \\
Stone & 1.436 & 881 & 1.67 \\
Stucco & 0.692 & 1858 & 0.84 \\
Wood & 0.121 & 593 & 2.51 \\
\bottomrule
\end{tabular}
\end{table}
\end{document}


• Thanks, but the problem is with the following line : "\begin{tabular}{l@{\hskip 1.5cm} >{\centering}p{1.5cm} >{\centering}p{1.5cm} >{\centering}p{1.5cm}}" because when it is typed as: "\begin{tabular}{l@{\hskip 1.5cm}ccc}" the problem is solved I don't know why !!! – Muhammad Nov 27 '13 at 15:49
• I made an update to the answer. Is this helping you? – Johannes_B Nov 27 '13 at 16:08