A laboratory study has been conducted to find out how surface condition affects thermal deformation of permanent mold using test pieces having different properties between the surface and the back. The authors hypothesized that the thermal deformation of such test pieces corresponds to the bending of a composite beam and derived a formula to estimate the magnitude of the thermal deformation of the test piece. The propriety of the formula was examined with the test pieces varying either the elastic modulus or the thermal expansion in the surface. The following relationship existed between the magnitude of thermal deformation calculated from the basic properties of test piece (DC) and the magnitude obtained by the actual test (DA) : DA=0.995DC+0.284 ; (r=0.88). Consequently, it is considered that the characteristics of thermal deformation can be estimated from the basic properties even in permanent mold materials having different surface conditions.