Abstract Tungsten-coated graphite materials with a rhenium interlayer (W–Re/G) were developed as plasma facing materials (PFM) of a fusion reactor, by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Gas desorption properties of various tungsten-coated graphite materials were investigated by using thermal desorption spectroscopy. Major species released from the graphite substrate were H2, H2O, CO and CO2. The desorption of various hydrocarbons such as CxHy (x=1–4) also was observed at around 500 K. In the W-Re/G sample, the desorption amount of hydrocarbons was an order of magnitude smaller than that of the graphite substrate. In addition, a very large desorption of CO was observed at around 1200 K. For the W–Re/G material, the prebaking temperature required was higher than 1000 K.