Method for impregnation of wood component with solid paraffin wax, apparatus therefor and wood component so impregnated

A method for treating a piece of wood to impregnate only a portion of the piece of wood with a water repellent, said portion being smaller than said piece of wood, wherein said water repellent is solid at ambient temperatures, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing said piece of wood to be treated;
• (b) dry heating said piece of wood for a predetermined period of time, said piece of wood being heated at a temperature A;
• (c) subsequently immersing only said portion of said piece of wood in a bath of liquefied water repellent, said bath being at a temperature B, for a predetermined period of time;
• (d) thereafter removing said piece of wood from said bath and allowing said piece of wood to cool,
• wherein said temperature A is above 100° C. and said temperature B is below 100° C. but above a liquefying point for said water repellent, and wherein a differential between temperatures A and B is at least 60° C.