Wood impregnation

A method for preparing a wood-polymer composite by impregnating a wood material and/or wood-based material, comprising the steps of:

• providing wood material having a moisture content of from about 15 to about 35% based on the weight of said wood material;
• impregnating said wood material with a composition comprising at least one polymerizable monomer selected from the group consisting of styrene, methyistyrene and tertiary butyistyrene that are to be polymerized in the wood, the polymerization being initiated with at least three initiators selected from low, medium, and high temperature initiators, wherein at least one low temperature initiator is selected from the group consisting of 2,2′-azobis (2-methyl-butanenitrile), benzoyl peroxide, 2,2′-azobis (2,4-dimethyl-pentanenitrile), and 2,2′-azobis (2-methyl-propanenitrile), wherein at least one medium temperature initiator is 1,1′-azobis (cyclohexane-carbonitrile), and wherein at least one high temperature initiator is selected from the group consisting of tertiary butyl perbenzoate and di-tertiary butyl peroxide;
• said monomer being crosslinked with divinyl benzene, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate, 1,3-butylene glycol dimethacrylate, ethylene glycol trimethacrylate or trimethylol propane trimethacrylate;
• and curing said impregnated wood material with heat to a temperature sufficient to polymerize and crosslink the at least one monomer.