An efficient treatment process called "Isostatic Compression Recovery (ICR) Process" for impregnating liquids into wood has been developed. The process comprises steps of isostatic compression of wood in the liquid at temperatures above its softening temperature and subsequent recovery of its original volume under liquid pressure. A large amount of surrounding liquid is absorbed into the wood in the process of volume relaxation through end surfaces. The process is suitable to uniformly impregnate wood with chemicals which are either liquid or form solutions stable at the treatment temperature. As an example of application of the ICR process, impregnation of Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) and Radiata pine (Pinus radiata) lumber with borates at high retention is demonstrated , where as much as 60% w/w of borate is impregnated in Japanese cedar lumber in a single treatment.

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