Wood stabilization is a series of processes which use pressure and/or vacuum to impregnate wood cellular structure with certain monomers, acrylics, phenolics or other resins[1] to improve dimensional stability, biological durability, hardness, and other material properties.
[2] When exposed to moisture through humidity absorption or direct immersion, most wood species will swell and change shape.
Examples of wood items which are commonly stabilized include knife handles, pistol grips, straight razors, game calls and jewelry.
One of the most commonly used stabilizing methods utilizes a heat cured polymer known as methyl methacrylate (MMA).
[2] Material properties of stabilized wood varies by specific species and type of stabilization process used, however in softwoods and soft hardwoods, the improvement in strength, hardness and durability can be dramatic.