Selected tropical hardwoods from Cameroon were impregnated with methyl methacrylate and polymerized in situ using a catalyst-heat technique. The fractional volumetric retentions of monomer and polymer were determined and expressed in terms of the fraction of voids filled by the impregnant. Of the three species tested, Movingui and Bilinga were easily treatable and therefore considered suitable for wood-polymer composites; on the other hand Sapelli was difficult to treat.