Abstract The properties of wood that are important in the conservation of historical wooden objects are described. These include the densities and mechanical properties of some typical species. This is followed by a resume of the moisture relations in wood, and their consequences for dimensional changes and/or the development of restraining stresses. A third important property of wood is its susceptibility to various kinds of biological degradation, including effects of insects, fungi and bacteria. This is followed by a summary of the difficulties and wood properties associated with various applications. The subjects of these applications include buildings, furniture, musical instruments, painted panels, ships and boats, wood foundation poles, sculpture and carving, and watermills and windmills.