Heat treatment is a way of drastically changing wood properties.Heat-treated lumber has been studied and produced in large scale overseas during the last decade.In this paper,the research and development of lumber heat-treating technologies are reviewed from research backgrounds,processing procedures,to the prospects of its utilization.The data shows that after heat-treatment,the dimensional stability of lumber is greatly improved,the EMC is reduced,and the weather resistant properties and durability to biodegradation are enhanced.The research and application of heat-treated lumber techniques will promote the utilization of plantation grown wood.