Novolak-type phenol-formaldehyde (PF) resins with solution form were prepared by reacting phenol-liquefied Cryptomeria japonica (Japanese cedar) wood with formalin in the presence of methanol. Wood powders of Albizzia falcate (Malacca albizzia) impregnated with these resins were air dried followed by an oven-dried at 60 degrees C. DSC analysis showed the PF resin existing in wood powders could be melted, and could be cured if hexamine was mixed and heated at high temperature. Compression-molded plates made with PF resin impregnated woods had a high degree of curing reaction. However, compression-molded plates hot-pressed at 180 degrees C for 8 min or 200 degrees C for 5 min had better internal bonding strength and dimensional stability than others. Premixing hexamine with PF resin and impregnating into wood powders simultaneously could enhance the reactivity of PF resin, but it was not useful for improving the properties of compression-molded plates. (C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 118: 3471-3476, 2010