A process for converting wood into a moldable plastic has broad potential applications. The process, temporary plasticization of wood with ammonia, is described, and the function of plasticizers in general and the mechanism of plasticization is reviewed. This article also covers the plasticization of wood interpreted in terms of the solvent action of liquid ammonia on cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin; the influence of time, temperature, pressure, wood species, and after-treatments on the process is correlated with the molecular mechanism of the process. The author makes suggestions for possible commercial exploitation.