Modifications such as methacrylation of wood can be used to improve both wood mechanical properties and durability characteristics. Samples of pine and spruce wood were impregnated under vacuum with methyl methacrylate monomer using an initiator. Samples cured at moderately elevated temperature (70°C) were conditioned and tested for a number of physical and durability characteristics. Weight percent gains (WPG) of over 80% were observed with pine and over 70% with spruce. In three-point bending tests methacrylation significantly increased the modulus of rupture and modulus of elasticity values compared to untreated control samples. Compression strength and Janka hardness values were also significantly increased by methacrylate impregnation in both spruce and pine, although the effect was more pronounced in the pine samples. Samples were also exposed to brown and white rot fungi following the EN 113 standard method. Results confirmed a reduction in the moisture content of exposed modified samples and a resulting reduction in fungal attack for the majority of wood species/fungal combinations tested, with only brown rot attack on modified spruce showing ambiguous results. The modification was shown to increase durability by reducing fungal attack via reduction in water uptake, rather than by toxic or biocidal action. Overall, the results of this investigation demonstrate an improvement in timber properties after methacrylation.