The effect of heat treatment on the surface colour and hygroscopic properties of pine wood were investigated in this study. Boards of Scots pine wood (Pinus sylvestris L.) were subjected to thermal treatment at 200℃, for 4, 6, and 8 h. The change of equilibrium moisture content and density values of the specimens in order to facilitate the understanding of the treated material behavior. The colour parameters L*, a* and b*, used to depict the total colour change (ΔΕ) of wood surface, were shown to change proportionally to the treatment intensity. Moreover, swelling in the tangential and radial directions and absorption of the specimens appeared to be enhanced in great extent by the thermal treatment process. The mean value of swelling percentage in the tangential direction decreased 10.26%, 17.22%, and 19.60% for specimens treated for 4, 6, and 8 h, respectively, referring to the final measurement after 72 h of immersion. In radial direction, mean value of swelling percentage decreased 19.56%, 32.75%, and 34.65% for treated for 4, 6 and 8 h, respectively, after 72 h immersion, which attests the decrease in swelling and improvement in the hygroscopic behavior of Scots pine wood. The effect of heat treatment on the surface color and hygroscopic properties of pine wood were investigated in this study. Boards of Scots pine wood (Pinus sylvestris L.) were subjected to thermal treatment at 200 ° C for 4, 6, and 8 h. The change of equilibrium moisture content and density values ​​of the specimens in order to facilitate the understanding of the treated material behavior. The color parameters L *, a * and b *, used to depict the total color change (ΔΕ) of the wood surface, were shown to change proportionally to the treatment intensity. The mean value of swelling percentage in the tangential direction and the radial directions and absorption of the specimens appeared to be enhanced in great extent by the thermal treatment process. , 17.22%, and 19.60% for specimens treated for 4, 6, and 8 h, respectively, referring to the final measurement after 72 h of immersion. In radial direction, mean value of swelling percentage decrea sed 19.56%, 32.75%, and 34.65% for treated for 4, 6 and 8 h, respectively, after 72 h immersion, which attests the decrease in swelling and improvement in the hygroscopic behavior of Scots pine wood.