Three new polyester binders containing either benzotriazole-type or hindered amine light stabilizers (HALS)-type light stabilizers were synthesized. The binders were characterized by C-13 and H-1 NMR, FTIR, UV-VIS spectroscopy, and size exclusion chromatography. It was found that it was possible to bind a benzotriazole-type light stabilizer to the polymer backbone of the binder if a suitable group was present in the stabilizer. However, there was no proof that the HALS-type stabilizer was bound to the binder. The average penetration depth of the binders into the radial surface of pine wood was mainly below 480 mum into earlywood and below 2500 mum into latewood. The average penetration depth into the tangential surface was around 1000 mum in the earlywood and around 2500 mum in the latewood. Artificial weathering causes a binder-treated wood surface to darken independently of the binder used. The yellowness of the irradiated pine samples increased at the beginning of the exposure but decreased during longer exposure times. The benzotriazole stabilizer, Tinuvin 213, protected the surface of wood quite well; the other stabilizers were poor. The wood surface became rougher in appearance, cracks along the microfibril orientation became pronounced, and the bordered pits were degraded in the weathered samples. (C) 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.