A good nanocrystal covering layer on wood can serve as a protective coating and present some new surface properties. In this study, well-aligned ZnO nanorods (NRs) arrays were successfully grown on wood surface through a two-step bottom-up growth process. The process involved pre-sow seeds and subsequently their growing into NRs under hydrothermal environment. The interface incorporation between wood and ZnO colloid particles in the precursor solution during the seeding process was analyzed and demonstrated through a schematic. The growth process of forming well-aligned ZnO NRs was analyzed by field-emission scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction, which showed that the NRs elongated with increased reaction time. The effects of ZnO crystal form and capping agent on the growth process were studied through different viewpoints. (C) 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.