The invention is directed to a process for the continuous acetylation of wood elements. The process particularly combines a batchwise impregnation step, with a continuous reaction step. In order to realize this, a collection step is built-in, so as to allow batches of impregnated wood elements to be fed into a reactor in a continuous manner. Very high acetylation contents can be obtained, at a level that had not been achievable before in a continuous and non-catalyzed acetylation process.