Wood ceramics (WCS) were prepared from thermo-modified poplar wood residues and untreated poplar wood. At 1000 °C sintering temperature, the ratios of wood powder and phenolic resin at 10:3, 10:6 and 10:9 were tested. The effects of materials on the properties of WCS, carbon yield and volume shrinkage were studied. With the increase in resin content, the carbon yield increased; however, the volume shrinkage decreased. Carbon yield of WCS made from 220 °C thermo-modified poplar wood was 40.45%, as the ratio of wood powder/phenolic resins was 10:6. The microstructure, chemical structure and crystallinity of WCS were analysed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), respectively. The results showed that WCS had a porous structure. WCS prepared from thermo-modified materials, amorphous carbon and hard glass carbon melted more evenly; meanwhile, there were more pores on glass carbon. The FTIR spectra showed that the stretching vibration of C-O-C weakened at ceramics made of thermo-modified poplar. The XRD pattern indicated that the raw material has no apparent influence on the graphitization degree of WCS.