To provide a method for coloring a woody decorative material which can provide a woody decorative material with higher woody feeling, when a sharper woodgraining contrast is required than that by a conventional coloring method of high pressure water vapor treatment, and also to provide a method for ensuring the light resistance of the woody decorative material when emphasizing the woody feeling.

This coloring method includes: performing a heat coloring process for generating a polymerizable colored material with the high light resistance in lumber 2 by heating the lumber 2 by high pressure water vapor; after that, manufacturing a sliced veneer 2s by slicing the lumber 2; and applying a coating material P, obtained by diluting a coloring agent composed mainly of a white pigment with a diluent, to a surface of the sliced veneer 2s.