Content writer for Sparked Host

One of the most basic materials in most survival crafting games is Wood, and in 7 Days to Die, this is no different, as it is the first and most abundant resource players can use. Everything from basic construction and rudimentary tools to simple weapons will all require Wood, even if you are only crafting in small quantities.

Wood is also renewable and easy to come by, making it great for producing large quantities of traps and ammunition, although you'll need more resources than just Wood to craft advanced tools like the stone shovel.

What Do You Use Wood For In 7 Days To Die?

Wood is a basic resource for playing the game, found everywhere throughout Navezgane in many objects, and must be harvested from those objects to obtain it. Wood is vital for building structures and can also be used as a vital fuel source for Campfires, Chemistry Stations, and Forges.

Ways To Get Wood In 7 Days To Die

Wood is an extremely common material that players can harvest after the game begins, and several of the game's tutorial quests rely on its acquisition and use. There are a few ways to gather this material, though logging is typically the quickest and easiest, even when you consider the extra time it takes to gather the duct tape necessary to keep your tools repaired.

Upgrading Your Harvesting Perks

Certain perks, like Miner 69'er and Mother Lode, can make harvesting resources from the environment much easier, tackling the difficult topic of efficiency. These perks increase the damage dealt by harvesting tools and reduce their stamina cost; the details are that they can also significantly increase the number of materials harvested from resource nodes like trees and ore deposits, giving you enough resources to power multiple chem stations. If you want to know more, I suggest you read up on these perks.

Planting Trees

Depending on your biome, it is possible to practice tree farming to create a renewable supply of lumber. This can be done by placing the seeds acquired from felled trees in a suitable environment with enough space. You can often carry a full stack of seeds, making reforestation efficient, which will save you many hours of searching. If the requirements for that tree are met, it will grow into a new tree within a couple of days (check online links for specific tree growth times).

Shrubs

Small shrubs growing on the ground can be harvested with tools or by hand to collect small amounts of Wood. Each shrub will only net you a single scrap, but it’s a handy trick for crafting basics in a pinch, allowing you to quickly break the shrub and continue your journey.

How To Craft Wood Logs

To craft a wood log in 7 Days to Die, open your crafting menu (either your inventory or a workbench), search for "wood log," and craft it using 10 Wood. You cannot get wood logs by chopping down trees; instead, you must gather basic wood and then craft the "wood log" item directly.

Step 1: Gather wood

  • Chop down trees with an axe to gather basic Wood.

  • Any tree will drop wood, but the Pine Forest biome has a high concentration of trees.

  • Smaller shrubs can also be harvested for single pieces of wood. 

Step 2: Craft the wood log

  • Open your crafting menu (your inventory screen or a workbench).

  • In the search bar at the top of the crafting menu, type "wood" or "wood log".

  • Select the "wood log" recipe.

  • Craft the item using 10 Wood. 

Tips For Getting Wood

Gathering Wood efficiently is the backbone of survival in 7 Days to Die. Since you need it constantly for fuel, arrows, and construction, optimizing your gathering process is key.

Chop Trees

Tree felling is your main source of wood, and using the right tool is crucial.

  • Upgrade Your Axe: Your Stone Axe is slow and inefficient. Prioritize upgrading to an Iron Axe and then a Steel Axe as soon as possible. The Steel Axe offers the best balance of speed and durability before you get a chainsaw.

  • The Chainsaw (Motosierra): This is the fastest tool for cutting down trees, period. However, it's very loud (attracting Screamers) and requires Gasoline. Use it when you need a massive amount of wood quickly and have the fuel to spare.

  • Chop the Segments: When a tree falls, it turns into large segments on the ground. Don't leave them! Continue hitting these segments to collect significantly more Wood from a single tree.

Invest your skill points wisely to increase your wood yield and speed.

Perk Location Benefit
Miner 69'er Strength Increases damage done to blocks, including trees. This means fewer hits per tree.
Mother Lode Strength Increases the amount of resources you collect from destroyed blocks. This maximizes the wood you get per tree.
Living off the Land Perception Increases the resources harvested from plants, sometimes affecting wood collection from specific trees and logs.

Alternate Sources Of Getting Wood

Sometimes, chopping trees is too slow, or you need Coal along with wood.

  • The Burnt Forest: Head to the Burnt Forest Biome. Chopping down the charred, black trees here yields a mix of Wood and Coal. This is highly efficient if you are starting mass gunpowder production.

    • Warning: The Burnt Forest is dangerous and attracts aggressive zombies.

  • Looting Pallets: Look for wooden construction pallets (often found near construction sites or industrial POIs). Destroying these with your axe or a demolition tool yields a lot of wood quickly, without the noise penalty of cutting down an entire forest.

  • Dismantling: Use your axe on any wooden furniture, walls, or crates inside houses you are looting to grab extra wood without having to go back outside.