How to Get Planks in Project Zomboid Build 42.19

Build 42.19 · Wooden planks from logs, branches, loot, and scrap

All ways to obtain planks

Saw recipes and yields

Log Weight 9.0 → 3 Planks

Large Branch Weight 6.0 → 1 Plank

Plank Weight 3.0 each

1. Equip an axe-class tool and chop a tree to drop Logs (and sometimes branches).
2. Keep a saw in inventory. Sawing does not consume the saw.
3. Craft Saw Logs from the carpentry / in-hand craft menu. One Log produces three Planks.
4. If you find a Large Branch instead, craft Saw Large Branch for a single Plank. A crude saw is accepted for this recipe.

Scrap tools: doors vs wooden objects

Build 42.19 uses different scrap rules for doors and wooden furniture. Mixing them is the most common reason players “can’t get planks from doors.”

Target	Tools	Typical returns	Plank source?
Doors	Hammer + Screwdriver	Doorknob, hinges	No—hardware focused
Wooden furniture / wood objects	Hammer + Saw	Plank attempts; failed scrap can leave Unusable Wood	Yes—this is the scrap route for planks
Log-style objects	Hammer + Saw	Log attempts	Indirect—saw those logs afterward

Removing an existing wooden barricade with a claw hammer, crowbar, or similar tool returns the planks still attached to that barricade. It is useful for relocating defenses, not for bulk production.

Where to loot finished planks

Ready-made Planks appear in several container types. The numbers below are relative odds inside those pools, not final world percentages. Actual finds still depend on container rolls, room choice, and sandbox loot settings.

In practice, warehouses, sheds, garages, and construction storage remain the best early searches for both Planks and Saws. Axes for tree cutting also turn up in storage and tool locations—see the tools guide.

Plank stats and uses

• Building: walls, frames, stairs, crates, furniture, and other Carpentry constructions.
• Barricades: plank health contributes to barricade strength when you board windows and doors.
• Fuel: usable as fire fuel.
• Weapon: emergency blunt weapon; poor durability for long fights.
• Repair: damaged Planks can be fixed with the generic glue or tape repair recipes.

Vanilla wood weights

Carry capacity is a real limit. The table below lists vanilla Build 42.19 weights only. Weight-reduction mods are optional and server-dependent—this page sticks to vanilla numbers.

Related guides

• Carpentry leveling and builds in Build 42.19
• Tools guide
• Safehouses and base defense