How to Make Planks in Outbound
Planks are the most-used material in the entire game. This page is the fastest path from 'no axe' to a stack of 24 Planks ready for the Workshop.
The Plank recipe
The recipe is simple: 2 Lumber → 1 Plank, processed at the Saw Bench on the driver-side of your camper van. The bench is available from the moment you wake up in Chapter 1.
| Step | What | Where | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pick up the Axe | Toolbox south of crash site | 30 s |
| 2 | Chop 12 Lumber | Grove east of van | ~3 min |
| 3 | Return to van | Driver-side panel | — |
| 4 | Use Saw Bench | Insert 2 Lumber, hold interact | 6 s / Plank |
| 5 | Keep 24 Planks minimum | Storage Crate | — |
Faster ways to get planks
- Axe Mk2 — fells a full tree in 2 hits instead of 5. Unlocked in the Workshop after Chapter 2.
- Reinforced Axe (T3) — fells T2/T3 Lumber trees in 1 hit. Workshop T3 unlock; needs Hardened Metal + Strong Weave.
- Coast Lumber groves — the Coast biome has T2/T3 trees that drop 4–6 Lumber each. Bring a Big One chassis to haul a full stack home in one trip.
Why this is the most-searched Outbound question
Planks gate the Workshop, which gates everything else. New players consistently report being stuck because the Saw Bench icon is hidden under a fold-out flap on the van — see our controls guide for the exact button.
Common questions
How do you make planks in Outbound?
Place 2 Lumber into the Saw Bench on the side of your van and hold the interact button. Each pair of Lumber produces 1 Plank in roughly 6 seconds of game time. The Saw Bench is available from minute one — you do not need to unlock anything.
Where do you get Lumber?
Chop any Lumber tree in the Starting Area or Coast biomes with the axe. Saplings yield 1 Lumber; full trees yield 3–4 Lumber. Trees regrow on a 3-day in-game cycle so you can farm the same grove repeatedly.
Why does my plank craft say 'missing tool'?
You are trying to craft at the campfire instead of the Saw Bench. Planks are bench-only — there is no field recipe. Walk to the driver-side panel of the van; the Saw Bench is the leftmost icon.
How many planks do I need for the early game?
Plan on 24 planks before you leave Chapter 1. The Workshop blueprint alone needs 8, the first storage expansion needs 4, and every bridge/door prompt in the next biome costs 2–6 planks.