Plank

Plank is a basic crafted good used throughout the game as a building material and a component in several production chains. It is produced from processed logs in the timber-processing buildings and serves as an intermediate resource required by many structures and higher-tier goods.

Planks are created by the Sawmill (timber-processing buildings). The production chain begins with planting and harvesting trees, then chopping them into logs, which are fed into sawmills that process logs into planks. Several sawmill tiers exist with different science unlock costs, labor requirements, power consumption and throughput; higher-tier buildings unlock increased output and efficiency for plank production.

Planks are required to construct and upgrade a wide variety of buildings and infrastructure. They appear as a cost component in many recipes and construction menus, so maintaining a steady plank supply is essential for expansion. Plank production is electricity-dependent for the powered sawmill tiers, so power availability directly affects plank throughput once advanced sawmills are in use.

Practical notes and interactions:

• Plank production begins with tree planting and chopping; ensure you have dedicated forest farms and enough choppers to keep sawmills fed.
• Early-game plank needs can be met with the basic non-powered sawmill tier; later tiers increase output but require science and power investments.
• Because many buildings consume planks for construction and some production chains require planks as an ingredient, buffer storage (stockpiles) near construction zones and production hubs reduces transport delays.
• Scaling: when expanding into multi-story or larger settlements, plan power generation in parallel with unlocking higher-tier sawmills to avoid production bottlenecks.
• Keep an eye on workforce allocation: sawmills have labor requirements that can compete with other crucial jobs; balance beaver assignments to avoid stalling plank output.