Planks (also shown in-game as Wood Planks) are a Common crafting material you pour into the Outpost. Most structures need them, and upgrading the Research Station to Level 1 alone costs 35 of them, so a single Celeste run on Seeds rarely keeps up. Farming them yourself from the right buildings is far faster, and a few areas are packed with eligible loot spots.
Quick answer: Clear the residential drawers, kitchen cupboards and stacking boxes in Old Town on Pendola Pass. A full Railyard-to-Commissary Supermarket loop on that map returns an estimated 80 to 115 Planks per raid.
What Planks are needed for
Planks arrived with the Frozen Trail update as an Outpost material. In your inventory they read “Used in crafting” and feed both the base project and later furniture recipes. You first meet the requirement during Stage 2 of the Sheltered Retreat project, which asks for 3 Planks alongside 5 Sheet Metal, 10 ARC Alloy and 3 Advanced Electrical Components.
After the Outpost is unlocked, demand climbs quickly. The Research Station’s first upgrade needs 35 Planks (with 3 Mini Pumps and 5 Battered Paperbacks), and furniture designs keep drawing on the same pool. That jump from three to dozens is why a dedicated route matters.
Best Planks locations on Pendola Pass
Every container and loose-loot spot can roll roughly a hundred different items, so no single spot is ever guaranteed to hold Planks. What is fixed is where they can appear. The areas below have the most eligible spots clustered together, so clearing them house by house gives you the most chances in the least time.
| Area | Possible spots | What to open |
|---|---|---|
| Old Town | 665 | Venetian and medical drawers, kitchen cupboards and benches, stacking boxes |
| Commissary Supermarket | 231 | Stacking boxes (180 of them), cafe cupboards |
| Researcher Lodgings | 160 | Suitcases, console chests, drawers, closets |
| Piazza della Rupe | 122 | Venetian and medical drawers, console chests, suitcases |
| Porta Benvenuti | 97 | Medical and Venetian drawers, kitchen units, TV units |
| Cielo Sereno Observatory | 77 | Filing cabinets, stacking boxes |
Roughly one-third of the map’s Planks locations are in Old Town; search the drawers and kitchen units found in every house. After that, head to the Commissary Supermarket, where boxes are chiefly piled along the aisles and in stockrooms.
Which containers hold Planks
Opening the right furniture saves time, because several common containers can never drop Planks. Skip them when you are farming this material specifically.
| Group | Can hold Planks | Never Planks |
|---|---|---|
| Residential | Kitchen cupboards and benches, closets, wardrobes, console chests, drawers and medical drawers, suitcases, TV units, trash bins, Venetian drawers, large desk drawers | Refrigerators, small desk drawers |
| Commercial | Cafe cupboard drawers, centre-bench drawers, shelf drawers, stacking boxes, filing-cabinet drawers, office desks, office trash bins, dumpsters | Cash registers, freezers, fridges |
Small desk drawers look identical to the large ones but can never hold Planks, so leave them closed and keep moving.
Pendola Pass farming route (80 to 115 Planks)
Pendola Pass is a tougher map, and new ARC enemies such as the Bully, Leaper and Skulkers patrol it. Once you learn their spawn zones, this five-stop loop is the highest-yield run for Planks.
Stella Montis alternative
Stella Montis is another reliable source, built around suitcases and trash cans. Deploy and work the Lobby and the connected Lobby Metro first, then move through the Business Center and the Atrium, searching floor by floor and checking the stairwells and metro platform halls between them. A single clean run through those four areas can bring back close to 60 Planks.
Buried City alternative (30 to 60 Planks)
If you would rather stay on a familiar map, Buried City offers a smaller but still useful haul, with the chance to pick up other valuables along the way. Follow the elevated pass into Old Town and search around the Grandioso Apartments, which has the highest Plank concentration on this map. Work back through the alleys toward the Red Tower, then leave through the Piazza Arbusto Subway Station.
A Bombardier or Bastion roams this zone on patrol, so crossing its line of fire can end your run. Carrying a Raider’s Hatch Key? Buried City is a solid choice for using it to leave more safely, as the map is now among the most contested.
Buying Planks from Celeste
If you’re short by just one or two pieces, a trade is faster than a raid. Celeste in Speranza offers Planks at 3 Assorted Seeds each. Getting all 3 Planks and 5 Sheet Metal for Sheltered Retreat from her takes 24 Assorted Seeds altogether. Look through your stash beforehand; items already there count toward the project.
Carry space and confirmation
Each Plank weighs only 0.1, so weight is rarely the limit. A looting augment helps you carry a full haul anyway. The Looting Mk. 3 (Survivor) raises your carry weight limit to 80 with 20 backpack slots, while the Looting Mk. 2 gives a 60 weight limit and 22 backpack slots.
You will know the farm paid off once you deliver the materials in the Outpost menu. Contributing the required count to Stage 2 of Sheltered Retreat completes that stage and hands you the Red Light Stick Blueprint, while the Research Station upgrade option becomes available in the station menu as soon as its 35 Planks and other components are in your stash.
