The Wood Plank is the basic building block of just about everything in Minecraft. It’s the first thing you should gather and is fundamental to the crafting of basic tools, shelters, and used as early smelting fuel.
Even in the endgame, you will still need Wood Planks to craft Netherite tools. Be it for practical or aesthetic purposes, you will want a steady stream of Wood Planks flowing into your storage chests. Here’s an overview of all the different kinds of Wood Planks in the game, where to obtain them, and which plank you should consider using.
Updated on July 25, 2023 by John Wildermuth: Wooden planks are probably one of the first resources you will obtain when playing Minecraft, as you need four of them to create a crafting table. However, these blocks are also used to build structures or decorate buildings, and you'll need to utilize every single wood type to create the most aesthetically pleasing creations. In this list, we identified all types of planks in the game to let you know what your options are. However, Minecraft is a game that's continually updated. And in The Trails and Tales update, Cherry Blossom Trees and Bamboo Wood were introduced to the game, which also means two new types of planks. Therefore, we've added both of these new wood types to the list.
11 Bamboo
Although bamboo has been a block in Minecraft for some time, it has only recently been updated to include numerous building blocks that you can use to create different structures. Specifically, you can now craft Bamboo Blocks, which are exactly like normal wooden planks, and even strip these bamboo blocks to change their color.
To find Bamboo, search around Jungle biomes, as there may be a small groupings of the plant growing. Furthermore, if you explore your Minecraft world, you may even come across a Bamboo Forest, which features massive clusters of these tall plants.
10 Mangrove
You may not see too many Mangrove trees in the game, as they only appear in aptly named Mangrove swamps. That said, these trees are visually unique as they typically contain a significant amount of leaf blocks, which make up a huge canopy at the top.
Their other identifier is the long roots that come out of the bottom of these trees and connect to the floor. Sometimes, these roots are its only connection to the ground, meaning you need to do some climbing to reach the logs before turning them into planks.
9 Oak
As Oak is the most prevalent tree in Minecraft, Oak Wood Planks are the most abundant Wood Planks in the game. There are three types of Oaks: standard Oak, Fancy Oak, and Swamp Oak. Though they appear with different shades and colors depending on the biome, all of them will have the same Wood Plank.
Oak can be encountered in many biomes, such as Bamboo Jungle, Dark Forest, Forest, Jungle, Jungle Edge, Plains, River, Savanna, Swamp, Wooded Badlands Plateau, and Wooded Mountains. Because they’re found along Rivers and in Plains, there should be at least one Oak tree in just about every biome in the game. Oak tree farms are very helpful as they yield Apples in addition to Oak Wood Planks, but forcing standardized growth is recommended.
8 Birch
Birch trees are harder to find than Oak, only appearing in a few biomes. There are two types of Birch trees: the standard-sized Birch and the rare tall version. Both can be broken down to the same Birch Wood Planks.
Birch are found exclusively in three biomes: Forests, Birch Forests, and Dark Forests. Forest Biomes tend to be more common and provide the best source of Birch trees. They also make for fantastic tree farms given their fast growth rates, though they only yield Wood Planks and Saplings.
7 Jungle
Jungle Wood Planks come from Jungle trees that only appear in a handful of biomes. There are three types of Jungle trees: standard Jungle trees, Mega Jungle tree, and Jungle Bush. The standard Jungle trees are about the same size as Oak, Mega Jungle trees can reach up to 30 blocks in height, and Jungle Bush is usually one or two logs on the ground.
Jungle trees are found in the Bamboo Jungle, Jungle, and Jungle Edge biomes. Mega Jungles are the best source of Wood Planks given their size, but they are not found in Jungle Edge biomes. While Jungles may be rare, finding even one tree can provide the player with an ample amount of Wood Planks. Jungle trees are also worth pursuing to start a Coca Bean farm.
6 Spruce
Spruce trees are fairly common and appear in a number of biomes. Typically, they’re found where Oak trees aren’t, making them a great alternative option. There are four variants: standard Spruce, Mega Spruce, Pine, and Mega Pine. Given their size and typically sparse foliage, Mega Spruce trees make the best tree farms for sourcing Wood Planks.
Spruce trees are found in Giant Spruce Taiga, Giant Tree Taiga, Snowy Mountains, Snowy Taiga, Snowy Tundra, Taiga, and Wooded Mountains biomes. Standard Spruce appears in all of these biomes, while the Mega versions are only found in Giant biomes.
5 Dark Oak
Dark Oak trees are perhaps the rarest tree in the game, and they are extremely hard to grow efficiently in a farm. This is due to the fact that Dark Oaks require four Saplings and yield an average of four to six Saplings per tree. That being said, they do bear Apples, which can make the effort worth it. They come in a single standard variant.
Dark Oak trees will only appear in the Dark Forest biome. You'll have to spend some time exploring to encounter a Dark Forest biome. However, Woodland Mansions are located exclusively in Dark Forests, so you can find this biome via a treasure map.
4 Acacia
Acacia trees are much rarer than Oak trees, but not nearly as rare as Dark Oak. They also make for frustrating tree farms given their bizarre growth patterns. Still, for many players, their unique reddish color makes for an appealing Wood Plank. They come in three variants: standard Acacia, multi-canopy Acacia, and straighter Acacia. Which variant will grow is entirely random and cannot be influenced in any meaningful way.
Acacia trees will only appear in the Savanna biome, which is about as rare as the Plains biome. There is no vanilla game method for finding a Savanna biome, so you will simply need to explore. Acacia trees aren’t recommended for tree farms given their growth patterns and lack of resources apart from Wood Planks and Saplings.
3 Crimson Stem
Crimson Stem is a unique Wood Plank that comes from Huge Crimson Fungus. They yield an aesthetically pleasing purplish-red color. Huge Crimson Fungus only comes in the single variance. You can create a tree farm via Bone Meal on Crimson Fungus on Nylium.
Crimson Stems from Huge Crimson Fungus will only appear in the Crimson Forest. Crimson Forest is a unique biome located exclusively in the Nether, so finding one requires exploring this dangerous realm. These can serve you if you're living in the Nether or just want Wood Planks with this unique color.
2 Warped Stem
Warped Stem is the other Wood Plank type available in Minecraft's Nether realm. It is derived from a Huge Warped Fungus and is a bluish-green in color. You can grow your own in a tree farm using Bone Meal on a Warped Fungus or Warped Nylium.
Like the Crimson Stems, Warped Stems only appear in the Nether. They appear exclusively in the Warped Forest biome. To find this biome, you will need to scour the hostile Nether. They’re a solid option if you're living in the Nether or if you want uniquely colored Wood Planks.
1 Cherry Blossom
Cherry Blossom trees were among some of the most requested types of wood by longtime fans of the game, and after searching for the new Cherry Blossom biome, you will clearly see why. These enchanting forests are littered with pink petals, creating an appealing atmosphere and supplying you with a large surplus of bright pink wood.
Sadly, there is no method of always finding these pastel forests, so you'll have to simply explore and keep your eyes peeled for the color pink if you want to build with this wood.