Lumber Tycoon 2 Wood Types and Values
Wood is the economy of Lumberland. Knowing where trees spawn and roughly what their planks sell for turns random chopping into a plan. Values below are approximate plank figures used by the community for routing — expect small variance from cut quality, updates, and measurement method — but the tier order is stable enough to guide upgrades.
Approximate Plank Values
| Wood | Approx plank value | Where to look | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oak | ~$10 | Around spawn / starter forests | Tutorial money; replace ASAP |
| Birch | ~$15 | Pale mountain / birch regions | First real upgrade grind |
| Elm | Low | Mixed temperate areas | Fill wood, not a money focus |
| Cherry | ~$10.5 | Scattered temperate spawns | Similar to Oak-class cash |
| Walnut | ~$11 | Temperate pockets | Slight Oak+ filler |
| Gold | ~$36 | Gold region | Mid-game cash engine |
| Lava / Volcano | ~$28 | Volcano biome | Route density matters as much as price |
| Cavecrawler | ~$35 | Cave-related spawns | Strong specialty wood |
| Frost | ~$106 | Taiga Peak / snow biome | Late mid-game prize |
| Phantom | ~$420 | Lone Cave (special requirements) | Needs End Times Axe + Ostrich Eye path |
| Sign Wood | Rare / extreme | Special / rare circumstances | Do not plan early income around it |
Seasonal: Halloween can feature Spooky and Sinister woods; Christmas can feature Blue Spruce. Treat them as event windows, not permanent fixtures. For interactive-style tables you can skim while playing, open the value list tool.
Logs Versus Planks
Always ask: is the sawmill multiplier worth the handling time? For Oak, milling still teaches the loop. For Frost, the jump toward ~$106 per plank versus raw log pricing is enormous — hauling unmilled Frost as a habit leaves huge money on the table. Phantom’s ~$420 plank class makes careful milling mandatory.
Place Shabby ($ early) then Fair sawmills on your land so processing continues while you drive. Public sawmills behind Wood R Us work at the start, but plot sawmills scale. Match sawmill throughput to your axe tier from the axe tier list so you are not waiting on a slow mill with a fast Silver or Rukiryaxe clear speed.
Early Game Woods (Oak to Birch)
Spawn forests teach controls: swing, fall direction, grab, rotate, sell. Buy the Basic Hatchet ($12) first — punching trees is not the design. Oak planks around the ~$10 class fund land, the Sold sign cash-out (~$400), a Utility Vehicle, and the road to Hardened Axe ($550).
Birch at ~$15 plank value is the first "I feel progression" wood. Mountaineer with a truck, keep loads tidy, and stop over-investing in Plain/Steel if Hardened is within reach. Cherry and Walnut sit near Oak’s money band; Elm is filler. Do not turtle in low woods because they feel safe — your time is the scarce resource.
Follow the structured path in getting started if you want a checklist rather than vibes.
Mid Game: Gold, Lava, Cavecrawler
Gold (~$36) is the classic mid-game printer when paired with Silver Axe ($2,040). Lava/Volcano (~$28) can look "worse on paper" than Gold yet wins sessions through tree placement, familiar volcano routes, and trailer loops. Bring better axes; Fire Axe is legendary here if you own it, otherwise Silver or Rukiryaxe still clear fine.
Cavecrawler (~$35) rewards players who learn cave approaches and safety. It sits in the same broad value neighborhood as Gold/Lava and diversifies your farm when a biome is crowded or contested on public servers.
Unlock deeper map access with Dynamite from Bob's Shack ($220) and the bridge toll ($100). Map literacy pays as much as plank math — see the map guide.
Late Game: Frost and Phantom
Frost (~$106) at Taiga Peak is the aspirational mid-to-late farm. Expect cold biome traversal, boulder/dynamite logistics, and careful hauling on unfriendly terrain. Frost Axe helps if you have it; Rukiryaxe remains a strong generalist. Our Frost wood guide covers routing mindset and prep.
Phantom (~$420) is a different sport. You need the End Times Axe and the Ostrich Eye for Lone Cave progression. This is not a "bring Silver and hope" activity. Read Phantom wood before dedicating an evening. The plank value justifies the setup cost only if you can complete trips consistently.
Sign Wood’s rarity makes it a curiosity and flex more than a repeatable salary. Seasonal Spooky/Sinister and Blue Spruce woods are for event grind windows — bank cash when they appear, then return to evergreen routes.
Routing Advice by Goal
- First $550: Oak focus, sell land sign, buy Hardened.
- Fund Silver: Birch loops with a truck and Fair sawmill.
- Fund Rukiryaxe: Gold/Lava cash until Bag of Sand, Lightbulb, and Can of Worms (or cheap trick) are affordable — quest guide.
- Stack millions: Frost sessions with disciplined milling; Phantom when fully geared.
- Event weeks: Pivot to seasonal woods without abandoning your main axe plan.
Server population changes everything. If Volcano is gridlocked, Gold or Cavecrawler may print more per real-time hour. Flexible routing beats dogma. Match trucks and trailers to the route with the vehicles guide, and if you are bundling Phantom or Frost into player deals, read trading before you drop a stack.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most valuable wood in Lumber Tycoon 2?
Phantom planks are among the highest at roughly $420 each when you can harvest them correctly. Frost at about $106 is the more common late mid-game target. Sign Wood is rarer still.
Is Lava wood better than Gold wood?
Gold often lists a higher plank estimate (~$36 vs ~$28), but Lava routes can still win on speed and density. Try both with your vehicle setup.
Do I need a special axe for Frost wood?
You can farm Frost with strong generalist axes like Rukiryaxe. Frost Axe is a specialist bonus if you own it, not a hard gate like End Times is for Phantom.
Why mill instead of selling logs?
Planks usually sell for much more than raw logs. The multiplier is especially important for Frost and Phantom.
Where are seasonal woods?
Halloween can add Spooky/Sinister types; Christmas can add Blue Spruce. Check the live map during events and the in-game Changelog.