How to Get Hardwood in Stardew Valley

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Hardwood at a Glance

The most consistent source of Hardwood is the regenerating Large Stumps in the Secret Woods. If you have the Forest Farm map then you’ll also have access to Large Stumps on the left of your farm. These can be harvested using a Copper Axe. Other sources of Hardwood are Mahogany Trees, Large Logs, and a Woodskip Fish Pond.

How to Harvest Hardwood in Stardew Valley

To gather Hardwood in Stardew Valley, you’re going to need an axe and at least one empty inventory slot. If you don’t have any space, the Hardwood will sit on the floor and you won’t be able to collect it unless you drop/ use something else from your inventory.

The type of axe you’ll need depends on the source you’re using for your Hardwood. Technically, there is also one source that requires a fishing rod instead of an axe, but we’ll get to that later. For each source, I’ll go over where to find them, and how to harvest the Hardwood.

Mahogany Tree

Mahogany Seed Hardwood Stardew Valley — Image by Melika Jeddi

Mahogany Trees are a convenient method for players to harvest Hardwood. This is because you can use any type of axe, so you don’t have to wait until you’ve upgraded your tools. There are many reasons why you might want a consistent source of Hardwood and Mahogany Trees give you that option.

To harvest the Hardwood, simply swing your axe whilst next to the tree until you chop it down. The resources will bounce along the ground and then collect into your inventory provided that you have space for them. Mahogany Trees grow from Mahogany Seeds and leave behind a stump (which can also be chopped down).

You can find Mahogany Trees on Ginger Island, but you will need 1,000g to get there in the first place. You’ll also need to repair Willy’s boat which does require several resources (including 200 Hardwood). As such, Mahogany Trees on Ginger Island may be difficult for beginner players to access.

However, you can also grow Mahogany Trees on your own farm, provided you have a Mahogany seed. Outside of Ginger Island, you can find Mahogany Seeds from a Large Stump, Large Log, Golden Coconut, or by killing the Slimes in the Secret Woods.

Large Stump

This is probably the first method you’ll encounter for harvesting Hardwood. You can find several of these dotted across your farm, but a word of warning – These do not respawn.

Once you chop them down, they’re gone for good, so they don’t provide a consistent source of Hardwood. You’ll need to use a Copper Axe or better, which means upgrading your axe at the Blacksmith for 2,000g and 5 Copper Bars.

Whilst the random Large Stumps on your farm don’t respawn, don’t despair! You can still find several of these that respawn daily. You’ll need to head to the Secret Woods which can be found to the left of Cindersap Forest (below and to the left of the town).

Once there, navigate past the Slimes until you see 6 Large Stumps. 4 are in plain sight, and 2 require you to take a hidden route through the trees. These can all be chopped down, yielding 2 Hardwood every time.

There are different farm layouts that you choose when you start the game. If you chose the Forest Farm, congratulations, you have a bonus here! 8 Large Stumps respawn daily on the left of your farm. If you chose the Four-corners Farm, then you get one daily respawning Large Stump in the top left of your farm.

Large Log

Blacksmith Hardwood Stardew Valley — Image by Melika Jeddi

These yield a lot of Hardwood, 8 to be exact. This is considerably more than with any other method. However, Large Logs are also considerably rarer than all the other Hardwood sources, making the increased yield less exciting.

There are a finite number of Large Logs normally available in the game. These can be found dotted around your farm. You’ll be able to see them from the moment that you start the game, but initially, you won’t be able to do anything about them. This is because you need a Steel Axe or better to chop them up. There’s also a single Large Log blocking the entrance to the Secret Woods from Cindersap Forest.

You can get a Steel Axe from Clint by upgrading your Copper Axe. Take your axe to the Blacksmith shop along with 5,000g and 5 Steel Bars. The upgrade takes 2 days to complete, during which time you’ll be without an axe.

There’s also a replenishable source of Large Logs later on in the game after you unlock Qi’s Walnut Room on Ginger Island.

You’ll need to complete the quest ‘Danger in the Deep’, after which you’ll unlock Shrine of Challenge. This can be found on Floor 120 of The Mines. Once you’ve activated the shrine, you’ll be able to find Large Logs on floors 41-69 of The Mines.

Woodskip Fish Pond

Woodskip Hardwood Stardew Valley — Image by Melika Jeddi

The final method of harvesting Hardwood is to have a Woodskip Fish Pond. A Woodskip is a special type of fish that can be found in the pond in the Secret Woods. You have a better chance of catching it on days when it’s not raining, but it’s available throughout all seasons. If you chose the Forest Farm layout, then there’s also a chance of catching a Woodskip on your farm.

Once you’ve caught one, you’ll want to place it in the Fish Pond on your farm. You can purchase a Fish Pond from Robin for 5,000g, 200 Stone, 5 Seaweed, and 5 Green Algae.

You’ll need to clear a space of 5×5 tiles to place it on. Initially, you’ll only be able to place one fish inside, but every time you reach capacity, you’ll unlock a new quest. You can complete quests for the Fish Pond to increase the number of fish you can keep inside.

You start getting the chance to harvest Hardwood from the Woodskip Fish Pond once the population reaches at least 6. You’ll have a better chance of receiving Hardwood once the Woodskip population reaches at least 8, but the difference is minimal. The chance of getting Hardwood caps at 7%. This is still a potentially useful source, though.

What is Hardwood Used for in Stardew Valley?

Hardwood is a useful material when it comes to crafting. Crafting plays a huge role in Stardew Valley and there are so many useful items that you can create. Below are all the recipes that Hardwood is necessary for:

Carved Brazier
Cask
Cheese Press
Cork Bobber
Hardwood Fence
Heavy Tapper
Hopper
Mini-Obelisk
Oil Maker
Ostrich Incubator
Rain Totem
Stump Brazier
Warp Totem: Beach
Warp Totem: Desert
Warp Totem: Farm
Warp Totem: Island
Warp Totem: Mountains
Worm Bin

It’s also used for two of the buildings that Robin can provide you:

Farmhouse Upgrade 2
Stable

Stable Hardwood Stardew Valley — Image by Melika Jeddi

FAQs

Question: What axe do I need to collect Hardwood in Stardew Valley?

Answer: It depends on which source you’re using. If you’re chopping down Mahogany Trees, then any axe will work. If you’re chopping Large Stumps, then you’ll need at least a Copper Axe. If you’re chopping Large Logs, then you’ll need a Steel Axe or better.

Question: Do Mahogany Trees give Hardwood in Stardew Valley?

Answer: Yes, you’ll get 10 Hardwood when you chop down a Mahogany Tree (including the Stump).

Question: Can you turn Wood into Hardwood in Stardew Valley?

Answer: No, you can only get Hardwood from specific sources. Wood and Hardwood are two completely separate resources, and you can’t turn the former into the latter. However, you can buy a Wood Chipper from Robin to break Hardwood into Wood.

How to Get Hardwood in Stardew Valley: Conclusion

Hardwood is a useful resource for progression in the game because it’s a part of so many crafting recipes. The Warp Totems in particular are especially convenient for moving around quickly. However, there are also several crafting recipes that help you make money, such as the Cheese Press, Cask, and Oil Maker. The Stable is also a great building to purchase, I love being able to ride my horse around town!

Hardwood can be a relatively difficult resource to come by, particularly early on. However, hopefully, this guide has made it easier for you, and you feel more confident in collecting it. Large Stumps are the best method near the start of the game as they respawn every day. However, once you unlock Ginger Island, then Mahogany Trees are a fantastic source.