Intro
Hardwood is one of those resources that when you need it, you never seem to have enough of it. Stardew Valley makes getting Hardwood in large amounts painful if you aren’t preparing for it, and as of 2026 you still cannot buy Hardwood in bulk.
Unlike Coal, which has a reliable farming method, getting large amounts of Hardwood requires more preparation.
In the early game your best method for getting Hardwood is by visiting the Secret Woods every day to chop the tree stumps there. But if you are already doing this and still came to this guide, then clearly that’s not enough for your needs.
The next step for you would be to create a Mahogany Tree Farm. Keep reading and I will explain the best way’s to go about this.
Quick answer on how to get Hardwood
If you’re just looking for the main sources of getting Hardwood, you can get them from clearing Large Stumps which gives you 2 pieces, and Mahogany Trees which gives you 8-13 pieces.
- 6 Large Stumps respawn daily in the Secret woods.
- 8 Large Stumps respawn daily if you chose the Forest Farm
You also get Hardwood from chopping Large Logs but these don’t respawn, so don’t rely on them. You will occasionally get Mahogany Tree seeds from chopping the Large Stumps and for killing slimes in the secret woods. Be sure you plant these seeds, trust me the sooner the better.
There are other ways to get more Hardwood, but they are fairly late game and I will quickly talk about that later.
Don’t forget to kill the slimes too, you want those seeds!
Best Ways to Get Hardwood
Visit the Secret Woods Every Day
So as I said earlier, in order to reliably get some Hardwood you can work with, you will need to have opened up the Secret Woods. There is a large log blocking it in the top left corner of Cindersap Forest, and you will need at least a Steel Axe to chop it.
Be sure to put some time into the mines to upgrade your axe to get into the secret woods!
Once you do then you will have access to the Six Large Stumps that respawn daily here. Chop those for a total of 12 Hardwood a day. It’s not a bad start, and with consistency you can get enough to make some upgrades on your farm and build some machines.
But if you really want to get stacks of Hardwood, you need to plant the Mahogany Seeds that the Large Stumps and the slimes in the secret woods drop. Definitely make sure you are bringing a weapon for the slimes.
Note: Check out the below image if you’re wondering how to get to the two Stumps at the bottom of the woods
Just walk directly down from above where I am standing for an extra two stumps
Build a Mahogany Tree Farm
When I said Hardwood rewards the proactive player, I mean the player who plants their Mahogany Seed’s ASAP. Mahogany Seed’s will grow into Mahogany Tree’s and when matured can be chopped for 8-13 Hardwood. One tree can potentially give you what all 6 of the Large Stumps in the Secret Woods would give, and we will want to plant a heap of them.
Start with planting them on your farm
The reason I say start by planting them on your farm, is that only on your farm do tree’s have a chance at spreading seeds for you. They won’t spread seeds anywhere else in the valley. Each night a mature tree will have a 15% chance of planting one of its seeds in a small area around it.
Keep this area clear. Don’t put any paths between the trees as it needs a clear tile to plant it.
Then you should check around the trees daily and hit the seeds to pick them up. Either replant them on your farm (remembering to keep at least one tile between each tree) or save them for the next step.
Try to use Tree fertilizer if you can, it makes your trees grow crazy fast
Start a dedicated Tree Farm
A tree farm is one of the best time investments you can make in Stardew Valley. It takes a bit to set up efficiently but once it’s set up you can have a steady supply of wood, tapped trees, and of course, a good supply of Hardwood.
There are 2 areas where I would look to turn into a renewable Tree Farm. The Railroad and The Quarry.
The Railroad has a large amount of space that really doesn’t have many other uses. It’s a perfect location for a Tree Farm. Space the seeds 1 tile apart and put path’s in between them for easier travel.
I will eventually fill this with Mahogany Tree seeds once I get more from my farm, but there’s no reason not to fill this with other tree types!
The Quarry has a bit less space but has the added benefit of being able to use the mine carts to travel to it. This is where I first set my tree farm up, before I expanded into the railroad for tree’s instead. I know a lot of players prefer to use the Quarry for Kegs to expand their wine operation, and that’s completely valid.
Either way though, I would definitely consider having a Tree farm somewhere. Not only is it great for getting a large amount of Hardwood, but you can also plant the other tree types too. Plant a bunch of Oak tree’s, tap them, and get a regular source of Oak Resin to build Keg’s for your winery.
I only have two trees ready right now, but more Mahogany Seeds are already planted
What other ways can you get Hardwood?
There are a few other ways of getting Hardwood, but they aren’t what I would consider reliable. Some of them require access to Ginger Island, which is an end game location that requires a significant amount of Hardwood to even get to it.
- You can get a random chance by having the Lumberjack Profession chosen
- Ginger Island allows for a few ways to get both hardwood, and mahogany seeds:
- Mahogany Trees will randomly spawn around the island for you to chop down, especially near the dig site.
- You can trade a Stingray for 1 Mahogany Seed from the Island Trader.
- Once you have access to Mr Qi’s Walnut Room you can activate the Danger in the deep quest and find Mahogany Tree’s on floors 41-69 of The Mines.
- If you’ve been completing the Raccoon’s Quest in Cindersap Forest after repairing the Giant Stump, after completing 4 of it’s quest the Raccoon’s Wife will sell you a mahogany seed for 20 Coal.
How much Hardwood do you really need?
Depending on where you are at on your farm, you might be thinking ‘I only need a bit for Cheese Presses and maybe some Hardwood fences, I don’t want to go overboard’, but trust me, you’re going to need a lot of Hardwood.
Looking to have kids on your farm? 100 Hardwood to upgrade the house with a nursery. Stable for a horse? Another 100 Hardwood. Repairing the Giant Stump in the forest? Another 100. Ginger Island? 200 Hardwood to help rebuild Willy’s boat to take you there.
200 Pieces of Hardwood…
As you can see, you’re going to need a lot of Hardwood in your Stardew Valley journey. I highly recommend you start the process of building a tree farm early, even just a small one. You don’t want to make multiple trips to the secret woods to chop stumps just to make a simple upgrade to your house.
Below is a table to reference just a few of the items/upgrades you need Hardwood for:
| Item/Upgrade | Hardwood Needed |
|---|---|
| Stable | 100 |
| House Upgrade 2 | 100 |
| Willy’s Boat | 200 |
| Cheese Press | 10 |
| Oil Maker | 20 |
| Hardwood Fence | 1 |
| Cork Bobber | 5 |
| Mushroom Log | 10 |
Final Thoughts
Going to the Secret Woods daily and chopping the stumps is a reliable way of getting a steady amount of Hardwood. But as you go on you will want to start planting your Mahogany seeds, as Mahogany trees are by far your best source of Hardwood.
Start by planting them on your farm, and let it spread its seeds. Gather them all up and clear out the Railroad area or the Quarry and put some time into replanting them and getting a Tree Farm underway.
Trust me, you won’t go wrong by starting this early. You can never have too much Hardwood, but you can definitely have too little.
Want to read more?
Check out these other Stardew Valley guides to help you make the most of your time in the valley: