WoW Lumber Farming Guide

Lumber has become one of the most important resources in World of Warcraft’s new Housing system, and every player who plans to build, decorate, or craft will need a steady supply of it. This WoW lumber farming guide walks you through everything you need to know about gathering this new resource efficiently, from unlocking the system to understanding all the different wood types scattered across every expansion.

You’ll learn how each lumber type works, where to farm the best routes, how to start gathering as soon as you place your first home, and the small tricks that make the biggest difference in long farming sessions. If you want to decorate your house, craft high-value décor, or prepare for the booming early-patch market, this guide sets you up with all the essentials before you start chopping.

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Read our other WoW guides:

• How to Get Housing Decor
• Devourer Demon Hunter Guide
• How to Get Xy Trustee's Gearglider Mount
• Legion Remix Heroic World Tier Guide
• Legion Remix Best Classes Tier List
• Tazavesh Deathless Hard Mode Guide

 

 

What Is Lumber in WoW

Lumber is one of the core WoW decor crafting materials. It acts similarly to herbs or ore, but without requiring a profession slot. Once you unlock lumber gathering, you’ll start seeing special trees and wooden objects across the world that can be harvested for this resource.

Lumber nodes appear as:

• Trees with a small axe embedded in the trunk
• Wooden stumps, fallen logs, or mushrooms, depending on the zone
• Icons on your minimap once lumber tracking is enabled

When you interact with a node, you typically receive one piece of lumber, though occasionally you’ll get two or even three from a single gather. This makes each node valuable, especially during early housing progression.

One important detail is that every expansion has its own unique lumber type.

These variations matter because many décor crafts require specific wood types tied to their expansion themes. You can’t substitute one for another, so you’ll often travel across different expansions to gather what you need. We’ll cover the best lumber farming routes WoW later in this guide.

Despite functioning like a gathering profession, lumber requires no profession slot, no skill leveling, and no tools beyond the introductory item. Once unlocked, you can collect lumber anywhere you find nodes, making it one of the most flexible and accessible resources in the entire housing system.

How to Start Gathering Lumber

Before you go on and gather it, first you need to learn how to unlock lumber gathering in WoW. There are a few steps, which once completed, give you both the tool and the tracking ability needed to harvest wood across every expansion.

Here’s how the process works:

1. Pick up the quest Lumber For You.
   You’ll find Leesty Goldenstrike in your neighborhood hub. This quest introduces you to lumber gathering and guides you to your first node.
2. Receive the Harvesting Hatchet.
   Finishing the quest gives you the hatchet item. Clicking it activates the Lumberjack ability, which allows lumber nodes to appear on your minimap.
3. Enable Lumberjack tracking.
   When tracking is active, trees, stumps, and fallen logs that can be harvested show a small axe icon on your minimap. In the world, they appear as interactable nodes marked with a visible axe.
4. Gather your first lumber.
   Walk up to a marked tree and interact with it. To make this easier, enable the Interact Key in your settings so you can gather with a single keypress instead of manually clicking each node.

Once these steps are done, you can collect lumber anywhere without leveling a profession or learning a skill. The WoW harvesting hatchet is your main instrument, and the gathering works naturally alongside Mining and Herbalism, so you can farm all three while questing or following dedicated routes.

Why Is Lumber Important

So you know how to farm lumber in WoW, but what is it for? Lumber drives almost every part of the Housing system. It is used in décor crafting, structural upgrades, neighborhood improvements, and a large portion of profession recipes tied to building your home. Even early on, players notice that lumber becomes the first major bottleneck while decorating or crafting items for others.

Most décor pieces require specific wood types that match their expansion theme. A Northrend-inspired wardrobe uses Coldwind Lumber, while a Pandaria-style piece uses Bamboo Lumber. Larger items can demand dozens of pieces, which adds up quickly when you start designing multiple rooms or producing décor for other players.

Lumber is also tied directly to the Crafting Order system. Public Orders require the buyer to provide all the lumber, while Personal and Guild Orders allow the crafter to supply it instead. Because lumber is Warbound, it cannot be traded or sold, which keeps its value stable and ensures every player must gather it personally. This design prevents the usual market crashes seen with herbs or ore and keeps gathering meaningful throughout the patch.

Put together, lumber is important because it:

• Fuels almost all profession-made décor and housing items.
• Gates key house upgrades, and structural pieces.
• Controls how quickly crafters can complete Crafting Orders.
• Keeps its value over time thanks to Warbound rules.

These combined roles make lumber one of the most important resources to farm efficiently as soon as you begin working on your home.

All Lumber Types

Now that you know how to gather lumber and why it’s important, it’s time to look at the different wood types you’ll be collecting. This material does not have rarity, quality levels, or upgraded versions. All WoW lumber types behave the same mechanically, and every piece of lumber is gathered the same way. The differences come from where they appear and which décor recipes they’re tied to.

Each expansion has exactly one unique lumber type. You can’t substitute one for another, since many crafted decorations require wood that matches their expansion’s style. A Northrend-inspired item needs Coldwind Lumber, a Pandaria-themed piece needs Bamboo Lumber, and so on. This design spreads farming across the entire game world and ensures that older zones remain relevant for gathering.

To make things easier, here’s a complete overview of all lumber types and where they can be found:

Even though we listed where to find lumber WoW, next up we’ll provide you with faster farming routes to make it more efficient for you. 

Just remember, all lumber types follow identical rules in gathering speed, node behavior, and drop amounts. The real differences come from zone layouts, terrain density, mob placement, and the décor themes that require each type of wood. Understanding these patterns helps you plan efficient farm routes, especially when you need several types at once for larger projects.

Best Lumber Farming Routes for Each Lumber Type

Now it’s time to look at the best places to farm lumber WoW for every type in the game. These paths come directly from in-game testing and are designed to give you the best lumber-per-hour results with steady flying, smooth loops, and minimal time wasted between nodes.

Each subsection focuses on one lumber type, highlighting its strongest farming zone and describing the exact loop used in testing. You can insert your route screenshots above each subsection to give readers a clear visual reference. This turns the section into a complete route guide that players can follow step by step, whether they prefer relaxed gathering sessions or want the fastest possible lumber income.

Below, you’ll find every lumber type broken down with its recommended route, travel flow, and performance notes.

Ironwood Lumber (Classic – Felwood Route)

 

Felwood offers the strongest Ironwood Lumber farming route thanks to its long, uninterrupted forest line and predictable node spawns. The entire zone is built around one massive treeline that stretches from the northern border all the way down to the Emerald Sanctuary, making it perfect for an efficient loop.

This route begins near the top of Felwood, just south of Timbermaw Hold. From there, follow the western edge of the treeline downward in a smooth, continuous path. Stay close to the mountain wall, as most lumber nodes spawn along the forest’s inner curve. Once you reach the lower part of the zone near Jadefire Glen, cut slightly east and move back up along the central forest path toward Whisperwind Grove. This return path is just as dense, letting you pick up every node that respawns behind you as you complete the loop.

• The upper section near Whisperwind Grove provides fast, frequent nodes.
• The central stretch is extremely consistent and requires almost no altitude changes.
• The lower section near Emerald Sanctuary is a straight path with visible spawns on both sides.
• After completing the loop, fly north again to restart the route as nodes respawn behind you.

This route performs extremely well because Felwood’s terrain is flat enough for steady flying, and the trees are close enough together that you rarely spend time traveling without finding a node. In testing, this path produced over 300 Ironwood Lumber per hour, with 1–3 lumber dropping from each gather.

Olemba Lumber (Outland – Terokkar Forest Route)

Terokkar Forest is the strongest zone for farming Olemba Lumber thanks to its wide, uninterrupted stretches of woodland and easy navigation. The trees here are packed closely enough to keep node spawns frequent, and the terrain is flat enough to fly smoothly without sudden drops or sharp turns. This makes Terokkar the most consistent Outland location for lumber per hour.

The fastest ways to gather lumber WoW here begins just southeast of Shattrath City and loops through the central and eastern parts of the forest. Move toward the Cenarion Thicket, then follow the treeline east toward Tuurem, gliding along the outer edge of the forest where nodes appear in steady clusters. From there, sweep down toward the Bonechewer Ruins, circling the woodland pockets that sit above Allerian Stronghold. After completing this lower curve, head back west toward the road leading to Shattrath to restart the loop.

• The upper segment near Cenarion Thicket contains several tightly packed clusters.
• The eastern run between Tuurem and Firewing Point is extremely consistent and rarely empty.
• The southern curve near Bonechewer Ruins provides reliable respawns as you move back toward the center.
• Once you return to the starting point, the northern nodes tend to respawn.

This loop performed very well during testing, yielding around 300 Olemba Lumber per hour, with most nodes giving one lumber at a time and the occasional two or three. Terokkar’s simple layout and predictable spawns make it the ideal location to farm Olemba Lumber efficiently.

Coldwind Lumber (Northrend – Sholazar Basin Route)

Sholazar Basin is one of the most efficient places to farm Coldwind Lumber, performing even better than Grizzly Hills or Howling Fjord due to unusually frequent multi-drop gathers. In testing, this loop regularly produced two or three lumber per node, resulting in some of the highest lumber-per-hour numbers of any expansion.

This route circles the southern and central portions of Sholazar Basin. Begin near The Skyreach Pillar and fly west toward The Mosslight Pillar, passing along the thick forest line that runs just above the basin’s southern rim. From there, turn north toward the River’s Heart and continue through the wide tree clusters around the Wodgrowth Mangla. When the route curves east, follow the treeline toward Frenzyheart Hill, then sweep back down toward The Skyreach Pillar to complete the loop.

• The southern forest belt between Mosslight and Skyreach pillars has tightly packed nodes.
• The central area near River’s Heart offers predictable respawns with smooth flight paths.
• The eastern stretch near Frenzyheart Hill stays highly consistent, even with moderate competition.
• The loop is compact enough that nodes often respawn behind you by the time you return.

With multi-drops being common in Northrend, this route can easily reach over 400 Coldwind Lumber per hour. The open terrain and clear sightlines make it relaxing to farm, especially when using steady flying to glide between clusters.

Ashwood Lumber (Cataclysm – Twilight Highlands Route)

Twilight Highlands is one of the most reliable Cataclysm zones for gathering Ashwood Lumber thanks to its dense tree clusters and smooth, linear terrain. This route focuses on the southern edge of the zone, wrapping around the Obsidian Forest and leading up toward the Dunwald Ruins area. The treeline here is thick enough to guarantee frequent node spawns without forcing constant elevation shifts.

Start your loop near the Obsidian Forest and fly east toward the cliffs overlooking Dragonmaw Port. From there, follow the curved treeline as it bends northwest toward Dunwald. The whole area forms a wide crescent that keeps you near-continuous spawns. Once you reach the greener highlands near the ruins, dip south again to reconnect with the treeline bordering the forest and repeat the circuit.

The Obsidian Forest edge is especially node-dense due to closely packed burnt trees counted as gatherable objects.

• The elevation stays steady, making steady flying ideal for relaxed, efficient laps.
• Even with some competition, nodes respawn quickly along the loop’s outer curve.
• The route is short enough that gathering momentum stays high, matching other expansions’ 300+ lumber-per-hour results.

If you're focusing purely on Ashwood Lumber without mixing in mining or herbs, this Twilight Highlands route is among the easiest and most consistent Cataclysm options.

Bamboo Lumber (Pandaria – Jade Forest Route)

Jade Forest is the strongest and most consistent zone for farming Bamboo Lumber. It combines dense bamboo groves, predictable spawn clusters, and smooth terrain transitions that make it easy to maintain constant movement. This route loops through the western side of the zone, weaving between Grookin Hill and the ridges south of Honeydew Village.

Begin your loop near Grookin Hill and work your way south along the forest line bordering the Valley of the Four Winds. The path curves east toward the low riverbeds, then rises back north along the cliffs that lead toward the Arboretum. The middle section of the route passes through some of the densest bamboo growth in Pandaria, creating a satisfying flow of tightly packed nodes.

• The Grookin Hill side of the route has fast respawns thanks to thick bamboo clusters.
• The river-adjacent stretch offers clear visibility and easy node spotting, ideal for steady flying.
• The northern ridge near Dawn’s Blossom creates a reliable turn-back point with frequent multi-node pockets.
• The entire loop stays compact enough that competition rarely slows down your farming speed.

Most players can expect around 300 Bamboo Lumber per hour on this route, maintaining good momentum as long as you stick to the tree-heavy segments and avoid drifting into the flatter farmland near the zone borders.

Shadowmoon Lumber (Warlords of Draenor – Best Predicted Spots)

Shadowmoon Lumber was not active on the beta build used in the source videos, so no fully confirmed farming route exists yet. Still, the zones where lumber will most likely spawn follow the same logic as every other expansion: areas with dense trees or mushroom clusters reliably host lumber nodes. Warlords of Draenor has several strong candidates for this pattern, and early testers almost unanimously point to Shadowmoon Valley as the top option once nodes go live.

Shadowmoon Valley offers wide, open pathways along its forests, clean sightlines, and very little vertical terrain, making it ideal for fast, smooth loops. If competition becomes heavy or node distribution shifts after launch, Talador and Nagrand are the next-best alternatives, with Talador’s purple forests and Nagrand’s open plains both providing easy-to-navigate gathering paths.

Here’s how to approach Shadowmoon Lumber farming at launch:

• Start in Shadowmoon Valley, focusing on the wooded areas around Shaz’gul, Anguish Fortress, and the northern riverbanks.
• If nodes appear sparse or the zone is crowded, move to Talador, circling the mana-infused forests east of Auchindoun.
• If both zones are active hotspots, Nagrand serves as a clean fallback thanks to its open terrain and scattered tree clusters.
• Mushrooms in Draenor count as trees for lumber, so areas with fungal growth are potential node pockets.

Until routes are confirmed with live-server data, Shadowmoon Valley remains the projected best starting point. Once Warlords lumber becomes available, you should be able to create a smooth circuit through its forests similar to other expansions’ loops.

 

Fel-Touched Lumber (Legion – Val’sharah Route) 

Fel-Touched Lumber is gathered across the Broken Isles, but the most efficient and reliable farming route is found in Val’sharah. The zone has dense forests, short travel distances between trees, and open areas that make it easy to chain nodes without interruptions. This specific loop focuses on the southern and central forests around Bradensbrook, the Grove of Cenarius, and Moonclaw Vale, where lumber nodes spawn frequently and with consistent spacing.

This route performs very well because Val’sharah is flat, easy to navigate, and full of tree clusters suitable for rapid lumber gathering. While you can technically gather Fel-Touched Lumber in other Legion zones such as Azsuna or Suramar, those areas tend to have worse terrain, more interruptions, or less reliable node distribution.

Here’s what to expect when farming Fel-Touched Lumber:

• Most nodes yield 1 lumber, with 2–3 lumber dropping on rarer occasions.
• The route covers a large but smooth loop with minimal elevation changes.
• Competition can affect efficiency, but node density usually remains high enough for steady farming.
• If you're pairing this with herbalism, Val’sharah is also rich in Dreamleaf, making occasional dual-gathering worthwhile.

This Val’sharah route consistently maintains strong lumber-per-hour rates and is one of the smoothest Legion farming paths you can follow.

Darkpine Lumber (Battle for Azeroth – Nazmir Route)

Darkpine Lumber is gathered throughout all Battle for Azeroth outdoor zones, but the single most efficient location for farming it is Nazmir. The zone’s swampy layout contains long stretches of tree clusters, minimal elevation changes, and wide-open paths that make it easy to move quickly from node to node. This particular route loops around the Terrace of Sorrows, the Heart of Darkness perimeter, and the western marshes near the Shoaljai Tar Pits. These areas consistently generate many Darkpine nodes and allow for smooth travel without heavy terrain obstacles.

Nazmir outperforms Zuldazar and Tiragarde Sound because it is flatter, doesn’t force you to navigate steep hills, and spreads its trees evenly across large open basins. Even with competition, this route remains reliable due to steady respawn rates and dense lumber pockets along the path.

Here’s what to expect while farming Darkpine Lumber:

• Most nodes yield 1 lumber, with 2–3 appearing periodically.
• The loop cycles through several high-density stretches, making it easy to maintain strong lumber-per-hour gains.
• Nazmir’s terrain is forgiving, allowing both steady flying and druid travel form to shine.
• Pairing with herbalism or mining is possible, but not ideal early in the housing patch due to lumber’s high value.

This Nazmir route is one of the most stable farming paths for any expansion’s lumber type and remains the best-in-slot option for anyone gathering Darkpine in BFA zones.

Arden Lumber (Shadowlands – Ardenweald Route)

Arden Lumber is gathered across all Shadowlands outdoor zones, but Ardenweald is by far the strongest and most consistent farming location. The entire zone is built around dense forests, interconnected groves, and large clusters of trees—making it ideal for quick lumber loops. The route highlighted in your screenshot runs along the eastern edge of the zone, passing through Hibernal Hollow, Glitterfall Basin, and the forests surrounding Tirna Vaal. These areas generate node spawns at a high rate and allow for an uninterrupted farming flow.

Ardenweald also has an advantage over Bastion and Maldraxxus because its terrain caters directly to tree-heavy gathering. Bastion’s open fields and Maldraxxus’ mushroom structures do spawn lumber nodes, but they lack the tight spawn density found along this Ardenweald path.

Here’s what to expect when farming Arden Lumber:

• Most nodes drop 1 lumber, with 2–3 appearing semi-regularly.
• The eastern Ardenweald forests produce steady cycles of respawns, making it easy to maintain consistent momentum.
• Enemy density is moderate, but the zone’s layout lets you avoid combat and stay in flight form almost the entire time.
• If desired, pairing with herbalism or mining in Ardenweald is viable, though early in the housing patch, lumber remains the priority.

This route delivers one of the smoothest gathering loops in any expansion and remains the go-to option for collecting Arden Lumber quickly and reliably.

Dragonpine Lumber (Dragonflight – Ohn’ahran Plains Route)

Dragonpine Lumber is collected across all Dragonflight zones, but the most efficient and reliable farming route is located in the Ohn’ahran Plains. This zone features wide, open grasslands framed by pockets of tightly packed trees, making it perfect for maintaining a fast, consistent gathering rhythm. The highlighted route loops through the forests around Cloverwood Hollow and the surrounding hills, where Dragonpine nodes spawn frequently and in accessible clusters.

This route performs well because the Plains offer minimal vertical terrain, few movement barriers, and clear sightlines—ideal conditions for following a tight lumber circuit. While Dragonpine also spawns in the Azure Span, Waking Shores, and even the Emerald Dream, none of those zones match the combination of convenience, node density, and smooth terrain found in the Ohn’ahran Plains loop.

Here’s what to expect when farming Dragonpine Lumber:

• Most nodes drop 1 lumber, with 2–3 occurring semi-regularly.
• The route flows cleanly with steady respawns, allowing you to chain nodes with no downtime.
• Enemy density is low, making druid travel form especially efficient here.
• Dual-gathering with mining or herbalism is technically possible, but Dragonflight professions rely heavily on specialization points—so it only becomes worthwhile if you already have optimized gear and builds.

This is one of the easiest and most beginner-friendly lumber routes thanks to its flat terrain and strong node density, making Ohn’ahran Plains the top pick for farming Dragonpine Lumber quickly and consistently.

Dornic Fir Lumber (The War Within – Hallowfall Route)

Dornic Fir Lumber is gathered across the War Within zones of Khaz Algar, with the densest and most accessible nodes found in Hallowfall. The region’s lower caverns and shadowed groves contain tight clusters of Dornic Fir trees, allowing for a compact and efficient gathering loop. The highlighted route circles the Veneration Grounds, weaving through small forested patches and elevated ridges where lumber nodes consistently appear.

This particular route benefits from short travel distances, minimal vertical interruptions, and fewer hostile mobs compared to other Khaz Algar areas. While the Isle of Dorn and the upper regions of Hallowfall also contain Dornic Fir, they tend to be more sprawling and harder to navigate quickly, making this southern Hallowfall loop the most beginner-friendly and time-efficient path.

Here’s what to expect when farming Dornic Fir Lumber:

• Most nodes grant 1 lumber, while 2–3 lumber drops occur intermittently.
• Enemy density is moderate, but the route is laid out in a way that lets you avoid nearly all combat.
• The compact layout makes it easy to complete multiple loops per hour, improving overall lumber throughput.
• Dual gathering is possible—Khaz Algar herbs and ore spawn nearby—but lumber remains the most valuable resource early in the housing patch.

This Hallowfall path is the strongest starting point for Dornic Fir gathering and performs consistently well even on characters without optimized gear or strong open-world damage.

Best Addons for Farming Lumber

Now that you know how lumber works and how to unlock the lumberjack ability, it helps to upgrade your setup with tools that streamline your gathering routes. The videos you referenced consistently highlight two addons that make lumber farming far smoother: FarmHUD and Routes. These addons work together to give you clearer navigation, better node visibility, and optimized farming loops in every expansion.

FarmHUD improves your view of nearby nodes by turning the minimap into a gathering HUD. Routes handles the actual farming paths, letting you import ready-made routes or create your own. You can expand this setup with an import/export plugin if you want to share or download additional routes.

Below are the WoW farming addons for lumber that most players use:

1. FarmHUD - Turns your minimap into a fullscreen HUD that highlights tracking data, directions, movement, and node overlays. This helps you spot lumber nodes more easily while flying through dense forests. The addon supports GatherMate2 and Routes, includes customizable transparency and color settings, and even offers a TrailPath mode that shows where you’ve flown.
2. Routes - Builds visual farming paths on your map, using algorithms to generate efficient loops. You can create your own routes, optimize them, or import ones from other players. This addon is especially strong for lumber farming because nodes are scattered similarly to herbs and ores, making route optimization essential.
3. Routes Import/Export - Adds sharing functionality to Routes. You can copy any route as text, post it anywhere, and import routes shared by others. This is ideal when you want to use YouTuber-created paths or quickly swap routes between characters.

These addons help eliminate guesswork and wasted flight time, especially in tall forest zones where nodes hide between branches. With them active, you follow clean loops, react faster to node spawns, and maintain a steady gathering flow throughout long sessions.

WoW Lumber Farming Tips

Now that you have the essential addons installed, the next step is learning how to farm lumber efficiently. Lumber gathering looks simple on the surface, but small habits dramatically change your results. The videos showed clear patterns in what improves your hourly yield, and most of it comes down to movement, setup, and your choice of character.

Lumber spawns in dense forests, on uneven terrain, and in older expansions where travel can feel slower. Because of that, even minor adjustments help you stay in motion longer and gather more nodes per lap. The following WoW lumber farming tips focus on smoother movement, quicker interaction, and steady routing, all of which add up over long farming sessions.

1. Enable the Interact Key – Using an interact keybind lets you gather lumber without clicking directly on nodes. This removes cursor hunting and makes harvesting much faster in cluttered forests.
2. Use steady flying instead of skyriding – Steady (old-style) flying is far easier to control during long farming loops. It keeps your pace consistent, avoids rapid altitude swings, and helps reduce fatigue on long sessions.
3. Farm on a druid when possible – Travel Form works without a mount cast, letting you gather instantly after landing. This cuts downtime between nodes and consistently improves lumber per hour.
4. Take advantage of dual-gathering only when it’s worth it – Mining or herbalism can be paired with lumber farming, but early in the housing patch, lumber tends to be more valuable. Stopping for herbs or ore slows your loop unless the market justifies it.
5. Expect 1–3 lumber per node, depending on expansion – Most zones give one lumber per gather, but Wrath, Legion, and Shadowlands spawn more frequent double and triple pickups. This makes some expansions naturally more efficient.

These small optimizations help your movement stay fluid and predictable during every route. Once you apply them, each route becomes easier to follow, and your hourly results become much more consistent across all lumber types.

Conclusion

Farming lumber in World of Warcraft becomes much easier once you understand how tracking works, where each expansion’s nodes appear, and which routes offer the best density. With the right addons and movement habits, gathering stays smooth and predictable even in older zones with tight terrain. Use the routes in this guide as a foundation, refine them with your own testing, and you will collect everything needed for crafting housing décor at a steady pace. This system rewards efficient loops and relaxed flying, making lumber gathering a reliable long-term activity for both personal houses and profitable crafts.

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