Mastering Carpentry: A Guide to Leveling Up in Project Zomboid

In Project Zomboid, having a high level of carpentry skill is crucial for survival. It allows you to construct and fortify structures, disassemble furniture, and craft weapons, among other things. This guide will teach you how to level up your carpentry skill so you can increase your chances of surviving in the zombie-infested world of Project Zomboid.

Choosing Occupations and Traits

Unlike metalworking, which can only be leveled up by choosing the Metalworker occupation, carpentry skill has more options. In Project Zomboid, you can choose the Carpenter, Park Ranger, Repairman, Construction Worker, or Engineer occupation, or take the Handy trait to gain carpentry skill levels in the early game. The Carpenter and Handy traits are the best choices, as they give you 4 carpentry levels directly.

Prerequisite Items for 2, 3, 4, and 5

Before you start leveling up your carpentry skill, you need to gather the necessary tools and materials:

• Hammer (can be a stone hammer or ball-peen hammer)
• Axe (to cut down trees for logs)
• Saw (to convert trees or branches to logs and disassemble some wooden furniture)
• Screwdriver (to dismantle specific types of structures)
• Nails (to craft wooden structures and objects)
• Wood planks (the primary material for carpentry recipes)

1. Disassemble

Disassembling is the fastest and most efficient way to level up your carpentry skill. You can disassemble almost all of the wooden furniture and objects in the game. To do this, make sure you have a hammer and saw in your inventory, then right-click on the wooden object and select “Disassemble” => “<Object Name>”. You can also find disassemble action by clicking on the cabinet icon and choosing Disassemble action.

2. Saw Logs

Sawing logs is an improvised method to level up your skill while foraging in the forest. To saw logs, equip an axe in your primary, then choose a location with trees, right-click on the tree, and select “Cut Down Tree”. Next, right-click on the dropped logs and select “Grab Logs” => “Grab All”. Finally, open your inventory, right-click on the logs, and select “Saw Logs” => “All”. You will gain carpentry XP and obtain planks, but be aware of the high weight of planks, which can cause a “Heavy Load” moodle.

3. Craft Spears

Spear is not only an excellent weapon to deal with the undead but also a craftable item that offers generous carpentry XP. Each spear requires any type of knife and a plank (or a tree branch) to craft. You can find a knife in kitchens, crates, or cabinets, while planks can be obtained from sawing logs. To craft a spear, right-click on either a knife or planks in your inventory and select “Create Spear” => “All”. Crafting a spear is a straightforward process, and it serves as a versatile weapon that can be enhanced and combined with other tools to increase its damage potential.

4. Make Wooden Structures

You can gain more carpentry levels by making wooden structures. Right-click on the ground, select “Carpentry”, and choose the object you want to make. Here are our picks for structures that will help with your survival:

• Double Wooden Door: requires 6 carpentry levels, 12 planks, 12 nails, 2 doorknobs, and 4 door hinges to fortify your base/house.
• Stairs: requires 6 carpentry levels, 15 planks, and 15 nails to travel between floors and enter the gun store.
• Wooden Floor: requires 1 carpentry level, 1 plank, and 1 nail to fortify your base/house.
• Wooden Crate: requires 3 carpentry levels, 3 plank, and 3 nails to store items.
• Large Rain Collector Barrel: requires 7 carpentry levels, 4 nails, 4 planks, and 4 garbage bags to store and collect water from the rain.

It’s also worth finding and reading carpentry skill books to multiply your XP. These books can be found in post offices, on shelves in residential houses, or in mailboxes. Check the XP you’ve gained by pressing “H” and choosing the skill tab, then moving your cursor to the carpentry bar.

Conclusion

In summary, leveling up your carpentry skill in Project Zomboid is a necessary step for surviving in the game. You can gain XP by disassembling wooden furniture, sawing logs, crafting spears, and making wooden structures. Choose the Carpenter and Handy traits to get a head start, and don’t forget to gather the necessary tools and materials before you start. Good luck!