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Get the log stakes recipe.
Learn how to get log stakes in Animal Crossing. Discover the log stakes recipe and where to find the materials.
Wordsmith at SteelSeries. Enthusiastic about Dota 2 and fighting games. A cat dad.
Okay, islanders, let’s be honest… We’ve all spent way too much time staring blankly at our screens, wondering how to make our islands actually look… good. Well, fear not! Because today, we’re tackling one of the most versatile items you can use to design your islands in Animal Crossing: the log stake!
Beyond the terraforming and the elaborate water features, the real magic of Animal Crossing lies in the details. And when it comes to adding a touch of rustic charm and functional design, nothing beats the humble log stake. But beyond just fencing off gardens, log stakes can be the key to unlocking a truly unique island aesthetic.
You will automatically receive the DIY recipe for log stakes from Tom Nook during the game’s introduction period.
If you need an extra copy, check the beach for a Message in a Bottle, visit other players’ islands, or get it from smug villagers.
To confirm that you already have the log stakes recipe, check under DIY Recipes+ on your NookPhone.
To craft log stakes, you’ll need 3 wood (regular wood).
Use an axe to cut down trees and collect wood.
You’ll get the recipe to create an axe from Tom Nook at the beginning of the story.
You can get different types of wood (hardwood, softwood, wood) from trees. For this recipe you’ll just need regular wood.
Go to any crafting bench on your island.
You can craft a mini DIY workbench using 3 wood, 3 hardwood, 3 softwood, and 2 iron nuggets.
Open the crafting menu and find the Log Stakes recipe.
Select the recipe and press the “Craft it!” button to make the log stakes.
This step is optional, but you can customize your log stakes with four different color variations: dark wood (default), orange wood, white wood, and white birch.
To customize the log stakes, use a customization kit or visit Cyrus at Harv’s Island.
Cyrus charges 1,000 bells for customization.
At a workbench, choose “customize,” find the stakes, and select your preferred color.
In Animal Crossing: New Horizons, log stakes serve multiple purposes. They’re mainly for decoration and island development. Here are some of the best ways to use them:
Island Decoration: Log stakes are often used as decorations to enhance the aesthetic of your island. They fit well with a natural or “survival” theme, helping to divide and define different areas.
Creating Fences: Log stakes function as a fence system, allowing you to block off paths or areas.
Building the Wooden Bridge: Log stakes are required to build your first wooden bridge when starting your island. The bridge construction kit requires 4 log stakes, along with 4 clay and 4 stone.
Island Rating: As an outdoor item, log stakes contribute 0.5 development points towards your island rating.
Log stakes are versatile for various areas and designs on your Animal Crossing island. They are especially well-suited for:
Natural or Rustic Areas: Log stakes are ideal for creating a natural retreat, rustic camping area, or any space where you want to evoke a sense of the outdoors.
Gardens: Use log stakes to delineate flower beds or create borders in your garden, helping to keep your plants organized and preventing them from spreading.
Pathways: Integrate log stakes into pathways to create attractive and functional designs. They can guide visitors and add structure along paths, especially when combined with stones or sand for a unique appearance.
Fences: Log stakes work well as natural-looking fences to define boundaries, create garden enclosures, or divide your island into sections. They can be used to block off paths or areas.
Themed Areas: Incorporate log stakes into themed areas to reinforce a specific aesthetic and enhance the visitor experience.
Log stakes contribute 0.5 development points each toward your island’s rating in Animal Crossing: New Horizons when placed outdoors.
This makes them a useful item for improving your island’s Development Score, which is one of the two main factors (along with Scenery) that determine your overall star rating.
Here’s how they can impact your rating:
Development Points: Each log stake placed outdoors adds a small amount to your Development Score, which is essential for increasing your star rating. This is particularly helpful when aiming to reach the 3-star threshold required to unlock K.K. Slider’s concert and the Island Designer app.
Balanced Placement: To maximize their effect, distribute log stakes across your island rather than clustering them in one area. Balanced furniture placement is key to improving your rating.
Aesthetic Contribution: While log stakes are primarily functional for development points, they also enhance the natural aesthetic of your island, which can indirectly support the Scenery Score if used creatively with flowers, trees, and other outdoor furniture.
For more Animal Crossing New Horizons tips, check out these other articles: