As of beta version 1.5, oak and steel actually cannot be found in Last Day on Earth: Survival, despite them being required for things like the radio tower, trip wire trap, and home brewery. Luckily, however, the framework for finding and using them already exists, so you can be prepared to obtain them once they officially become available.
How to Get Oak Planks in Last Day on Earth: Survival
Last Day on Earth: Survival currently contains the Pine Bushes, Pine Grove, and Pine Woods, lootable locations possessing an abundance of pine logs. So naturally, the oak logs necessary for crafting higher level Oak Planks can be found in the Oak Bushes, Grove, and Woods locations that are already visible on the world map. The problem, however, is that these locations are not even accessible to players. Yet.
Because these locations lie across the river, players will need to get an ATV up and running in order to reach those areas. The blueprints for the ATV can be obtained easily–you need only be level 18 and have 2 Crafting Points – but obtaining all the parts for assembling it may take a bit of time and luck. Better get started.
Just remember that like the chopper’s gas tank, the ATV Transmission is currently not in the game and is the missing part that’s currently stopping players from reaching the Oak Bushes, Grove, and Woods.
TL;DR: You’ll likely obtain oak logs to make oak planks in the Oak Bushes, Grove, and Woods. But for right now, those areas are totally inaccessible because the ATV Transmission needed for completing the ATV isn’t in the game yet.
How to Find Steel in Last Day on Earth: Survival
Finding steel in Last Day on Earth: Survival is a bit more speculative, since there obviously isn’t any location called the Steel Woods. But players have theorized that steel bars will be obtained from smelting steel scrap, which would likely either be looted from crates, lockers, and AI players like regular scrap, or could appear within the Oak Bushes, Grove, and Woods – as these locations seem to represent the next tier of lootable areas.
TL;DR: Steel isn’t in the game yet, but it’ll probably be found in random loot or in the Oak Bushes, Grove, and Woods locations.
How to Use Oak and Steel in Last Day on Earth: Survival
Whenever these resources do become accessible in Last Day on Earth, oak and steel can be used for crafting the following blueprints. Though these blueprints have been present in the game for a while, not all of these objects have a fully understood use.
Radio Tower: Once implemented, the Radio Tower will allow players to join guilds and engage in other online multiplayer features. Gunsmith Bench: This will allow players to craft certain weapon parts. Glock 17: Though already available through looting, the Glock 17 is a powerful gun for any survivor. Clan Banner: This is another item used in currently not-yet-implemented clan activities. Trip Wire Trap: This trap can be set up to defend against zombies and other survivors. Bear Trap: The Bear Trap is another trap for intruders. Home Brewery: The description claims that it can be used for making beer, which I suppose is important in its own way. Trunk: This provides storage for up to 24 items. Torture Device: The description for this blueprint claims it “helps to get even the most unsociable captive talking”, whatever that means.
Fishing Rod: This tool should enable fishing, but it is unknown how exactly fishing will be implemented. Metal Pipe: This can be used to build water and oil pipelines, neither of which are in the game at this time. Military Backpack: This useful item will add 12 more inventory slots.
TL;DR: It looks like finding oak and steel will unlock the next layer of complexity to Last Day on Earth: Survival, which could explain why they are taking so much time to be added.
Now that you know what to expect for when oak and steel finally arrive in this mobile survival game, so you can stay one step ahead of the other survivors. In the meantime, you’d best get to work on that ATV, and also be sure to check out GameSkinny’s other Last Day on Earth guides: