Your first base needs a TC, a lock, and walls that are not twig. This covers the two layouts that work on day one, what they cost at stone tier, and which one to build.
Base sizes are described by their foundation grid. A 2x1 is two square foundations wide and one deep. A 2x2 is two wide and two deep. Each square foundation is one room.
Every piece you place adds to upkeep. The TC slowly consumes resources based on the total number of building blocks connected to it. Keep the first base small. You can snap new foundations onto it later once you have more stone coming in. A base you cannot stock will start decaying while you sleep.
Both designs below include a triangle airlock. If you have not built one before, read the airlock guide first. The hinge placement matters and it is easy to get wrong.
Two rooms with a triangle airlock on one end. The TC goes as far from the entrance as possible, back corner of the room furthest from the airlock. Sleeping bag, boxes, and workbench go in the front room.
This is the right call for your first day on an unfamiliar server. It is fast to build, low on upkeep, and a stone 2x1 on wipe day is not worth most people's satchels when there are bigger targets around.
| Piece | Count | Stone each | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Square foundation | 2 | 300 | 600 |
| Triangle foundation (airlock) | 1 | 150 | 150 |
| Wall | 6 | 300 | 1,800 |
| Door frame | 3 | 300 | 900 |
| Ceiling | 2 sq + 1 tri | 150 | 450 |
| Total stone | 3,900 | ||
| Sheet metal doors (2) | 400 metal frags | ||
Four rooms in a two-by-two grid. This is what most experienced players build at the start of a wipe.
The extra rooms mean more space for boxes, sleeping bags, and furnaces. In a 2x1 everything competes for two rooms. In a 2x2 you can separate things properly. The TC goes in the room furthest from the entrance, behind its own locked door. Someone who gets through your airlock still needs to deal with the front room door, then the TC room door. That is three doors minimum before they reach the TC.
Recommended for groups of four or more. A bigger group means more loot coming in, and a 2x2 gives you the footprint to expand upward or outward without having to rebuild from scratch.
| Piece | Count | Stone each | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Square foundation | 4 | 300 | 1,200 |
| Triangle foundation (airlock) | 1 | 150 | 150 |
| Outer wall | 8 | 300 | 2,400 |
| Inner wall | 1 | 300 | 300 |
| Door frame | 5 | 300 | 1,500 |
| Ceiling | 4 sq + 1 tri | 150 | 750 |
| Total stone | ~6,300 | ||
| Sheet metal doors (4-5) | 800-1,000 metal frags | ||
First time on a server, playing solo, or just spawned and want something up fast: build the 2x1. Less stone, less time, and you can extend it into a 2x2 later by snapping new foundations on. Nothing needs to be demolished to expand.
Playing with one other person or you know the layout well enough to place things quickly: go straight to the 2x2. The extra rooms make the rest of the wipe noticeably more comfortable, and the upkeep difference is manageable once a furnace is running.
Once the base is at stone tier, get scrap. You pick it up while chopping wood and farming stone. Barrels on roads drop it too. Recycling components at a monument recycler is the fastest bulk source. The Supermarket and Gas Station both have recyclers and no radiation.
Fifty scrap builds a Tier 1 Workbench. Once it is down you can research items you find at monuments and unlock them on the tech tree. That is where crafting proper weapons starts.
Place the TC as soon as the first foundation is down. The no build zone it creates grows with your base. The more foundations you connect, the larger the area other players cannot build in around you. This matters for claiming space on a busy server. See the tool cupboard guide for a full breakdown of TC privileges and upkeep.
For honeycombing and second floors see the building guide index.