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Tool · Base building
Base materials calculator
Tell it how many fences, gates and watchtowers you want. It adds up the logs, planks, nails and sheet metal, and lists the tools to bring.
Calculator
Plan your base
Assumes each fence section is fully built: base, upper and lower frames, upper and lower panels. Numbers are the community wiki values for 1.30; Bohemia changes recipes now and then, so check in game before a big build.
Fence stages
Fence, stage by stage
| Stage | Materials | Tool |
|---|---|---|
| Fence kit | 2 sticks + rope | Hands |
| Base | 2 wooden logs | Shovel, pickaxe or hoe |
| Lower frame | 4 planks + 8 nails | Hammer or hatchet |
| Upper frame | 4 planks + 8 nails | Hammer or hatchet |
| Panel (wood), each | 5 planks + 10 nails | Hammer or hatchet |
| Panel (metal), each | 3 sheet metal + 12 nails | Hammer or hatchet |
| Platform | 5 planks + 15 nails | Hammer or hatchet |
| Stairs, each set | 4 planks + 8 nails | Hammer or hatchet |
| Gate | 1 metal wire | Pliers |
| Barbed wire (up to 2) | Barbed wire | Pliers |
One full wooden fence: 2 logs, 18 planks, 36 nails. A fence with a platform cannot become a gate.
Watchtower stages
Watchtower, level by level
| Level | Base | Wall bases (3) | Stairs | Roof | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 logs (shovel) | 12 planks, 24 nails | 6 planks, 18 nails | 10 planks, 20 nails | 4 logs, 28 planks, 62 nails |
| 2 | 4 logs | 12 planks, 24 nails | 6 planks, 18 nails | 10 planks, 20 nails | 4 logs, 28 planks, 62 nails |
| 3 | 4 logs | 12 planks, 24 nails | None | 6 planks, 20 nails, 6 sheet metal | 4 logs, 18 planks, 44 nails, 6 sheet metal |
Optional wall panels: wood 5 planks + 5 nails, metal 3 sheet metal + 5 nails, up to six per level.
Tips
Building tips
- Build near a flag. A raised territory flag stops items around it despawning. See why bases vanish.
- Saw planks at the site. Logs are heavy; a hacksaw at the build site saves trips.
- Metal panels take longer to break than wood and need fewer planks.
- On Nasdara, rebuilding a ruin next to a well is often cheaper than a fence compound. See the Nasdara guide.
- Every recipe: what can I craft?
Quick answers
Questions people ask
How many planks do you need for a fence in DayZ?
18 planks for one full wooden fence section (8 for the frames and 10 for the panels), plus 2 logs for the base and 36 nails.
How many nails for a DayZ watchtower?
62 nails each for levels one and two and 44 for level three, so 168 for a full three-level tower, before optional wall panels.
What tools do you need to build a base in DayZ?
A shovel, pickaxe or hoe for the base, a hammer or hatchet for frames and panels, pliers for gates and barbed wire, and a saw to make planks.
How do you make a gate in DayZ?
Finish a fence section, then add metal wire with pliers to turn it into a gate. Lock it with a combination lock.
Keep going
More guides and tools
Last checked 28 October 2026, against DayZ 1.30 (PC 1.30.164200, console 1.87).