Shahrukh Sial is a gaming content writer at Sparked Host. He covers game guides, tips, and updates to help players improve their skills and enjoy a better gaming experience.

How To Craft In Unturned

Survival requires more than just finding a gun and some food. If you want to stay alive against the zombies on any map, you must learn the art of crafting to create better gear and shelters.

This guide will help you understand how to navigate the crafting menu and use your inventory effectively. I will share how to turn raw materials like wood or pine into useful items that will protect your base from danger.

Whether you are looking for ammunition recipes or want to improve your cooking skill level, this article has the answer. Let us look at the following lists to see how crafting works in Unturned today.

Understanding the Crafting System

Crafting in Unturned has transitioned from a purely menu-based system to one that emphasizes workstations for advanced progression. While basic survival items like rags or wooden barricades remain craftable anywhere, high-tier gear now requires specific tools and nearby workstations. The game environment is much more interactive than before, and your choice of location on the map will determine what items you can create.

To begin crafting, you must interact with the in-game menus:

  • Access: Open your inventory by pressing the default key I or Tab and select the crafting tab. You can also open the crafting menu directly by pressing Y or B.

  • Search & Filter: The interface automatically lists recipes you have the materials for, starting with the most fully craftable items. You can use the search bar or filter by categories like Supplies, Barricades, or Tools.

  • Quick-Crafting: You can shift-click a blueprint to craft one item instantly. If you need to create many things, ctrl-click to craft the maximum amount possible based on your inventory materials.

Survival demands more than just raw materials; you need skills and specific environments.

  • Skills: Upgrading the Crafting and Engineer skill level under the Support tab is required for high-tier blueprints. For example, Crafting III is now a necessary level for medical vaccines.

  • Workstations: Most advanced items now require you to be standing near a specific station. You must find or build these to continue your progress:

    • Simple Workbench: Used for most general items and basic repairs.

    • Chemistry Lab: Required for high-end medicine, medkits, and explosives.

    • Brick Oven / Enclosed Heat: Necessary for advanced cooking like bread, cakes, and waffles.

    • Dye Vat: Used to recolor clothing items like parkas and duffle bags.

  • Tools: Certain crafting recipes are only visible if you have tools in your inventory. Common non-consumed tools include the Handsaw for wood processing and the Blowtorch for metalwork and repairs. 

How to craft planks in Unturned

To make planks, you first need to find a tool like a Handsaw. Once you have a saw in your inventory, you can combine it with any Log (Maple, Birch, or Pine) to produce 3 Planks. Alternatively, if you do not have logs, you can combine 4 Sticks to create 1 Plank. 

How to craft rags in Unturned

Rags are essential for stopping bleeding and can be made without any special workstations. You can craft a Rag by combining 2 pieces of Cloth. You can get cloth easily by scrapping old clothing found while exploring the map. 

How to craft a workbench in Unturned

To build a Simple Workbench, you must gather wood and metal materials. The recipe requires 8 Planks of any kind, 3 Metal Scrap, and Nails. Having this station allows you to access many more advanced items that you cannot craft anywhere else. 

How to craft a base in Unturned

Building a base starts with a Foundation, which is typically made from 3 Wooden Frames. After placing your foundation, you will need Pillars at the corners to support Walls and a Roof. To finish your basic home, add a Doorway and place a Door (preferably metal for better protection) to keep zombies out. 

Gathering Resources and Crafting Materials

To succeed, players must constantly search for materials. Cutting down trees is one of the most reliable ways to earn XP for crafting levels. You can obtain Logs and Sticks by using an axe on trees found throughout the map. If you are building a base, using pine is a great choice because it offers better durability than other wood types.

Metal is another vital resource. You can find some Metal Scrap at construction sites or by salvaging weapons that you no longer need. If you are feeling aggressive, blowing up vehicles is another way to gain metal materials. Once you have these materials, you can combine them in the crafting menu to create foundations, walls, and barricades to protect your account progress.

Managing Ammunition and Magazines

One of the most important things to learn in this guide is how to manage your ammunition. In Unturned, you often find magazines that are half-empty. You can use the crafting menu to combine ammunition from multiple magazines into one full magazine. This ensures you are always ready when zombies attack.

  • To do this, open your crafting menu and select the ammunition tab.

  • Find the recipe for the specific magazine type you are using.

  • Click the craft button to refill your magazines using loose rounds or other magazines of the same type.

Common Recipe Categories

The following lists provide examples of how to combine ingredients to create new items:

Category Basic Examples Advanced Examples (Requires Station/Skill)
Supplies 1 Log yields 3 Planks; 4 Cloth yields 1 Rope Scrap Metal + Blowtorch yields 2 Metal Bars
Medical 2 Cloth yields 1 Rag; 2 Rags yields 1 Bandage Morphine, Adrenaline, Medkits (Chemistry Lab)
Survival 7 Cloth + 2 Tape yields 1 Sleeping Bag 1 Can + 1 Water Bottle yields 1 Canteen
Structures 3 Wooden Frames yields 1 Foundation Brick Structures (Requires Crafting level II)

Advanced Crafting and Skills

As you play the game, you will earn experience points. You should invest these points into the Support skill tree. Higher levels in the Crafting skill will unlock known crafting recipes that were previously hidden. For instance, you cannot create advanced traps or explosives without reaching a certain level.

The cooking skill is also essential for survival. While you can eat raw fruits, cooking them into pies or cakes using a Brick Oven will provide much better health benefits. Always check your crafting menu after you level up to see what new options have been added.

Salvaging for Success

If you lack raw resources on the map, you can salvage or scrap items in your inventory. This is a core mechanic that every player should understand. Instead of dropping extra clothing or broken weapons, you can turn them into useful crafting materials.

  • Clothing: Select a piece of clothing in the crafting menu and click to tear it down into Cloth.

  • Weapons: Salvaging guns provides Metal Scrap or Gun Parts.

  • Quality: One great fact about Unturned is that crafted items result in a 100% quality final product, regardless of the quality of the ingredients used. This means you can use a damaged tool to craft a brand-new item.

Exploring the World for Blueprints

While many crafting recipes are known from the start, some require you to find specific items or reach specific locations. In recent updates, several new blueprints were added to the community maps. You should follow the roads and explore towns to find rare components like electronics or chemicals.

Using the favorite button in the crafting UI is a smart way to track the items you want to make. This allows you to quickly see which materials you are missing. If you find a blueprint sign in the world, make sure to read it, as it might provide a new recipe for your list.

Leveling Up Your Crafting

To reach level 352 or other high levels of expertise, you must be consistent. Crafting simple items like sticks or planks repeatedly is a valid way to improve your skill level early on. As you continue to play, you will find that the game starts to become easier as you unlock the ability to create high-tier armor and weapons.

The community often shares new tips and tricks on how to optimize this process. Whether you are playing on a server with friends or solo, sharing your knowledge about crafting materials will help everyone survive longer. Always keep an eye on the latest update notes to see if any ingredients or recipes have changed.

Conclusion

Mastering the crafting menu and known crafting recipes is the best way to improve your quality of life in Unturned. By gathering pine, wood, and metal, you can craft the ammunition, magazines, and traps needed to protect your home from zombies.

Remember to follow the right skill level progression and find the necessary tools to access advanced options. I hope this article helps you understand the crafting materials needed to thrive in the community. Feel free to share this post and continue your journey to become a master survivor. By using the search function and managing your inventory, you will find that the choice to focus on crafting was the right one for your survival.