Need to keep zombies at bay in Project Zomboid? Effective window barricading is key. This guide cuts straight to the chase, offering immediate insight on “how to barricade windows project zomboid” – whether to use wooden planks or metal sheets for barricading, what tools you’ll need, and how to put it all together to safeguard your in-game hideout.
Key Takeaways
- Barricades are a crucial defense mechanism in Project Zomboid, with options for wooden and metal materials that offer varying levels of durability and visibility.
- Effective barricading requires the appropriate tools and resources, such as wooden planks, hammers, and nails for wooden barricades, or metal sheets, propane torches, and welder masks for metal barricades.
- Regular maintenance is essential for the durability of barricades, requiring routine checks and repairs to ensure they can effectively resist zombie breaches.
Barricading Basics in Project Zomboid

Barricades serve as your primary defense against the undead hordes in Project Zomboid. They enhance the defense at your building’s entrance and departure points and prevent zombies from peering inside, effectively keeping unwanted visitors out. You can use wooden planks or metal bars to create barricades that prevent zombies from entering the building.
Wooden barricades, though offering limited visibility and durability, contrast with metal barricades which offer greater protection at the cost of reduced visibility. This can be a double-edged sword, as while it is essential for effectively defending a base, it can compromise your ability to remain concealed from zombies. Keep in mind, if a zombie spots you through a window, it won’t hesitate to break in, which can produce noise and potentially draw more zombies. Therefore, effective barricading plays a crucial role in reducing risk and keeping zombies from breaking through windows.
Choosing Your Barricade Material
When it comes to choosing your barricade material, the type of barricade you choose — wooden or metal — depends on your resources and desired level of security. Metal barricades provide a significantly higher level of durability compared to wooden barricades, with Metal Sheets and Metal Bars boasting 5000 HP. To construct a metal barricade, you will need either a Metal Sheet or Metal Bar. You can easily install it by simply right-clicking on the window. Then, select the ‘Barricade (Metal Sheet)’ option..
On the other hand, wooden barricades are easier to install but provide lesser durability. For wooden barricades, you’ll need wooden planks, a hammer, and nails. Once you’ve gathered these materials, simply right-click on the window, choose Barricade (Planks), and then use your hammer and nails to secure the wooden planks onto the window.
Your choice between wooden and metal barricades will hinge on your priorities: visibility or durability.
Gathering Necessary Tools
Before initiating the barricading of your safehouse, ensure you’ve collected all the required tools. For wooden barricades, you’ll need a hammer and nails, while for metal barricades, you’ll need a propane torch and a welder mask.
Finding these tools isn’t too hard if you know where to look. A hammer can be found randomly in cupboards throughout the town, or more reliably in hardware stores, construction sites, garages, or crates. Similarly, nails can be found in hardware stores, factories, tool sheds, garages, and crates. You can also obtain nails by disassembling items in warehouses.
Step-by-Step: Barricading Your Windows

Armed with the basics of barricading, we’ll now walk through the process of barricading your windows, step by step. Whether you’re using wooden planks or metal sheets, the process is fairly straightforward and easy to follow.
Initially, you’ll need to collect your materials. For wooden barricades, you’ll need wooden planks, a hammer, and nails. For metal barricades, you’ll need metal sheets. Once you have your materials, you can start barricading your windows.
For wooden barricades, right-click on the window, choose Barricade (Planks), and then use your hammer and nails to secure the wooden planks onto the window. For metal barricades, right-click on the window, select Barricade (Metal Sheets), and complete the action to install the barricade.
Wooden Barricade Installation

When it comes to installing wooden barricades on your windows, you’ll need a hammer, nails, and usually 3 or more wooden planks. Utilizing 4 planks can effectively obstruct light from passing through the window. To barricade a window with wooden planks, right-click the window or door with the hammer, nails, and planks in your inventory and then select ‘Barricade (planks)’. Repeat this process three times to fully barricade the window.
Bear in mind, wooden barricades:
- Offer limited visibility
- Offer less durability compared to metal ones
- Are a short-term solution
- Are easier to install
- Offer the advantage of being able to see outside, which can be crucial in certain situations.
Metal Barricade Setup

If you’re looking for a more durable barricading solution, you might want to consider setting up metal barricades. For this, you’ll need a propane torch, a welder mask, and either a metal sheet or three metal bars per window.
To set up a metal barricade, follow these steps:
- Select the metal sheet in your inventory.
- Right-click on the window.
- Choose ‘Barricade (metal sheet)’.
- Complete the action to install the metal barricade.
Though setting up a metal barricade involves more steps and materials than a wooden barricade, its superior durability justifies the effort, particularly in high-risk areas.
Securing Upper Levels: Barricading Second Floor Windows
In safeguarding your safehouse, don’t overlook the upper-level windows. It might seem like they’re out of reach for the zombies, but you’d be surprised at just how persistent these undead creatures can be.
One effective method of securing upper-level windows is using sheet ropes. Sheet ropes are made from clothing items and can be used for climbing up and down from higher floors through windows. While they’re impervious to zombies, they can get destroyed if the windows are left open – so ensure you close your windows when not using the ropes.
Creating Sheet Ropes
Creating sheet ropes is a straightforward process. All you need are two sheets or any type of clothing, such as a sheet, vest, blouse, sweater, pants, or a skirt.
To craft a sheet rope, follow these steps:
- Right-click on a Sheet or any piece of clothing.
- Select ‘Craft Sheet Rope’.
- Repeat the process to create two sheet ropes per story. Once you’ve got your sheet ropes, you can install them on your second-floor windows, providing a secure exit route in case of emergencies.
Alternative Barricading Methods
Although wooden and metal barricades are the usual means of securing your safehouse, they aren’t your only options. In fact, you can make use of just about anything you find in the game to create makeshift barricades, from furniture to storage units.
Furniture, such as chairs, couches, and tables, can be used as barricades, offering an improvised means of defense. Similarly, storage units can enhance window defense by reinforcing barricades outside and inside windows, utilizing materials like wood or metal to provide extra fortification against zombies.
Utilizing Furniture and Other Items
When it comes to using furniture and other items for barricading, you have a wide range of options, including:
- Chairs
- Couches
- Tables
- Fridges
- Filing cabinets
- Full-size dumpsters
These items can be used to create a temporary barricade or makeshift barricades.
To use furniture for barricading, you can use the ‘pickup’ option to move items like couches, beds, or tables in front of doors or windows to block them. Large closets, refrigerators, or soda machines can also be used to barricade windows. Just remember that these barricades are susceptible to attacks by zombies, which may ultimately lead to their destruction.
Fortifying With Storage Units
Another effective method of barricading is using storage units. Cabinets, cupboards, dressers, and wardrobes can be used to reinforce windows in Project Zomboid. The wooden crate is considered the most suitable for barricading due to its ease of crafting, spacious storage capacity, minimal material requirement, and lower skill level needed.
To use a storage unit for barricading, you can position it in front of the window and reinforce it with a sheet or by affixing planks to both the interior and exterior of the window. This not only enhances your defenses but also provides additional storage space, making it a practical solution for barricading.
Maintaining Your Barricades
As with any defensive structure, barricades require regular maintenance to retain their effectiveness. This involves regular checks, repairs, and reinforcements. Keep in mind, a damaged barricade is virtually ineffective, so maintaining them in top condition is essential.
Inspect your barricades regularly for signs of visible wear and tear, broken or splintered wood, or any reduction in health points. Damaged barricades should be repaired immediately to ensure their continued effectiveness.
Here’s how to repair your barricades:
- For wooden barricades, use a hammer or a crowbar to remove the damaged planks.
- Replace the damaged planks with new ones.
- For metal barricades, ensure you have the required materials in your inventory.
- Right-click on the door or window.
- Select ‘Barricade’ from the drop-down menu to repair them.
Regular Checks and Repairs
Regular checks on your barricades are crucial to ensure their structural integrity and ability to effectively delay zombies breaking through them. Be vigilant for signs of damage, like visible wear and tear or a reduction in health points. This indicates that repairs are necessary.
For wooden barricades, you can use a hammer or a crowbar to remove the damaged planks, and then replace them with new ones. For metal barricades, ensure you have the required materials in your inventory, right-click on the door or window, and select ‘Barricade’ from the drop-down menu to repair them.
Reinforcing Existing Barricades
Reinforcing your existing barricades not only increases their durability but also improves your safehouse’s security. Whether you’re using wooden or metal barricades, you can always add extra layers to strengthen them.
For wooden barricades, you can use your hammer to affix extra wood planks and nails, enhancing the durability. By right-clicking on a window and choosing the ‘Barricade (Planks)’ option, you can add additional layers.
For metal barricades, right-click on the existing metal barricade and select the option to reinforce it with more metal, thereby improving its resistance against zombie breaches.
Resource Management: Where to Find Materials

Resource management is of paramount importance in Project Zomboid. You’ll need to know where to find the materials you need for barricading, such as wooden planks and metal sheets. Luckily, there are multiple methods and locations where these materials can be collected.
Wooden planks can be obtained by dismantling furniture or disassembling wooden items encountered during gameplay. Additionally, logs from trees can be crafted into planks. For metal sheets, you can disassemble metal objects using a torch and welding mask, or scavenge in locations such as garages, sheds, and storage units.
Scavenging for Planks and Metal
Scavenging for materials is a key aspect of survival in Project Zomboid. Wooden planks and metal sheets can be found in various locations throughout the game.
Wooden planks can be obtained by dismantling furniture or disassembling wooden items. Additionally, logs from trees can be crafted into planks.
For metal sheets, one metal sheet can be obtained by disassembling metal objects or by scavenging in locations such as garages, sheds, and storage units.
Crafting Your Own Materials
If you can’t find the materials you need, don’t fret; you can always craft your own. In Project Zomboid, you can create your own wooden planks by chopping down trees and using a saw to convert the logs into planks.
You’ll need an axe to cut down the trees and a hammer and a saw to craft the wooden planks. Each tree can yield six wooden planks, as each tree provides two logs, and each log can be converted into three planks. Best of all, there’s no specific skill level required to craft wooden planks, making it accessible to players of all levels.
Strategic Barricading: When and Where to Barricade
Barricading involves not only the how, but also the when and where. Strategic barricading can make a huge difference in your survival in Project Zomboid.
Prioritize barricading areas with high zombie traffic, like entrances and windows of your safehouse, where zombies are likely to infiltrate. Further, establishing a secure perimeter around your safehouse can bolster your defenses.
Prioritizing High-Risk Areas
High-risk areas are usually areas with high zombie populations, such as malls and secret military bases, as well as areas abundant in resources that naturally attract denser zombie populations.
Prioritize barricading these areas to improve your security. Remember, a well-placed barricade can slow down the zombies’ entry points and protect against surprise attacks, particularly during vulnerable times such as when you’re asleep.
Balancing Visibility and Security
Achieving a balance between visibility and security is crucial in Project Zomboid. You can strategically place barricades on both the outside and inside of windows. This approach allows you to control visibility levels while simultaneously enhancing security against zombies.
Depending on the nature of the barricade, you can augment its robustness and resilience by right-clicking on the door or window and opting to add more planks for a wooden barricade, or more metal for a metal barricade.
Summary
In summary, barricading in Project Zomboid is an essential survival skill that requires strategic planning, resource management, and regular maintenance. Whether you choose wooden or metal barricades, make use of furniture or storage units, or craft your own materials, your primary goal is to keep the zombies out and ensure your continued survival. With this guide, you’re now equipped with the knowledge you need to effectively barricade your safehouse and thrive in the world of Project Zomboid.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the requirements for barricades in project zomboid?
To create barricades in Project Zomboid, players can use wooden planks, metal sheets, or metal bars. They can then right-click on a door or window and select “Barricade” from the drop-down menu to place the barricades on both sides.
How do you cover windows in project zomboid?
In Project Zomboid, you can cover windows by right-clicking a window with a sheet in the main inventory and then pulling it down like a curtain. Make sure there is a tile above a player-made window frame to place a sheet on it.
Can zombies break through barricades in Project Zomboid?
Yes, zombies can break through barricades in Project Zomboid. Barricades delay their entry, providing a window to bolster defenses or escape.
Can I use furniture to barricade my safehouse?
Yes, you can use furniture as makeshift barricades in your safehouse, but they are not as durable as wooden or metal barricades and can be destroyed by zombies. Be cautious when using furniture for barricades.
Where can I find materials for barricading?
You can find materials for barricading, such as wooden planks and metal sheets, in various locations throughout the game, and you can also craft your own wooden planks by chopping down trees and using a saw. Happy barricading!