The Workshop Items

A well-stocked workshop makes even the most ambitious construction project a simple affair. Just select an item from the Workshop menu, choose a location, and construction is done in an instant. Many workshop items snap together for perfect placement, but all items can be moved and rotated to meet your exacting standards. All workshop items require construction materials, and many items can only be built after you’ve completed certain quests or invested in specific perks. Plan ahead to ensure that your settlement lives up to your expectations.

Special Items

This category contains buildable quest-related items. Many of these special items can only be built at certain times or in certain locations, and the category only appears in the workshop menu when you can build at least one of these items at the settlement in question.

Structures

This category contains items geared toward basic construction. Here, you’ll find basic items like floors, walls, and roofs, but this category also contains doors, fences, completed structures, and more. Whether you’re looking to build a simple shelter or a stately manor, this is likely to be your first stop in the workshop menu.

Subcategories

• Structures > Wood
• Structures > Metal
• Structures > Doors
• Structures > Fences
• Structures > Miscellaneous

Structures > Wood

The Workshop menu contains a wide variety of woods structures. In addition to the basic floors, walls, and roofs, this subcategory contains items like stairs, bridges, and railings. On the whole, wood structures are efficient, versatile, and made from relatively common materials.

Subcategories

• Structures > Wood > Prefabs
• Structures > Wood > Floors
• Structures > Wood > Walls
• Structures > Wood > Roofs
• Structures > Wood > Stairs
• Structures > Wood > Miscellaneous

Structures > Wood > Prefabs

This subcategory features convenient, readymade structures. These items vary in size, shape, and complexity. Some prefabs are easily combined to build larger structures, while others are a bit more difficult to modify. Every prefab features some sort of roof, however, so they can serve as a basic shelter without any additional construction.

Wood Prefabs

Structures > Wood > Floors

When you’re building a structure from scratch, it’s usually best to start with the floor. In addition to simple floor tiles, this category contains some particularly handy items. The foundation pieces can sink into the ground, serving as a level base for structures on uneven terrain. The stairwell features a one-story flight of stairs anchored between two floor tiles. Once a stairwell is in place, constructing a second story is as simple as snapping a few floor tiles to the top of the steps.

Another noteworthy item is the “Shack Upper Floor” piece. This floor tile is thick enough to meet any walls placed on the level beneath it. You’re free to use thinner tiles on upper floors, but doing so will leave gaps along the exterior of multistory structures.

Wood Floors

Structures > Wood > Walls

Wood walls come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. Here you’ll find everything from simple panels to elaborate wall/roof combinations. Most walls can snap neatly to floors and other wall panels, but there are a few exceptions. End pieces don’t snap to any items, and they’re a bit taller than standard walls. Covered corner pieces only snap to covered wall panels. Every wood wall has its uses, however, making this a very important section of the Workshop menu.

Wood Walls

Structures > Wood > Roofs

Every settler expects a roof over his or her head, and this area of the Workshop menu has plenty of options. Roofs snap to each other and to the tops of most wall panels. Wood roofs come in a variety of shapes, but they all serve the same purpose in shelter construction.

Wood Roofs

Structures > Wood > Stairs

Stairs are obviously an important part of any multistory building, but they also make it much easier to move in and out of structures built on raised foundations. Stairs can be placed anywhere, but they snap to floors and sometimes to each other. Most stairs can also sink into the ground.

Wood Stairs

Structures > Wood > Miscellaneous

This subcategory includes a bridge and an assortment of railing pieces. Bridges snap to each other, but they can also sink into the ground. They make excellent walkways, of course, but they’re also handy when you want to build a few turret platforms or place some support beams under an existing structure. Railings are also quite versatile, but they’re an excellent way to mark hazardous areas and prevent accidental falls.

Miscellaneous Wood Structures

Structures > Metal

The Workshop menu contains far fewer options for metal structures than you’ll find for wood structures—there are no metal-based floors, stairs, or miscellaneous items, and there are only two options for roofs. Of course, your stock of materials will likely determine which structures are the best fit for a settlement, but metal boasts an industrial aesthetic that wood simply can’t match.

Subcategories

• Structures > Metal > Prefabs
• Structures > Metal > Walls
• Structures > Metal > Roofs

Structures > Metal > Prefabs

Like wood prefabs, metal prefabs are ready-made structures. Many of these items are easily incorporated into larger structures, but some metal prefabs feature rounded shapes that prohibit some walls and roofs from snapping into place.

Metal Prefabs

Structures > Metal > Walls

For the most part, a metal wall can be used anywhere a similarly shaped wood wall can be placed. The rounded walls found in this area of the Workshop menu don’t have a wooden counterpart. Rather than snapping to floors, round metal walls snap to the framework found in most prefabs and wall/roof combos.

Metal Walls

Structures > Metal > Roofs

All roofs snap to walls and to each other, so a metal roof can be used anywhere a wood roof would fit.

Metal Roofs

Structures > Doors

Doors snap to any wall or prefab that features a doorway. There are several doors to choose from, but the differences are purely cosmetic.

Doors

Structures > Fences

Fences are largely cosmetic, but they do have some practical uses. Well-placed fences can keep residents where you want them and limit enemy access to a settlement.

Subcategories

• Structures > Fences > Junk Fence
• Structures > Fences > Picket Fence
• Structures > Fences > Wire Fence

Structures > Fences > Junk Fence

Junk fences are large and relatively costly, but they’re great for fortifying vulnerable settlements. Fences don’t contribute to a settlement’s Defense rating, but well-positioned junk fences can funnel invaders into heavily defended areas. Forcing attackers toward a settlement’s turrets and guard posts is one of the best ways to guarantee a raid ends quickly.

Junk Fences

Structures > Fences > Picket Fence

Picket fences not only offer a classic aesthetic, but they also snap together for easy installation. Just place a post between each fence panel to maintain a perfect line. Picket fences must be unlocked before they can be built. This subcategory only appears in the Workshop menu after you’ve collected the Picket Fences magazine located in the Beantown Brewery.

Picket Fences

Structures > Fences > Wire Fence

These rustic fences are often found in farming settlements. Wire fence pieces snap together whenever the edge of a mesh panel is moved toward a post.

Wire Fences

Structures > Miscellaneous

This subcategory only contains two items, both of which are tall poles wrapped in razor wire. These items are purely cosmetic, but they certainly make a statement.

Miscellaneous Structures

Furniture

This category contains a variety of beds, chairs, shelves, and more. Although furniture plays an important role in a settlement’s overall aesthetic, each type of furniture offers at least one useful feature.

Subcategories

• Furniture > Beds
• Furniture > Chairs
• Furniture > Containers
• Furniture > Shelves
• Furniture > Tables
• Furniture > Miscellaneous

Furniture > Beds

If you hope to keep the residents of your settlement happy and productive, you must provide one bed for each one. If you wish, you can even assign a settler to a specific bed. You’re also free to use any bed you build—remember that each time you sleep, you receive the Well Rested perk. This temporary perk grants a 10 percent bonus to earned XP for a limited time, so it pays to take regular naps.

Beds

Furniture > Chairs

This subcategory contains a wide variety of benches, chairs, couches, and stools. These items are largely decorative, but idle settlers often seek out places to sit. You can also use these items to wait for hours at a time. Chairs don’t offer the Well Rested perk granted by beds, but after you sit down, you’re free to relax as time flies by.

Chairs

Furniture > Containers

Containers come in all shapes and sizes, but from the massive bureau to the compact toolbox, all containers can store as many items as you choose. Simply approach a container and begin transferring items to or from your inventory.

Containers

Furniture > Shelves

Use shelves to hold and display items from your inventory. Just drop an item on the ground, activate the Workshop menu, then grab the item and place it wherever you like.

This subcategory also contains two magazine racks. Use these special shelves to store and display any magazines you collect as you explore the Commonwealth.

Shelves

Furniture > Tables

Like shelves, tables can hold and display items from your inventory. This subcategory contains everything from coffee tables to pool tables, so you’re sure to find something to match any décor.

Tables

Furniture > Miscellaneous

This area of the Workshop menu contains miscellaneous furniture items like televisions, bathroom fixtures, and more. Dedicated explorers would do well to build the Bobblehead stand—this stylish piece of furniture is a great way to proudly display your Bobblehead collection.

Miscellaneous Furniture

Decorations

This category features an impressive assortment of decorative items. When you just want to add a bit of flair to a settlement, make sure you visit this section of the Workshop menu.

Subcategories

• Decorations > Floor Coverings
• Decorations > Wall Decorations
• Decorations > Statues
• Decorations > Miscellaneous

Decorations > Floor Coverings

This section of the Workshop menu contains a variety of rugs and floor mats.

Floor Coverings

Decorations > Wall Decorations

This section of the Workshop menu contains wall-mounted items like flags, trophies, and paintings.

Subcategories

• Decorations > Wall Decorations > Flags
• Decorations > Wall Decorations > Mounted Creatures
• Decorations > Wall Decorations > Paintings
• Decorations > Wall Decorations > Signs
• Decorations > Wall Decorations > Miscellaneous

Decorations > Wall Decorations > Flags

Initially, the Workshop menu only offers the U.S. flag, but more flags become available as you gain new allies. You’re only able to build a faction’s flag while you’re a recognized member—if you’re kicked out of a faction, the related flag is removed from the Workshop menu.

Flags

Decorations > Wall Decorations > Mounted Creatures

This subcategory offers a small collection of wall-mounted hunting trophies.

Mounted Creatures

Decorations > Wall Decorations > Paintings

This section of the Workshop menu offers paintings of various styles and sizes.

Paintings

Decorations > Wall Decorations > Signs

In this section of the Workshop menu, you’ll find signs in a variety of shapes, styles, and sizes.

Signs

Decorations > Wall Decorations > Miscellaneous

This section of the Workshop menu features two miscellaneous wall decorations: a mountable basketball hoop and a stylish Eat-O-Tronic unit.

Miscellaneous Wall Decorations

Decorations > Statues

This subcategory only appears in the Workshop menu after you collect the Picket Fences magazine located in the Saugus Ironworks. Once you unlock these items, you can use workshops to build some rather impressive statues.

Statues

Decorations > Miscellaneous

This section of the Workshop menu contains some particularly interesting decorations, many of which offer additional functionality. Some vending machines and trash receptacles can be used as containers. The doghouse gives your canine companion a place to relax between outings. Radios and jukeboxes add a bit of life to any settlement. Initially, the workshop offers a good selection of miscellaneous decorations, but many more can be unlocked as you explore the Commonwealth.

Miscellaneous Decorations

Power

This category contains all of the items you’ll need to generate and deliver power, but it also offers some very useful high-tech devices. With this selection of generators, switches, lights, and special electronics, you can build a power grid that rivals anything found in the Commonwealth.

Subcategories

• Power > Generators
• Power > Connectors and Switches
• Power > Lights
• Power > Miscellaneous

Power > Generators

Generators produce the power needed to run lights, turrets, and all of a settlement’s electronic devices. Each generator features its own size, output, and building materials, and the most powerful generator requires an investment in the Science! perk.

Generators

Power > Connectors and Switches

This section of the Workshop menu offers an assortment of pylons, conduits, and switches. By connecting these devices to a power source, you can expand and control the flow of electricity within a settlement. Pylons and conduits serve as anchor points for wires, and you can link them to deliver power to buildings and devices located anywhere within a settlement. As long as they’re attached to a suitable power source, these connectors also radiate energy needed to power televisions, jukeboxes, and most lights.

Use switches to determine when and if power is transmitted to specific areas or devices. You’ll find everything from basic on/off switches to programmable power counters. Connect switches to terminals to access additional options; combine switches to create new effects. Like basic connectors, switches radiate the energy needed to power simple devices. Of course, this energy field is only active while a switch is turned on.

Connectors and Switches

Power > Lights

Initially, the Workshop menu contains a good variety of lighting options, but you can unlock many more by collecting the Picket Fences magazine located in Hardware Town. Nearly all lights are powered by radiant energy—the one exception is the construction light. This freestanding light must be wired directly to a power grid in order to function.

Lights

Power > Miscellaneous

This section of the Workshop menu contains a small selection of interesting items. The recruitment radio beacon is particularly useful—this powered transmitter draws new residents to a specific settlement, allowing your population to grow fairly quickly.

Use terminals to access additional functionality on attached devices. Not every powered device offers extra features, but all terminals can be used with switches, lightboxes, powered speakers, and powered turrets.

Miscellaneous Power Items

Defense

Use the items in this category to boost your settlement’s Defense rating. A high Defense rating makes your settlement a much less appealing target for would-be attackers. This, in turn, results in a more self-sufficient settlement with a happier, more productive population.

Subcategories

• Defense > Guard Posts
• Defense > Turrets
• Defense > Traps

Defense > Guard Posts

Guard posts are made from common materials—in most cases, a newly acquired settlement contains more than enough scrap to build at least a few of these defensive items. You must assign a worker to a guard post before it contributes to a settlement’s Defense rating, but because each guard can generate a maximum of 6 Defense, a single guard can man up to three posts.

Guard Posts

Defense > Turrets

The Workshop menu offers a variety of turrets. These automated weapons boost a settlement’s Defense rating without compromising its workforce. It does, however, take a fair amount of uncommon and rare materials to build them, and most turrets require power to function. Still, if you have the required resources and skills, building a collection of powerful turrets will go a long way toward keeping your settlements safe.

Turrets

Defense > Traps

Like turrets, traps function without the help of assigned workers. Unlike turrets, traps must be repaired after each use. A trap triggers the moment it receives power, and it will continue to attack until it breaks. Use switches like pressure plates and laser tripwires to better control when and how trap can be activated. To count toward a settlement’s Defense rating, a trap must be undamaged and wired to a power grid.

Traps

Resources

Most of the items in this category are geared toward water collection and food production, but you’ll also find an assortment of items that can make a settlement more productive and easier to manage.

Subcategories

• Resources > Water
• Resources > Food
• Resources > Miscellaneous

Resources > Water

To keep your settlements happy, it’s important to provide enough water for the current population. Water pumps are simple devices that generate a small amount of water. They can only be placed in dirt, but virtually every settlement has terrain that can accommodate at least a few water pumps. Water purifiers, on the other hand, can only be placed in water. These machines are more difficult to build, and they require power, but they’re able to generate an impressive amount of drinkable water.

Water Items

Resources > Food

Like water, food is an important factor in a settlement’s overall happiness. The crops found in the Workshop menu can only be placed in dirt, and they only count toward your settlement’s Food rating if workers are assigned to care for them. A single worker can generate up to 6 Food, and he or she can tend any combination of crops that doesn’t exceed this limit.

Assigned crops also produce food that you can harvest yourself. You can consume this food, sell it, or use it to plant new crops and create items at workstations. Harvesting food has no effect on your settlement’s Food rating.

Food Items

Resources > Miscellaneous

This section of the Workshop menu contains some very useful items. Scavenging stations increase the amount of scrap salvaged by the workers assigned to them. Feed troughs keep Brahmin from wandering around your settlements. Bells and sirens make it easier to manage your settlers, and the Fast-Travel target adjusts your arrival point at a given settlement.

Miscellaneous Resource Items

Stores

In addition to buying and selling goods, stores you build within a settlement generate income based on the current population. Many stores even increase a settlement’s total Happiness rating. You must assign a worker to a store before it can be used—once you do, a worker stays at his or her store during its hours of operation. You must have both ranks of the Local Leader perk before you can build a store, and many stores have additional perk requirements.

Subcategories

• Stores > Trader
• Stores > Armor
• Stores > Weapons
• Stores > Food and Drink
• Stores > Clinic
• Stores > Clothing

Stores > Trader

Trading stores specialize in junk items. Larger stores offer a better selection of rarer goods and keep more money on hand. These stores also increase a settlement’s Happiness rating.

Trading Stores

Stores > Armor

Armor stores specialize in protective apparel. Larger stores offer a better selection of rarer goods and keep more money on hand.

Armor Stores

Stores > Weapons

Weapon stores specialize in weapons and ammunition. Larger stores offer a better selection of rarer goods and keep more money on hand.

Weapon Stores

Stores > Food and Drink

Food and drink stores specialize in comestible aid items. Larger stores offer a better selection of rarer goods and keep more money on hand. These stores also increase a settlement’s Happiness rating.

Food and Drink Stores

Stores > Clinic

Clinics restore health and offer cures for chem addiction and radiation sickness. They also sell medicinal aid items. Larger stores offer a better selection of rarer goods and keep more money on hand. Clinics also increase a settlement’s Happiness rating.

Clinics

Stores > Clothing

Clothing stores specialize in cosmetic apparel. Larger stores offer a better selection of rarer goods and keep more money on hand. These stores also increase a settlement’s Happiness rating.

Clothing Stores

Crafting

If you invest in both ranks of the Local Leader perk, you can build workstations in any of your settlements.

Workstations