Why did my Rust base decay?

Common reasons a Rust base decays, including missing upkeep, wrong material, tool cupboard issues, and building changes.

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Short answer

Most decay problems come from one of four things: the tool cupboard ran out of one required material, the base changed after expansion, upkeep was placed in the wrong TC, or the structure was outside protection.

Cause	What to check
Missing material	Stone, metal, HQM, and wood are tracked separately.
Base expansion	New honeycomb or doors increased upkeep.
Wrong TC	Material was placed in a different cupboard.
Outside coverage	Some pieces may not be protected as expected.

Checklist

Check every material category, not only total time.
Recheck upkeep after expanding.
Keep at least one emergency day before roaming or raiding.
Use the upkeep estimator for weekly targets.

Example

A base can show plenty of stone but still decay metal pieces if the cupboard has no metal fragments left.

Common mistakes

Only looking at one resource stack.
Forgetting that upgrades change upkeep.
Leaving for a raid with no emergency upkeep buffer.

Related tools and guides

Use raid calculator rust base upkeep calculator rust tc upkeep weekly sheet rust wipe day upgrade order

Source notes

Facepunch/Rust official updates
Tool cupboard upkeep behavior
In-game verification recommended

Last checked: 2026-07-05. Verify after major Rust patches.

Paid worksheet angle

The Rust Raid Prep Pack includes a weekly upkeep worksheet.