Sandustry Beginner Guide: How to Get Started

What should you build first in Sandustry?

Build a small dirt-to-gold loop before trying to automate every material. Mine dirt, pass it through water to make Wet Sand, then drop the Wet Sand onto a Shaker. Put a Collector under the Shaker and give Residue a separate exit so it cannot bury the machine.

Make Wet Sand reliably

Use an existing pool as the first water source instead of building a large system immediately. A Launcher can send material through the water and toward the Shaker, but the route must leave room for the material to fall and settle. If the line stops, check whether dry dirt is missing the water or whether mixed material is blocking the path.

Treat Residue as part of the design

Every Wet Sand pixel processed by a Shaker also creates Residue, so it is not optional waste. Route it away with a conveyor or keep it in a controlled holding area until you are ready for the burn-and-press chain. Do not let it stack on the Shaker, Collector, or your main transport lane.

Choose early upgrades carefully

The supplied material identifies Material Scanner, Expanded Capacity, and Digging Speed as practical early upgrades once Fluxite is available. The scanner helps identify interactions, while capacity and digging speed reduce repeated manual trips. Exact upgrade costs and order can change during Early Access, so confirm them in the current game build.