The Valheim bench is great. It’s the first crafting station in the game, doesn’t cost much, unlocks the building site for your first base, and provides you with lots of useful crafting recipes for Valheim weapons and Valheim armor. It’s also Valheim’s first big step for you to progress through the game.
There is only one problem: the game does not tell you how to set up a workbench. And even if you figure it out on your own, you may run into another problem: the workbench won’t work unless it’s properly maintained. Oh, and we haven’t even mentioned the need for a bench upgrade yet.
Don’t worry, this bench guide explains everything you need to know.
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How to make a bench in Valheim
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The first is to build the actual workbench. This part is simple; After punching some trees, crafting a stone ax, then cutting larger trees, go to your inventory and craft a hammer. With the hammer equipped, open the build menu and select the workbench. You need 10 boards to make a bench and it can be placed literally wherever you want, make sure your first foundation is where you want it to be so you can build walls and a roof around it.
How to use a bench by building a roof
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The bench cannot be used until you build a shelter around it, so your next step is to continue collecting wood. This can actually be the size you want, but the counter needs to be under one roof. When I started I decided to make a room with a bed, fireplace, chest and countertop, but if you want, you can also place four wall and roof tiles on the counter that face the open world. Strong weather can hinder this, so you’ll want to build an enclosed area for the workbench to keep it running.
How to raise a workbench
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Once you have a workbench in Valheim, you can build many objects and vehicles, but your choice is limited compared to the full catalog of items in the game. To unlock everything, you need to upgrade your workbench, which is made by placing different auxiliary objects nearby. In no particular order, place the following around the counter to raise:
- Chopping Stone (10 Wood, 10 Flint)
- Plate Rack (10 Wood, 15 Flint, 20 Leather Scrap, 5 Deer Hide)
- Adze (10 Fine Wood, 3 Bronze, Forged)
- Tool Shelf (10 Fine Wood, 4 Iron, 4 Obsidian, Forged)
Place all four nearby and the bench will be raised to the fifth level. That’s all there is to know about the Valheim bench – upgrading it should be one of your main goals early in the game, so get started!
