Rust Upkeep Calculator
Calculate your base's daily maintenance cost
Twig pieces have no upkeep cost and are not included in TC calculations. They decay in 1 hour without a TC.
Upkeep Rates
Per-material upkeep rates are not available — Facepunch does not publish official upkeep numbers, so we no longer show specific percentages. Conceptually, higher building tiers cost proportionally more of their build material per day to maintain.
Decay Time Without TC
Upkeep Scaling System
Rust uses a progressive upkeep scaling system: as your base grows larger, additional building blocks cost proportionally more upkeep, so mega-bases pay more per block than small bases. Facepunch does not publish official scaling figures, so we don't list specific per-block percentages — keep your base compact to minimise maintenance.
Daily Upkeep Cost
Daily upkeep cost is not available. Facepunch publishes no official upkeep figures, so we don't show a calculated number. Your total build materials are summarized below, and the official decay timers (if your TC runs dry) still apply.
Total Materials in Base
If TC Runs Out
How Rust Upkeep Works
Upkeep in Rust is a daily maintenance cost that your Tool Cupboard (TC) automatically deducts from its inventory. Every building piece in your base contributes to the total upkeep cost based on the material tier used. If your TC runs out of materials, your base will begin to decay.
The upkeep system was introduced to prevent server lag from massive, abandoned bases. It ensures that only actively maintained bases persist on the map. The cost scales with base size -- larger bases require proportionally more resources to maintain.
Upkeep Rates by Material
Each material tier consumes a share of its build material as daily upkeep, paid automatically out of your Tool Cupboard. We do not list specific upkeep percentages here: Facepunch publishes no official upkeep numbers, so any exact figure would be unsourced. Conceptually, the tiers rank like this:
- Twig: No upkeep cost (decays in 1 hour without TC)
- Wood: lowest upkeep of the maintained tiers
- Stone: moderate upkeep
- Metal: higher upkeep than stone
- Armored (HQM): highest upkeep relative to build cost
This means an armored base costs significantly more to maintain relative to its building cost compared to a stone base. Plan your base design carefully to balance protection with sustainability.
Decay Rates and Timers
When your TC runs out of resources or is destroyed, your base enters a decay state. Each tier decays at a different rate:
- Twig: 1 hour until fully decayed
- Wood: 3 hours until fully decayed
- Stone: 5 hours until fully decayed
- Sheet Metal: 8 hours until fully decayed
- Armored: 12 hours until fully decayed
Decay removes HP from building pieces gradually over these time periods. Once a piece reaches 0 HP, it is destroyed. Building pieces connected to the ground (foundations) decay first, which can cause upper floors to collapse.
Tips for Reducing Upkeep
- Use stone for most of your base -- it offers strong protection at a low upkeep cost relative to metal and armored
- Reserve metal and armored pieces for critical areas like TC rooms and loot rooms
- Avoid unnecessarily large bases; compact designs save resources
- Use honeycomb strategically rather than covering every surface
- Keep your TC stocked with at least 2-3 days worth of materials before going offline
- Consider using external TCs for compound walls to separate upkeep costs