How to Board Up or Barricade Windows in Project Zomboid

You’re running for safety, it’s getting dark. The undead roam the streets and you want relief, maybe a safe place to sleep for the night in Project Zomboid. You’ve carefully raided as many abandoned homes and derelict shops as you can, and in the rural danger zone, you find a solitary house. Finally, a chance to rest, tend to your wounds and choke down as fresh a meal as canned goods can provide. But astonishingly, you can’t seem to find an option to board up or barricade windows and doors to hold off the hordes in Project Zomboid, or at least, not yet. We’re here to help you out, so you can last the night.

How Do You Board Up or Barricade Windows in Project Zomboid?

You’ll need either of the following to board up or barricade windows in Project Zomboid:

Any combination of these 3 options would work to block off intruders, or at least buy you time. To do so, you’ll need to raid various stockrooms and shelves you come across, with construction sites and auto shops, or similar locations, being ideal spots to check.

Once you have the required supplies, right-click over the area you want to bolster, and the Barricade function will be available.

Can You Barricade Doors Too?

Yes, you can barricade doors just like you would for windows in Project Zomboid. Doing so requires the same mechanic used as you would for a window.

Related: Project Zomboid Build 41 Multiplayer Guide: How to Play With Friends

Whether playing solo or with friends in the game, you’ll want to know the best way to stay safe, especially as the daylight begins to fade.

Are Metal Barricades Better than Wood in PZ?

In terms of pure per-item efficiency, metal barricades are better defensively than their wooden counterparts, but it’s conversely more difficult to gather materials. Whereas you can more often hack down trees and saw the logs down for Planks, finding Sheet Metal or Metal Bars can be trickier, let alone the specialized metalworking tools. But one piece of Sheet Metal as a barricade is about 5x more sturdy than one Plank.

However, if you choose to remove barricades to bring elsewhere, you’ll find that taking Planks off with a Hammer or Crowbar results in losing the used Nails. Taking metal barricades off keeps the supplies, but you’ll still need the Propane Torch to bring with you, which collectively can make it heavy to transport.