The chainlink fence is the one wall in Rust you can see and shoot straight through. That makes it useless as armor and brilliant as a tool: it lets turrets fire out of a protected cage, gives you a peek spot on the roof, and turns a dead wall frame into a window that still keeps players out.
This chainlink fence Rust guide covers what the fence and the fence gate cost, how to get the blueprint, how to place them, their health, the cheapest way to raid each one, how they compare with prison cell walls and window bars, and the best ways to use them in a base.
Chainlink Fence Cost
Both pieces use the same recipe, and it is one of the cheapest metal items in the game.
| Chainlink Fence | Chainlink Fence Gate | |
|---|---|---|
| Craft cost | 75 metal fragments | 75 metal fragments |
| Workbench | Workbench 1 | Workbench 1 |
| Craft time | 30 seconds (faster at a higher workbench) | 30 seconds |
| Health | 100 HP | 75 HP |
| Stack size | 10 | 1 |
| Recycles into | 45 metal fragments (30 at a safe zone recycler) | 45 metal fragments (30 at a safe zone) |
| Item ID | -1117626326 (wall.frame.fence) | 1451568081 (wall.frame.fence.gate) |
Because the fence stacks to 10 and the gate only to 1, a full fence line is easy to carry, but you will need a free slot for every gate.
How to Get the Chainlink Fence Blueprint
Neither piece is a default blueprint. You have two ways to learn them:
- Research table: put a fence or a gate in a research table with 15 scrap. The item is consumed.
- Workbench 1 tech tree: unlock it for 15 scrap, plus whatever you still need to unlock on the path before it.
The fence and the gate are separate blueprints, so learning one does not give you the other. See every other cost in our Rust blueprints guide.
How to Place a Chainlink Fence
The chainlink fence is a wall frame insert, like the garage door or a double door. It will not go into a doorway, a window or open ground.
- Build a wall frame. Pick “Wall Frame” from the Building Plan’s wall options and place it where the fence should go.
- Upgrade the frame. The frame is what holds the fence up, so upgrade it to stone or better. See the Rust building guide for the tiers.
- Place the fence or gate. Equip it and aim at the frame. Triangle frames on roofs take it too, which is how roof peeks are built.
- Lock the gate. The gate takes a key lock or a code lock, just like a door. An unlocked gate lets anyone walk in.
Like every deployable in a wall frame, the fence decays with your base if the tool cupboard runs dry, and it adds a little metal fragment upkeep. Repair it with a hammer, the same as any other base piece.
Can You Shoot Through a Chainlink Fence?
Yes. This is the whole point of the fence. Players and turrets can shoot through a chainlink fence or gate and kill whoever is on the other side.
- Players shoot through one layer. At long range the bullets are pushed slightly off line depending on your angle, but the offset is repeatable, so you can learn to spray through it.
- Players cannot shoot through two layers. Stack two fences and bullets stop.
- Turrets can shoot through two layers. That is why players cage an auto turret behind a double row of chainlink: it keeps shooting while raiders cannot shoot it out.
Chainlink Fence vs Fence Gate
The gate is the door version of the fence. It costs the same, but it has less health and it opens.
| Fence | Gate | |
|---|---|---|
| Health | 100 HP | 75 HP |
| Opens | No | Yes |
| Takes a lock | No | Key lock or code lock |
| Explosive ammo to break | 20 | 15 |
| Satchels to break | 2 | 1 |
| Best use | Turret cages, compound walls, peek sides | Peek doors, compound and pen entrances |
The popular roof peek uses both: a triangle frame with fences on the two far sides and a gate on the near side. Close the gate to heal and reload, open it to shoot.
Chainlink Fence Raid Cost
With 100 HP, the chainlink fence is one of the cheapest base pieces to break. Raiders usually just shoot it out with explosive ammo.
| Raid tool | Fence (100 HP) | Gate (75 HP) |
|---|---|---|
| Explosive 5.56 ammo | 20 (500 sulfur) | 15 (375 sulfur) |
| Satchel Charge | 2 (960 sulfur) | 1 (480 sulfur) |
| Beancan Grenade | 6 (720 sulfur) | 5 (600 sulfur) |
| High Velocity Rocket | 4 (800 sulfur) | 3 (600 sulfur) |
| F1 Grenade | 20 (1,200 sulfur) | 15 (900 sulfur) |
| Rocket | 1 (1,400 sulfur) | 1 (1,400 sulfur) |
| Timed Explosive Charge (C4) | 1 (2,200 sulfur) | 1 (2,200 sulfur) |
| 40mm HE Grenade | 3 | 3 |
| MLRS Rocket | 1 | 1 |
| Salvaged Hammer (tools used) | 9 | 7 |
| Mace (tools used) | 21 | 16 |
| Hatchet (tools used) | 30 | 23 |
Fire does nothing to it, but melee works if you have the time. Compare it with every other wall and door in our raid calculator, or see all explosives in the Rust explosives guide.
Chainlink Fence vs Other See-Through Pieces
Rust has a few other pieces you can see or shoot through. The chainlink fence is the cheapest and the weakest of them.
| Piece | Fits | Health | Cost | Satchels |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chainlink Fence | Wall frame | 100 HP | 75 frags, WB1 | 2 |
| Chainlink Fence Gate | Wall frame | 75 HP | 75 frags, WB1 | 1 |
| Prison Cell Wall / Gate | Wall frame | 300 HP | 150 frags, WB2 | 5 |
| Floor Grill | Floor frame | 250 HP | 75 frags, WB1 | 4 |
| Metal Window Bars | Window | 500 HP | 25 frags, WB1 | 12 |
| Netting | Wall frame | 100 HP | 1 rope | 1 |
If you want a see-through wall that actually slows raiders down, use prison cell walls. Choose chainlink when you need a lot of it cheaply, or when you want a peek you can shoot through.
Chainlink Fence Tips
- Double it around turrets. Two layers stop player bullets but not turret bullets, so a turret behind two fences outshoots anyone trying to take it out.
- Build a roof peek. Fences on the two far sides of a triangle frame and a gate on the near side give you a peek you can close.
- Lock every gate. A gate without a lock is just a hole in your wall.
- Keep it away from loot. Twenty explosive rounds go through a fence, so it should never be the last thing between a raider and your boxes.
- Use cell walls when it has to hold. A prison cell wall has three times the health for twice the frags.
- Upgrade the frame. The fence sits in the frame, so an easy frame is an easy way in.
For other cheap defensive pieces, see our barricades guide.
Chainlink Fence Rust FAQ
How much does a chainlink fence cost in Rust?
75 metal fragments at a Workbench 1. The Chainlink Fence Gate costs the same.
How much HP does a chainlink fence have?
The Chainlink Fence has 100 HP and the Chainlink Fence Gate has 75 HP.
How do you raid a chainlink fence in Rust?
The cheapest way is 20 explosive 5.56 rounds (500 sulfur), or 15 for the gate. You can also use 2 satchel charges (1 for the gate), 6 beancans, 1 rocket or 1 C4.
Can you shoot through a chainlink fence in Rust?
Yes. Players and turrets can shoot through one layer of chainlink fence or gate. Players cannot shoot through two layers, but auto turrets can, which is why turrets are often caged behind a double fence.
Where do you place a chainlink fence?
In a wall frame. Build a wall frame with the Building Plan, upgrade it, then place the fence or gate inside it. Triangle frames on roofs work too.
How do you get the chainlink fence blueprint?
Research a fence or gate at a research table for 15 scrap, or unlock it on the Workbench 1 tech tree for a 15 scrap node. The fence and the gate are separate blueprints.
Can you put a lock on a chainlink fence gate?
Yes. The gate takes a key lock or a code lock, just like a door. The plain fence does not open, so it takes no lock.
Is a chainlink fence or a prison cell wall better?
A prison cell wall is tougher, with 300 HP and 5 satchels to break, but it costs 150 metal fragments at a Workbench 2. The chainlink fence is cheaper at 75 fragments and a Workbench 1, but it only has 100 HP.
Sources and Further Reading
- Health, recipe, research and raid costs: rustlabs item data
- RustHelp, Chainlink Fence and Chainlink Fence Gate
- Shooting through fences and the roof peek: Rustclash Wiki, Chainlink Fence
- Facepunch Rust Wiki, wall.frame.fence
- Every item ID: Rust item IDs list