The Workbench is the primary crafting station in Valheim. They are used for crafting and repairing items and also preventing rain damage.
You can repair anything that was crafted at a workbench by going to the workbench (this is the same for the forge). Repairing items in Valheim costs no resources and you should do it anytime you return to your base.
Workbenches will prevent monsters from spawning within their radius (shown as a dashed white circle).
Some players have reported monsters still spawning within the workbench radius, but we have been unable to verify these claims.
You will need to put a roof and some walls around your workbench (70% enclosed) before you can access the workbench menu and repair your tools. However, you can build near a workbench even without a roof.
| Icon |  |
| Crafting Recipe | 10 Wood |
| Crafted With | Hammer |
| Station Upgrades | Adze, Chopping Block, Tanning Rack, Tool Shelf |
Workbenches are useful throughout the game and you should have them distributed all around your base. A benefit of doing this is that workbenches prevent your wooden structures from going below 50% health from rain damage and weathering.
Upgrading the Workbench
Your primary workbench will need continuous upgrades. The workbenches you place to prevent enemies from spawning or allow building will never need to be upgraded. Upgrading a workbench allows you to craft and repair high-level items and most importantly upgrade your equipment to higher levels.
The workbench has a maximum level of 5.
Adze
The adze is a station upgrade that you unlock after building a forge. You must place the adze within 2 meters of the workbench you want to upgrade.
The adze cannot be placed without a forge nearby. You place the structure with your hammer, when in the vicinity of a forge. Afterward, the forge is not needed and can be moved.
Chopping Block
The chopping block is a station upgrade that you can craft almost immediately. Like all other station upgrades, the chopping block must be placed within 2 meters of the workbench you want to upgrade.
Tanning Rack
The tanning rack is a station upgrade that players usually craft after the chopping block. The tanning rack is more expensive and requires a large amount of flint and leather scraps.
| Icon |  |
| Crafting Recipe | 5 Deer Hide, 15 Flint, 20 Leather Scraps, 10 Wood |
| Crafting Station | Hammer |
Tool Shelf
The tool shelf is the final station upgrade for the workbench. You will need a forge to craft it and access to iron and obsidian. Since iron comes from the swamp and obsidian comes from the mountains, the tool shelf cannot be crafted until players have defeated Bonemass.
Tool shelves require a forge to place. You place this structure with a hammer while in the vicinity of a nearby forge. After placing the tool shelf, the forge is no longer needed.
