Short answer: make Wet Sand, unlock the Shaker, send its Gold into Collector blocks, then unlock Logistics and Filters before you scale production.
Your first five minutes
Sandustry treats every material pixel as a physical object. Dig Sand, move it into Water and it becomes Wet Sand. Your first objective is not a giant mine: it is a small, observable batch that teaches you how materials fall, spread and react.
Keep the Water pool away from loose input Sand. Sand consumes Water when it becomes Wet Sand, so an uncontrolled pile can drain the reservoir before you have built a reliable route.
Make the first Gold
The Shaker research costs 20 Gold according to the current official research table. Process small Wet Sand batches, keep the Gold separate and make sure it physically enters Collector blocks. Gold sitting elsewhere in the world does not count toward your bank.
Unlock Logistics next
Logistics unlocks Conveyor Belts and Launchers. Conveyors move solids horizontally; Launchers move them vertically or diagonally and eject at their highest point. Build the shortest path that works, then observe the landing point before feeding a large pile.
- Give every line a visible input and output.
- Leave a buffer before each processor.
- Provide a separate exit for Residue.
- Do not let a storage bin become the wall that stops the whole line.
Sort before you scale
Filters have Allow and Block modes. Allow lets only the selected solid fall through; Block lets every solid except the selected one fall through. Basic Filters target one solid resource, so complex mixed streams may require several filters in sequence.
A reliable starter line separates Gold and Residue immediately after processing. Route Gold down into Collector storage and give Residue its own buffer for later burning and Kinetic Press processing.
Research priorities
Gold unlocks Research, Fluxite upgrades inventory items and Energy powers later structures. Early on, prioritize the Shaker, Logistics and Filter because together they create a production system that can run without constant manual rescue.
Useful construction shortcuts from the official guide include C to select a structure, Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V to copy and paste, and the default Ctrl replacement modifier.
Common beginner mistakes
- Scaling the input first: more Sand only creates a larger jam when output storage is missing.
- Mixing every material: separate by-products while the line is still small.
- Ignoring Water loss: Wet Sand production consumes Water; plan the next source early.
- Trusting old demo footage: use video layouts for ideas, but verify names, ratios and research costs against the current game.
What to build next
Once the Gold line stays clear, continue with the Water guide, then use the factory planning guide to add return loops and modular production areas.
Official sources
Official Beginner's Guide · Official Research reference · Official Steam page