Hey, fellow survivors! If you're knee-deep in the zombie apocalypse of 7 Days to Die and finding yourself constantly in need of paper, you've come to the right place. Paper is one of those essential crafting components that you'll burn through faster than toilet paper during a zombie outbreak. From writing books to crafting schematics and even making those crucial bullet casings, paper is a surprisingly vital resource. But where do you get it, and more importantly, how do you get enough of it? Let's dive into the best strategies for paper production in 7 Days to Die so you can keep your crafting bench humming and your arsenal stocked. We'll cover everything from early-game scavenging to mid-to-late game automation, ensuring you never have to go without this fundamental resource again. So grab your tools, watch out for those shamblers, and let's get crafting!

Scavenging for Paper: The Early Game Hustle

When you first drop into the harsh world of 7 Days to Die, your primary method for acquiring paper will undoubtedly be through scavenging. Think of it as your initial resource-gathering hustle. The good news is that paper tends to spawn in a lot of common locations. Really common locations, guys. Your best bets are desks, cabinets, filing cabinets, bookshelves, and office chairs. These furniture items are littered throughout POIs (Points of Interest) like houses, offices, and schools. When you're looting, make sure to keep an eye out for these containers. Don't just grab the obvious loot; break down furniture whenever possible. Many items that contain paper, like desks and bookshelves, will drop the furniture item itself when broken, which you can then harvest for resources. For desks and bookshelves, you’ll often get wood, but there's a good chance of finding paper within them. Another fantastic source, especially early on, is the office chair. These bad boys often contain a good chunk of paper when broken down. Seriously, if you see an office chair, give it a good whack with your axe or club; it’s a surprisingly efficient way to bulk up your paper supply. Remember to loot everything that looks like it might contain paper. Even trash piles can sometimes yield a few precious sheets. As you explore more diverse POIs, you'll discover that certain buildings are paper goldmines. Libraries are obvious contenders, but don't underestimate office buildings or even hospitals, which often have administrative areas filled with desks and filing cabinets. The key here is thoroughness. Loot every container, break down every piece of furniture you can manage, and always be on the lookout for those tell-tale stacks of paper or paper-generating items. It might seem tedious, but this early-game scavenging is crucial for getting the paper you need to craft essential early-game items like basic tools, bandages, and your first few skill books.

Books and Notebooks: Direct Paper Sources

Beyond generic containers, 7 Days to Die also throws direct sources of paper your way in the form of books and notebooks. These items are often found lying around on tables, desks, or shelves, and sometimes within loot bags. While many of these books will provide valuable lore or even grant experience points when read, they can also be directly deconstructed into paper. So, if you’re ever desperate and need just a few sheets, don’t hesitate to break down those dusty tomes. Think of them as compressed paper packets! This is especially useful when you’re in a pinch and need a small amount of paper for an immediate craft, like making more bandages or repairing a critical tool. Looting these items adds another layer to the scavenging strategy, turning potentially ignored items into valuable resources. Always check the description of items you pick up; if it indicates it can be deconstructed, and you're short on paper, it might be worth sacrificing that book for its constituent parts. While reading books for XP is generally a good idea, sometimes the immediate need for crafting materials outweighs the long-term benefit, especially in the early stages of the game. Don't feel bad about turning that ancient history book into ammo components; survival comes first, right? This direct deconstruction method ensures that even items that seem purely informational can become practical resources for your survival.

Paper for Bullet Casings: The Ammo Advantage

One of the most critical uses for paper in 7 Days to Die is the crafting of bullet casings. That’s right, guys, the very foundation of your ammunition relies on this seemingly flimsy material. When you’re crafting bullets, specifically things like 9mm, 7.62mm, and .45 caliber rounds, paper is a primary component. This means that without a steady supply of paper, your ability to defend yourself against the ever-growing zombie hordes is severely hampered. Scavenging for paper isn't just about having enough for basic crafting; it's about ensuring you can produce the ammo needed to stay alive. As the game progresses and you face more aggressive zombie types and even zombie dogs, having a reliable source of ammunition becomes paramount. This underscores the importance of prioritizing paper collection from the very beginning. Don't underestimate those stacks of paper in a dusty filing cabinet; they could be the difference between you making it through Blood Moon night or becoming zombie chow. When you're running low on bullets, and you know a horde is coming, check your paper supply first. You might need to do a quick scavenging run just for paper if you want to craft enough ammo to survive. This direct link between paper and ammunition production makes paper one of the most strategically important resources in the game, arguably more so than some raw materials early on.

Crafting Paper: Your Mid-Game Solution

As you progress in 7 Days to Die, scavenging alone won't cut it for your paper needs. Thankfully, the game introduces a way to craft paper directly, which is a game-changer. The key here is the Paper Machine. This is a workstation that you can craft and place in your base. Once built, you can feed it raw resources to churn out paper. The primary resource you'll use to craft paper in the Paper Machine is wood pulp. Now, where do you get wood pulp? You’ll need to process raw wood logs. Take your logs to a workbench, and you can refine them into wood planks and, crucially, wood pulp. Each log typically yields a certain amount of wood pulp, and then a set number of wood pulp can be converted into paper using the Paper Machine. This crafting method allows for a much more consistent and scalable way to produce paper, especially once you have a steady income of raw wood. The beauty of the Paper Machine is that it allows you to leverage resources you often have in abundance – wood. As you chop down trees for building materials or clearing areas around your base, you'll naturally accumulate a lot of logs. Instead of just using those logs for construction, you can repurpose them into vital crafting components like paper. This transition from scavenging to crafting represents a significant step in your survival strategy, moving from reactive resource gathering to proactive production. Setting up a dedicated crafting area for paper production will save you countless hours of potentially fruitless scavenging runs later in the game.

The Paper Machine: How to Build and Use It

To get your hands on the Paper Machine, you’ll first need to find or craft the schematic for it. Schematics can sometimes be found while looting, particularly in office POIs or through high-level loot containers. Once you have the schematic, you can craft the Paper Machine itself at a workbench. The crafting recipe typically requires a good amount of mechanical parts, iron, and forged iron. These are resources you'll gather as you progress and upgrade your tools and vehicles. After crafting and placing the Paper Machine in your base, you’ll need to feed it wood pulp. As mentioned, you get wood pulp by processing raw wood logs at a workbench. Once you have a decent stack of wood pulp, right-click on the Paper Machine and transfer the wood pulp into its inventory. Then, click the