Openai/697008aa-c498-800b-af5f-58bcd3d66694
This conversation was exported from ChatGPT[1]
gpt-5-2[edit | edit source]
User: Why is my sawmill not producing anything[edit | edit source]
Why is my sawmill not producing anything
Assistant: If your sawmill isn’t producing anything in Cities: Skylines Remastered, it’s almost always because one link in the for…[edit | edit source]
If your sawmill isn’t producing anything in Cities: Skylines Remastered, it’s almost always because one link in the forestry supply chain is broken. Here’s a clear, step-by-step checklist to find the problem fast.
!https://skylines\.paradoxwikis\.com/images/thumb/f/f1/Supply\_chain\.png/700px\-Supply\_chain\.png[2] !https://static\.guidestrats\.com/images/12/2706/06\-sawmill\-in\-forestry\-industry\-tab\-cities\-skylines\-screenshot\.jpg[3] !https://static\.guidestrats\.com/images/12/2706/07\-small\-log\-yard\-in\-forestry\-industry\-tab\-cities\-skylines\-screenshot\.jpg[4] 4
- The sawmill cannot create goods on its own.[edit | edit source]
- You must have: - Tree Plantation or - Small Tree Plantation
- These must be inside a Forestry Industry Area (Industries DLC).
Fix: Add at least one plantation, wait for it to level up, and ensure it’s actually harvesting.
- If the sawmill is placed outside the painted forestry district, it will show 0 production.[edit | edit source]
Fix: Repaint the Forestry Industry Area so the sawmill is fully inside it.
- Sawmills need logs delivered by trucks.[edit | edit source]
- If there’s no: - Log Yard, or - Clear road access …then production stops.
Fix (recommended setup):
- 1–2 Log Yards set to Balanced
- Direct road connection between: - Plantation → Log Yard → Sawmill
Even if traffic is “green,” this can still break production:[edit | edit source]
- One-way roads facing the wrong direction
- Too many intersections
- Long truck routes
Fix:
- Use short, direct industrial roads
- Avoid bus lanes or policies that restrict trucks
- Keep forestry roads separate from city traffic
- Sawmills need educated workers[edit | edit source]
- Even with the Hadron Collider, they still need access to workers
Fix:
- Zone residential closer
- Add bus/metro stops nearby
- Check the building info panel for worker shortage icons
Commonly missed:[edit | edit source]
- Building accidentally paused
- Budget slider too low
- Importing logs instead of producing locally (inefficient)
Fix:
- Turn the building on
- Set Forestry budget to 100%
- Ensure plantations are active
====
2 Tree Plantations ====
↓
1 Log Yard (Balanced)
↓
2–3 Sawmills
↓
Warehouse (Planed Timber)- Forestry level[edit | edit source]
- Whether the sawmill says “Not enough raw materials”
- Your traffic %
- If you’re aiming for 1M+ population
I can tune your forestry layout perfectly for your city 🌲🏙️
User: I have 3 small tree plantation , large tree sapling field and 2 large tree sapling greenhouse 1 large log yard and 2 sm…[edit | edit source]
I have 3 small tree plantation , large tree sapling field and 2 large tree sapling greenhouse 1 large log yard and 2 small log yards
Assistant: Got it — with that setup, your problem is almost certainly NOT lack of trees 🌲[edit | edit source]
Got it — with that setup, your problem is almost certainly NOT lack of trees 🌲 You’re actually over-producing raw logs, so the sawmill stopping means a logistics or setting issue, not resource shortage.
!https://www\.number13\.de/content/images/2023/04/cities\-skylines\-not\-enough\-buyers\-for\-the\-products\.jpg[5] !https://static\.guidestrats\.com/images/12/2706/07\-small\-log\-yard\-in\-forestry\-industry\-tab\-cities\-skylines\-screenshot\.jpg[6] !https://i\.pinimg\.com/564x/e5/96/7a/e5967af28a86735dfbbe100e1f7301c4\.jpg[7] 4
###[edit | edit source]
You have:
- 3 small tree plantations
- 1 large tree sapling field
- 2 large tree sapling greenhouses
That’s way more logs than:
- 1 large sawmill can consume
So if the sawmill is idle, it’s almost always one of these 👇
If any log yard is set to “Fill”, it will:[edit | edit source]
- Hoard logs
- Refuse to send them to sawmills
- 1 Large Log Yard → BALANCED[edit | edit source]
- 1 Small Log Yard → BALANCED
- 1 Small Log Yard → EMPTY
If your log yards are:[edit | edit source]
- Exporting logs
- Or importing despite local supply
…your sawmill gets starved.
- Click each log yard[edit | edit source]
- Watch the trucks: - If most are exporting, set one yard to EMPTY - If importing, road access is broken
Even with green traffic:[edit | edit source]
- One-way roads
- Too many intersections
- Shared city roads
…can prevent log delivery.
Create a dedicated forestry loop:[edit | edit source]
Plantations → Log Yards → Sawmill
(NO city traffic, NO intersections)Use:
- Two-lane industry roads
- No bus lanes
- No heavy traffic ban policies
Even with Hadron Collider, sawmills still need workers to reach the building.[edit | edit source]
- Bus stop OR metro within walking range[edit | edit source]
- No pedestrian-only roads blocking access
This tells us everything:[edit | edit source]
| | | | --- | --- | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Right now you should be running:[edit | edit source]
- 2–3 sawmills minimum
- Or remove 1–2 tree producers
Best balance:
4–5 tree producers
↓
2 log yards (Balanced + Empty)
↓
2–3 sawmillsTell me:[edit | edit source]
1️⃣ What message the sawmill shows 2️⃣ Log yard storage % 3️⃣ Are logs exporting?
I’ll pinpoint the exact fix in one reply 👍
User: Sawmills show not enough raw material[edit | edit source]
Sawmills show not enough raw material
Assistant: Perfect — “Not enough raw materials” with your setup means logs exist but are not reaching the sawmills.[edit | edit source]
Perfect — “Not enough raw materials” with your setup means logs exist but are not reaching the sawmills. This is a logistics bottleneck, not a production one.
!https://www\.number13\.de/content/images/2023/04/cities\-skylines\-not\-enough\-buyers\-for\-the\-products\.jpg[8] !https://images\.steamusercontent\.com/ugc/784129913448128484/EEC155EEDE0A358C45EF09BD102C618544738684/?ima=fit&imcolor=%23000000&impolicy=Letterbox&imw=512&letterbox=false[9] !https://i\.imgur\.com/0XN4kyc\.jpeg[10] 4
In Cities: Skylines Remastered, log yards control all log flow.[edit | edit source]
Right now your log yards are blocking delivery, even though you have plenty of trees.
###[edit | edit source]
Go to each log yard and set them exactly like this:
- Large Log Yard → BALANCED
- Small Log Yard #1 → EMPTY
- Small Log Yard #2 → BALANCED
❌ If any yard is set to FILL, sawmills will starve.
⏱ Wait 1–2 in-game weeks after changing modes.
Even slightly outside = no deliveries.[edit | edit source]
✔ Repaint the Forestry Industry Area if needed.
If trucks have to choose between exporting and supplying, they often export first.[edit | edit source]
Do this:
- Direct road from log yards → sawmills
- No intersections
- No one-way mistakes
- No Heavy Traffic Ban on that road
💡 Best: a tiny internal loop road just for forestry.
Click a log yard and look at trucks:[edit | edit source]
- 🚚 If trucks are exporting → you need EMPTY mode
- 🚚 If trucks are idle → road/path issue
- 🚚 If importing → sawmills are unreachable
Your production is way higher than consumption.[edit | edit source]
With:
- 6 tree producers
- 3 log yards
You need at least 2–3 sawmills.
❌ One sawmill will always show “not enough raw material” because deliveries are split/exported.
====
Tree Producers (6) ====
↓
Log Yard (EMPTY) ← pushes logs
Log Yard (BALANCED)
↓
Sawmill x2–3
↓
Planed Timber WarehouseTell me one thing only:[edit | edit source]
- Are log yard trucks exporting or idle?
I’ll give you the exact final fix in one step.
User: I moved sawmills to same street as small log yards same issue[edit | edit source]
I moved sawmills to same street as small log yards same issue
Assistant: Good — that tells us something important 👍[edit | edit source]
Good — that tells us something important 👍 Since the sawmills are on the SAME street as the small log yards and still say “Not enough raw materials”, we can now narrow this down to one of three very specific game-engine issues that happen a lot in Cities: Skylines Remastered.
!https://i\.imgur\.com/zEb7fIB\.jpg[11] !https://forumcontent\.paradoxplaza\.com/public/231909/Raw\_Mats\_02\.png[12] !https://static\.guidestrats\.com/images/12/2706/08\-forestry\-industry\-area\-information\-panel\-cities\-skylines\-screenshot\.jpg[13] 4
###[edit | edit source]
This happens when ALL logs are being routed through storage incorrectly.
Even if they’re close, tree plantations will not bypass a log yard if:
- The log yard is full or
- The game thinks exporting is “better”
Do this exactly:[edit | edit source]
- Pause the game
- Turn OFF: - All sawmills - All log yards
- Unpause for 5 seconds
- Pause again
- Turn ON: - ONE small log yard → set to EMPTY
- Unpause for 10–15 seconds
- Turn on ONE sawmill
- Unpause and watch trucks
➡️ If trucks move now, the supply chain was deadlocked.
This is subtle but common.[edit | edit source]
If tree producers, log yards, and sawmills are not ALL inside the SAME painted Forestry Area, deliveries will fail even on the same road.
- Delete the forestry industry area[edit | edit source]
- Repaint ONE single forestry area
- Make sure every forestry building touches green highlight
Distance does not override export priority.[edit | edit source]
If your log yards:
- Are closer to a highway/cargo terminal than the sawmill
- Or have idle sawmills when exporting is possible
…the game will export first.
- Temporarily disconnect the road from: - Highway - Cargo terminal[edit | edit source]
- Leave ONLY: ``
Tree → Log Yard → Sawmill`` - Wait one in-game week
If sawmills start producing → exporting was stealing the logs.
Click a tree plantation and look at its status:[edit | edit source]
- If it says “Full” → log yards are blocking output
- If it says “No buyers” → sawmills are unreachable by logic, not distance
This is not a capacity issue[edit | edit source]
This is not a distance issue This is a logistics state lock or area logic bug
1️⃣ Do tree plantations say “Full” or “No buyers”?[edit | edit source]
2️⃣ Are log yard trucks exporting or idle?
Once I have that, I’ll give you the exact final action (delete, reset, or reroute).
User: For my forestry area any building that produces anything shows not enough raw material[edit | edit source]
For my forestry area any building that produces anything shows not enough raw material
Assistant: That symptom changes everything — if EVERY building in the forestry area that produces something says “Not enough raw m…[edit | edit source]
That symptom changes everything — if EVERY building in the forestry area that produces something says “Not enough raw materials”, then this is not a sawmill problem and not a log-yard ratio problem.
This is a Forestry Area logic failure (very common in Cities: Skylines Remastered, especially on console).
!https://forumcontent\.paradoxplaza\.com/public/231909/Raw\_Mats\_02\.png[14] !https://forumcontent\.paradoxplaza\.com/public/1412375/1764020302078\.png[15] !https://images\.steamusercontent\.com/ugc/1693877621860412456/7F51EF93DE0C060C4A006D77AF1B923044A1B80E/[16] 4
If extractors, processors, and unique factories all show:[edit | edit source]
Then the game is not recognizing ANY raw resource flow in that industry area.
That only happens in 3 situations:
This happens when:[edit | edit source]
- The area was repainted multiple times
- Buildings were placed, removed, and moved a lot
- You loaded a save after big changes
When this happens, no building can “see” resources, even if they’re right next to each other.
Hard reset the forestry area[edit | edit source]
Do this exactly:
- Pause the game
- Delete ALL forestry buildings (yes, all of them — plantations, yards, sawmills)
- Delete the Forestry Industry Area paint
- Unpause for 10–15 seconds
- Pause again
- Repaint ONE clean forestry area
- Place in this order: ``
Tree Plantation (1) ↓ wait 10 seconds Log Yard (1, set to BALANCED) ↓ wait 10 seconds Sawmill (1)`` - Unpause and wait 1 in-game week
If it works → the area was corrupted.
This sounds obvious, but it causes exactly your symptom.[edit | edit source]
If forestry buildings are placed on:
- Grass
- Decorative trees
- Or an area where forest was depleted
👉 They will place but never generate logs.
- Turn on Natural Resources view[edit | edit source]
- Forestry buildings MUST sit on dark green forest
If it’s light/no green → nothing will ever produce.
If the forestry area overlaps a district with:[edit | edit source]
- Industry 4.0
- No Heavy Traffic
- Old Town
- Heavy import/export focus
…it can silently block logistics.
- Remove ALL district policies temporarily[edit | edit source]
- Especially Industry 4.0 (this one breaks Industries DLC chains)
Road proximity does not matter if:[edit | edit source]
- The industry area logic is broken
- Or the resource layer is missing
That’s why everything says “Not enough raw materials” at once.
Do this anywhere else on the map:[edit | edit source]
- Paint a brand-new forestry area
- Place ONE tree plantation
- Wait 1 in-game week
If it produces logs → your original forestry area is broken If it doesn’t → the map has no usable forest where you built
When you open Natural Resources view, is your forestry area dark green or light/empty?[edit | edit source]
That answer tells me exactly which fix is final.
User: Erased and redrew industry appears to have fixed issues but now get not enough resources on generic industries[edit | edit source]
Erased and redrew industry appears to have fixed issues but now get not enough resources on generic industries
Assistant: Great — that result actually makes sense 👍[edit | edit source]
Great — that result actually makes sense 👍 You fixed the Industries DLC logic, but now your generic industry is starved, which means imports aren’t reaching them yet.
This is a normal transition issue after resetting an industry area in Cities: Skylines Remastered.
!https://forumcontent\.paradoxplaza\.com/public/231908/Raw\_Mats\_01\.png[17] !https://skylines\.paradoxwikis\.com/images/thumb/f/f1/Supply\_chain\.png/700px\-Supply\_chain\.png[18] !https://www\.lovecitiesskylines\.com/images/supply\-chain\-flowchart\.webp[19] 4
🔴 Why this happened (important)[edit | edit source]
When you erased and rebuilt the forestry area:
- Truck routes were reset
- Warehouses/log yards changed priorities
- Generic industry temporarily lost import routes
Generic industry does NOT use Industries DLC supply chains directly. It relies on:
- Imports OR
- Warehouses (not log yards)
So even though forestry works now, generic industry can still starve.
✅ FIXES (do these in order)[edit | edit source]
1️⃣ Generic industry needs WAREHOUSES (not log yards)[edit | edit source]
Log yards only serve Industries DLC buildings.
Generic industry needs:
- Warehouse → Zoned for Raw Forest Products (or Generic Goods)
✅ Do this[edit | edit source]
- Place 1–2 Small Warehouses
- Set to BALANCED
- Place them between cargo terminal/highway and generic industry
⏱ Wait 1–2 in-game weeks.
2️⃣ Temporarily boost imports[edit | edit source]
After a reset, imports lag behind demand.
✅ Quick stabilizer[edit | edit source]
- Add one temporary cargo train terminal OR
- Direct highway ramp near generic industry
You can remove it later once supply stabilizes.
3️⃣ Check district policies (VERY important)[edit | edit source]
If your generic industry district has:
- Industry 4.0 → ❌ breaks raw-material demand logic
- No Heavy Traffic → ❌ blocks imports
- Old Town → ❌ blocks trucks
✅ Fix[edit | edit source]
Turn ALL district policies OFF for industry districts.
4️⃣ Don’t overzone generic industry[edit | edit source]
After a reset, demand spikes but supply lags.
✅ Rule[edit | edit source]
- Let existing generic industry fill storage first
- Do NOT zone more for 2–3 in-game weeks
5️⃣ This will self-fix (if you wait)[edit | edit source]
This specific problem often resolves on its own once:
- Warehouses fill
- Import routes stabilize
- Traffic recalculates
⏱ Usually 2–4 in-game weeks.
🧠 How to know it’s fixed[edit | edit source]
Click a generic factory:
- If storage % starts rising → ✔ working
- If trucks say “Importing” → ✔ correct
- If exporting while starved → ❌ warehouse missing
✅ Ideal long-term setup[edit | edit source]
Forestry DLC Area
↓
(Separate)
Warehouse (Raw Forest Products / Goods)
↓
Generic Industry
↓
Commercial🎯 One last check[edit | edit source]
Tell me: 1️⃣ Do you have any warehouses near generic industry? 2️⃣ Are generic industry trucks importing or idle?
That tells me whether you need one warehouse or a policy fix — nothing more.
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ "Sawmill production issue". ChatGPT. Retrieved 2026-01-21.
- ↑ "https://skylines\.paradoxwikis\.com/images/thumb/f/f1/Supply\_chain\.png/700px\-Supply\_chain\.png". skylines.paradoxwikis.com. Retrieved 2026-01-21.
{{cite web}}: External link in(help)|title= - ↑ "https://static\.guidestrats\.com/images/12/2706/06\-sawmill\-in\-forestry\-industry\-tab\-cities\-skylines\-screenshot\.jpg". static.guidestrats.com. Retrieved 2026-01-21.
{{cite web}}: External link in(help)|title= - ↑ "https://static\.guidestrats\.com/images/12/2706/07\-small\-log\-yard\-in\-forestry\-industry\-tab\-cities\-skylines\-screenshot\.jpg". static.guidestrats.com. Retrieved 2026-01-21.
{{cite web}}: External link in(help)|title= - ↑ "https://www\.number13\.de/content/images/2023/04/cities\-skylines\-not\-enough\-buyers\-for\-the\-products\.jpg". number13.de. Retrieved 2026-01-21.
{{cite web}}: External link in(help)|title= - ↑ "https://static\.guidestrats\.com/images/12/2706/07\-small\-log\-yard\-in\-forestry\-industry\-tab\-cities\-skylines\-screenshot\.jpg". static.guidestrats.com. Retrieved 2026-01-21.
{{cite web}}: External link in(help)|title= - ↑ "https://i\.pinimg\.com/564x/e5/96/7a/e5967af28a86735dfbbe100e1f7301c4\.jpg". i.pinimg.com. Retrieved 2026-01-21.
{{cite web}}: External link in(help)|title= - ↑ "https://www\.number13\.de/content/images/2023/04/cities\-skylines\-not\-enough\-buyers\-for\-the\-products\.jpg". number13.de. Retrieved 2026-01-21.
{{cite web}}: External link in(help)|title= - ↑ "https://images\.steamusercontent\.com/ugc/784129913448128484/EEC155EEDE0A358C45EF09BD102C618544738684/?ima=fit&imcolor=%23000000&impolicy=Letterbox&imw=512&letterbox=false". images.steamusercontent.com. Retrieved 2026-01-21.
{{cite web}}: External link in(help)|title= - ↑ "https://i\.imgur\.com/0XN4kyc\.jpeg". i.imgur.com. Retrieved 2026-01-21.
{{cite web}}: External link in(help)|title= - ↑ "https://i\.imgur\.com/zEb7fIB\.jpg". i.imgur.com. Retrieved 2026-01-21.
{{cite web}}: External link in(help)|title= - ↑ "https://forumcontent\.paradoxplaza\.com/public/231909/Raw\_Mats\_02\.png". images.openai.com. Retrieved 2026-01-21.
{{cite web}}: External link in(help)|title= - ↑ "https://static\.guidestrats\.com/images/12/2706/08\-forestry\-industry\-area\-information\-panel\-cities\-skylines\-screenshot\.jpg". static.guidestrats.com. Retrieved 2026-01-21.
{{cite web}}: External link in(help)|title= - ↑ "https://forumcontent\.paradoxplaza\.com/public/231909/Raw\_Mats\_02\.png". images.openai.com. Retrieved 2026-01-21.
{{cite web}}: External link in(help)|title= - ↑ "https://forumcontent\.paradoxplaza\.com/public/1412375/1764020302078\.png". images.openai.com. Retrieved 2026-01-21.
{{cite web}}: External link in(help)|title= - ↑ "https://images\.steamusercontent\.com/ugc/1693877621860412456/7F51EF93DE0C060C4A006D77AF1B923044A1B80E/". images.steamusercontent.com. Retrieved 2026-01-21.
{{cite web}}: External link in(help)|title= - ↑ "https://forumcontent\.paradoxplaza\.com/public/231908/Raw\_Mats\_01\.png". images.openai.com. Retrieved 2026-01-21.
{{cite web}}: External link in(help)|title= - ↑ "https://skylines\.paradoxwikis\.com/images/thumb/f/f1/Supply\_chain\.png/700px\-Supply\_chain\.png". skylines.paradoxwikis.com. Retrieved 2026-01-21.
{{cite web}}: External link in(help)|title= - ↑ "https://www\.lovecitiesskylines\.com/images/supply\-chain\-flowchart\.webp". lovecitiesskylines.com. Retrieved 2026-01-21.
{{cite web}}: External link in(help)|title=