How to Break Walls and Remove Structures in Dwarf Fortress

Dwarf Fortress sees you leading your stout dwarves as you strike the earth and build the civilization of your dwarfy dreams. It is, however, quite a complex game, with some features that are not obvious. Trying to remove buildings and destroy constructions such as walls, ramps, and stairs are an example of this. If you have made a mistake, or want to switch things up, then here is how to remove buildings and break walls in Dwarf Fortress.

How to remove buildings in Dwarf Fortress

Removing buildings in the game is thankfully quite simple, although the solution would be easy to miss considering some of the buttons are rather quite small.

If you want to break down a structure or building, then all you must do is click on building to bring up its menu. In the very top left of each structure’s menu is a small button that has the symbol of a house with a red circle and cross through it. This button will signal to the dwarves to take the building down.

When you click it, an available dwarf will deconstruct the building in the same time it took to build. Note, however, that you will not get the resources back. So if you are unsure of a building, or it is only temporary, build it out of abundant or cheap resources.

How to break walls and constructions in Dwarf Fortress

Here is the trickier part. Many players struggle with this only when it is too late, when they already have made a blunder or want to redesign. Taking down walls and constructions is simple but the game does have an extra caveat to keep in mind.

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Open up the mining menu (press ‘m’) and then select the button at the end, the one with stairs on with a red circle behind it (or press ‘x’). This tool allows you to signal the destruction of walls and ramps and other constructions.

Select the wall or walls that you want to tear down with the tool. However, it will look like nothing has happened. That is because you must unpause the game for the symbol to come up and the order to be established. A vacant dwarf will attend to the business right away.

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