Sort · Prevent jams · Verified 2026-09-09
Sandustry Filter Guide
A Filter is a Conveyor Belt plus a vertical decision. Reliable sorting depends on what reaches it, what can leave below and whether the material changes inside.
Quick answer
What to do
Configure the pixel that should pass—or the one that should be excluded—then keep the lower exit open. In mixed piles, filter the densest material first. Avoid Water or other reactions at the Filter because a pixel that changes state inside can become stuck.
Same mixture. Select Gold. Compare the exits.
These examples use a basic Filter with Gold selected and a mixture of Gold and Sand. Both need a clear path below and a continuation lane along the top.
Allow Gold
Block Gold
Original routing examples, not screenshots. These show direction only: a blocked outlet or a deep mixed pile can still prevent separation.
Quick check: Run Gold and Sand separately before mixing them. Compare the observed exit with the chosen mode above. If the route is correct with one material but fails with a mixture, check pile depth and density next.
What a Filter actually does
Pixels outside the pass rule travel along the top like they would on a normal Conveyor Belt. Matching pixels fall through and are deposited below. That means every Filter needs two viable routes: a continuation lane and a vertical outlet.
What is the difference between a Basic and Advanced Filter?
A basic Filter applies its Allow or Block rule to one solid resource. An Advanced Filter supports solids, liquids and gases.
Advanced selection count is not settled: The official Beginner's Guide describes a single-resource rule, while the Research table says multiple types can be filtered at once. Check the current in-game configuration before relying on simultaneous selection. The diagrams above only demonstrate a basic Filter with one resource selected.
Density can hide a valid pixel
A light pixel sitting high in a tall mixed pile may not reach the Filter even when configured to pass. The official tip is to separate the densest material first because it settles at the bottom. Reduce pile height before adding more Filters if the mixture arrives as a thick mass.
Three common jam patterns
| Pattern | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Nothing exits below | Solid block or full buffer | Open and drain the lower lane. |
| Some target remains above | Buried in a dense pile | Thin the feed and sort dense pixels first. |
| Pixel stuck inside | Material changed while passing | Move Water/reaction zone and remove it manually. |
Commission one branch at a time
Run a known single material through the continuation lane, then a known target through the vertical lane. Only after both paths work should you introduce a mixture. This separates configuration mistakes from density and reaction problems.