Close up on a block of Clay in Skyrim.

Skyrim: Where to Get Clay


Stephanie is a writer at VGKAMI and a long-time lover of video games—specifically JRPGs. Anything in the fantasy genre is her jam, and she vows to bring back The Legend of Dragoon one day. Stephanie has also worked as an editor at TheGamer and published features for NME.

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Key Takeaway

You can get Clay from deposits, which are scattered all over Skyrim. You can mine the Clay with a pickaxe.

Constructing homes or other objects is a big part of Skyrim. If you’re looking to take advantage of the building opportunities, you’ll need to know where to get Clay, as it’s needed to make walls, planters, and more.

Table Of Contents

    What Clay is Used For

    Clay is used primarily to construct parts of houses, though this is not its only use. The following is a full list of what you need Clay to build:

    • Planters
    • Shrine Base
    • Smelter
    • Trophy Base
    • Walls

    Where to Get Clay

    Character mining Clay near lake in Skyrim.

    Note that to get Clay, you’ll need to mine it yourself. This means that you will need to have a Pickaxe, which you can buy from most blacksmiths or find in mines. There are numerous places you can mine Clay in Skyrim. The following is a full list of all the Clay deposit locations you can do this from:

    Homestead Deposits

    • Heljarchen Hall
    • Lakeview Manor
    • Windstad Manor

    Other Deposits

    • Bleakwind Basin: west of Whiterun, north of bonfire near the pond.
    • Brandy-Mug Farm: just to the north along the river.
    • Brittleshin Pass South: south from the entrance, at a short wooden pier, turn east and follow the shore.
    • Bruca’s Leap Redoubt: southwest from the main entrance on the other side of the riverbank.
    • Druadach Redoubt: leave camp from the north, go past the bear trap then cross to the north side of the river at the base of the waterfall.
    • Guardian Stones: across the river, northwest from hunter’s camp.
    • Ilinalta Fisherman: by the trail leading to the camp.
    • Ivarstead: go out the north exit until the edge of the river, in between two waterfalls.
    • Kolskeggr Mine: from Pavo’s house go northeast until the second tree on the right is reached, and the deposit will be across the river on the right.
    • Largashbur: below the bridge separating Largashbur and the lake.
    • Lost Valley Redoubt: below Forsworn camp, there is a lake in front of the waterfall, and the deposit will be north of this.
    • Mara’s Eye Pond: west shore.
    • Merryfair Farm: southwest of the fence, along the shore, between the cliffs.
    • Nightgate Inn: on the banks of the pond behind the Inn.
    • Riften: exit to the southwest between Mistveil Keep and the orphanage, then make an immediate right turn, follow the wall to the lake, and jump the three rocks.
    • Riverwood: go towards the log mill, follow rapids upstream, and find the deposit before the falls.
    • Robber’s Gorge: head west, and find the deposit south of some standing stones, along the shore.
    • Treva’s Watch: across the river to the south.
    • Valtheim Towers: north side of the river, west of the bridge.
    • Along a river between Sky Haven Temple and Reachwater Rock.
    • South of Nilheim, along the water.
    • Southeast of the Old Hroldan Inn, near the river.
    • West of Karthspire, along a river.