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To make smooth stone in Minecraft, you simply need to smelt regular stone in a furnace using any fuel source.
Making smooth stone is a two-step smelting process: first, you smelt cobblestone to turn it into stone, and then you smelt that stone a second time to create smooth stone. Whether you are a veteran builder or a newcomer to the blocky world, this guide will walk you through step-by-step instructions, alternative ways to find it, and the best ways to use this clean, modern-looking block.
Materials for Smooth Stone
Before you start the smelting process, you’ll need to gather a few basic items.
- Cobblestone: Obtained by mining stone with any pickaxe.
- Furnace: Crafted using 8 pieces of cobblestone or blackstone.
- Fuel: You’ll need a heat source to power your furnace.
Fuel Choices
- Coal and Charcoal: These are the most reliable and common fuel sources.
- Wood Options: In a pinch, you can use logs, planks, or even wooden tools/slabs.
- Lava Buckets: The most efficient fuel, though better saved for large batches.
How to Make Smooth Stone Step-by-Step
The process is straightforward but requires patience, as you have to run the furnace twice.
1. Smelt Cobblestone to Stone
Place your cobblestone in the top slot of the furnace and your fuel in the bottom slot. Once the progress bar finishes, you will receive Stone (the version found naturally underground).
2. Smelt Stone to Smooth Stone
Take the Stone you just created and place it back into the top slot of the furnace. Let it smelt one more time.
3. Collecting Smooth Stone
Once the second smelting cycle is complete, your Smooth Stone is ready! Move it into your inventory to start building.
Other Ways to Get Smooth Stone
If you don’t want to spend time at a furnace, there are other ways to acquire this block.
- Village Structures: Smooth stone naturally generates in some village houses, particularly in the butcher’s shop or as part of the foundation in certain biomes.
- Villager Trading: Journeyman-level Mason villagers have a chance to sell smooth stone slabs for emeralds.
- Minecraft Commands: If you have cheats enabled, you can use:
/give @p smooth_stone 64.
Uses for Smooth Stone
Smooth stone isn’t just for decoration; it’s a vital ingredient for several utility items.
- Building Modern Structures: Because of its clean borders and light gray texture, it’s a favorite for modern houses and industrial builds.
- Crafting Smooth Stone Slabs: Place three smooth stone blocks in a horizontal row on a crafting table to make slabs.
- Note Block Bass Drum: Placing a note block on top of smooth stone produces a “bass drum” sound.
- Making a Blast Furnace: This is a crucial use. You need 3 Smooth Stone, 1 Furnace, and 5 Iron Ingots to craft a Blast Furnace, which melts ores twice as fast.
Smelting Tips for Efficiency
- Multiple Furnaces: If you need stacks of smooth stone, build a “furnace wall” to process multiple stacks at once.
- Best Fuel Choices: Use Coal Blocks or Lava Buckets if you are smelting more than 64 blocks at a time to save resources.
- Smelting Organization: Keep separate chests for your “In-Progress” stone and your “Finished” smooth stone to avoid confusion.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Wrong Materials: Trying to smelt cobblestone directly into smooth stone won’t work. You must turn it into regular stone first.
- Skipping Steps: Many players forget the second smelting stage and wonder why they only have regular stone.
- Fuel Shortages: Always ensure you have enough fuel before starting a large batch, or your furnace will stop halfway through.
Version Differences
While the recipe is essentially the same, there are minor differences to note:
- Java vs. Bedrock: In both versions, the smelting process is identical. However, in older versions of Minecraft (pre-1.14), smooth stone was not obtainable as a block in Survival mode—it was only available as a slab.
- Update Changes: Since the “Village & Pillage” update, smooth stone has become a full block that can be crafted and used in the Blast Furnace recipe.
Summary
To wrap up, making smooth stone is as simple as smelting cobblestone twice. It is a versatile block that is essential for high-speed smelting (via the Blast Furnace) and sleek architectural designs.
I encourage you to experiment with smooth stone in your next build—it pairs perfectly with glass and concrete for a professional look! If you have more questions, feel free to check out our FAQ section for quick answers.
Remember, practice makes perfect in Minecraft crafting. Happy building!