How to Make a Chest in Minecraft (Step-by-Step Guide)

Crafting a chest is one of the first things every Minecraft player ends up doing. With limited inventory space, you need somewhere to store tools, building blocks, food, and everything you gather in your world. A chest keeps your items safe and organized so you can focus on exploring, mining, and building without constantly running out of room.

The good news is that making a chest is easy once you know the recipe. All you need are basic materials and a crafting table, and you’ll have your first storage container ready in minutes. If you’re unsure how to make a chest in Minecraft, this guide walks you through each step:

What You Need to Make a Chest

You only need one material to craft a chest in Minecraft: wood planks. Any wood type works, whether it’s oak, birch, spruce, jungle, acacia, dark oak, mangrove, cherry, or bamboo, and you can mix different plank types if you want. 

No matter what you use, the resulting chest will always look and function the same. To craft one chest, you’ll need 8 Wood Planks of any type or combination. These planks will form a ring around the crafting grid, leaving the center slot empty.

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How to Get Wood Planks Quickly

Wood is one of the easiest materials to gather. Just punch or chop down any tree to collect logs, then place those logs in your crafting area to convert each one into 4 wooden planks. With just 2 logs, you already have enough planks to make a chest. 

If you want to speed things up in the early game, stick to nearby oak or birch trees. They’re quick to chop and regenerate easily around most spawn areas, letting you gather enough wood for a chest in just a minute or two.

How to Make a Chest in Minecraft 

Crafting a chest only takes a moment once you have the materials ready. Just follow these steps to craft your first chest:

1. Open your crafting table to access the 3×3 crafting grid.
2. Place 8 wood planks around the outer edge of the grid, filling every slot except the center.
3. Leave the middle slot empty as this shape is what creates a chest instead of another wooden item.
4. Take the chest from the result box and move it to your inventory.

How to Craft a Double Chest 

A double chest gives you twice the storage space of a regular chest, and creating one is just as simple. Instead of crafting a new item, you make a double chest by placing two single chests next to each other in the world.

1. Craft two regular chests using the standard recipe.
2. Place the first chest where you want your storage to be.
3. Place the second chest directly beside the first one (left or right side).
4. The two chests will automatically combine into one large double chest with shared storage.

Important Notes

• Both chests must be the same type (regular + regular or trapped + trapped).
• A regular chest won’t combine with a trapped chest.
• Double chests only form when placed horizontally side-by-side, not stacked vertically.
• If something blocks the merge (like certain blocks or redstone components), the chests will stay single.

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Common Mistakes & Tips

Even though crafting a chest is simple, players often run into small issues that stop the recipe from working. Here are the most common mistakes and a few quick tips to help you avoid them:

• Using the 2×2 crafting grid instead of a crafting table: A chest can only be made in the 3×3 crafting grid. If the recipe isn’t showing up, make sure you’re using a crafting table and not your inventory crafting slot.

• Placing wood planks in the wrong pattern: The planks must form a ring around the outer edge of the grid, leaving the center slot empty. Any other shape, even if you’re using eight planks, won’t craft a chest.

• Mixing plank types incorrectly: You can mix different wood planks to craft a chest, but make sure you’re not accidentally placing logs, stripped wood, or mismatched items. Only wood planks work.

• Accidentally creating a double chest: If you place a chest next to an existing one, it will automatically combine into a double chest. Leave a one-block gap if you want them to stay separate.

• Blocked placement spots: Chests can’t open if there’s a solid block directly above them. Use slabs, leaves, glass, or stairs if you want to build storage areas that still allow the chest to open.

How to Use a Minecraft Chest 

Once you’ve crafted a chest, you can use it to store items, organize your inventory, and manage resources more efficiently. Chests work the same way in both Java and Bedrock editions, so you can rely on these basics no matter where you play.

Opening and Storing Items

Right-click (or tap on mobile) to open the chest and move items between your inventory and its storage slots. A single chest holds 27 slots, which is usually enough for early-game tools, blocks, and food.

Organizing Your Items

Chests let you sort materials into separate categories—such as building blocks, ores, food, or weapons. Many players place signs or item frames on or above their chests to keep storage systems easy to navigate.

Expanding Your Storage With Double Chests

Placing two chests side-by-side creates a double chest with 54 slots. This is one of the simplest ways to increase storage early on, and it’s ideal for bulk items like cobblestone, dirt, wood, and mined resources.

Using Chests With Hoppers

In more advanced builds, hoppers can move items in and out of chests automatically. This makes it possible to build sorting systems, smelting setups, farms, and automated storage with very little manual work.

Keeping Your Chests Accessible

A chest won’t open if there’s a solid block directly above it. Use stairs, slabs, glass, or leaves when building storage rooms so you can stack chests without blocking the lid, making it easier to build compact storage walls or chests stacked vertically.

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Frequently Asked Questions