If you’ve come looking not only for information on how to make a trapdoor in Minecraft but also how a Minecraft trapdoor even works, you’ve come to the right place. Trapdoors are one of the most important structures for your house or other buildings you’re planning to make.
You can use them in your barn builds, your farms, and maybe even put one under your bridge as a secret exit from an abandoned prison, just like in Skyrim.
You’ll also find that trapdoors are crucial in Igloos, which only makes learning how they work an even more urgent task.
Keep reading for our Minecraft trapdoor FAQ and, more importantly, learn how to make a trapdoor in Minecraft!
What are Trapdoors in Minecraft, and how do you use them?
A trapdoor is an openable block that covers a 1×1 area in the game. Trapdoors are solid blocks that you can easily break.
Uses for a trapdoor can include building a secret entrance, blocking zombies from coming into an area, as traps, or even as retractable stairs.
One of the more interesting uses for Minecraft trapdoors is as a drawbridge. If you place them in a certain order, across two blocks separated by a ravine, a body of water, and even lava, it can offer extra protection!
What do you need for a Trapdoor in Minecraft?
We arrive at the main question of how to make a trapdoor in Minecraft. First, we’ll talk about the materials.
The Minecraft trapdoor recipe requires six matching planks of a certain wood or four iron ingots. This depends on the kind of trapdoor you’re making, as there are several types in the game.
What kind of Trapdoors are available in Minecraft?
You can build a trapdoor from any kind of wood in Minecraft. All it requires is 6 matching planks of the wood you’re planning to make a trapdoor out of, and you’re set!
You can also build an iron trapdoor, which should make for more security.
Do all trap doors function the same, regardless of their material?
While all wooden trapdoors function the same, there is a big difference between wooden trapdoors and iron trapdoors.
Any player (or redstone pulse) can open wooden trapdoors. Simply right-clicking the trapdoor will open it right up! However, unlike wooden trapdoors, iron trapdoors can be opened only by redstone pulse.
How do you craft a Trapdoor in Minecraft?
Now, we arrive at the technical part of how to make a trapdoor in Minecraft.
To craft a wooden trapdoor, you need to lay out the 6 matching planks of wood between two rows of a crafting table. It doesn’t matter if you put them in the top two rows or the bottom two, as long as you have 3 planks in two consecutive rows.
For iron trapdoors, you need to place the 4 iron ingots in a square shape anywhere on the crafting table. Once again, it only matters that you place two iron ingots above another two iron ingots to get the iron trapdoor.
Frequently Asked Questions about Trapdoors in Minecraft
When were Trapdoors added to Minecraft?
Trapdoors first made their appearance in Minecraft in Java Edition Beta 1.6, the earliest known instance of them being added to the game. However, it wasn’t until 1.19 that you could build trapdoors in the style and color of all types of wood in the game. In Bedrock Edition, trapdoors have been available since the start.
Iron trapdoors were added to the Java Edition of the game in 1.8. Since then, there haven’t been many changes to iron trapdoors throughout the game’s updates, other than texture updates. They have also been available in Bedrock Edition since the start.
How to use Trapdoors to crawl?
Trapdoors have this weird but interesting function where, if you close a trapdoor while standing underneath it, it will push you down to the ground. If you’re standing on solid ground, you should be in a crawl position and moving slowly along the area. Of course, once you come out from underneath the trapdoor, it’s over.
This is pretty useful for getting through areas that you normally can’t get into because of the height. It seems as though the trapdoor crawl goes lower than your normal crawl, too.
Can trapdoors burn in Minecraft?
While it’s obvious that iron, crimson, and warped trapdoors can’t catch fire at all, wooden trapdoors are more specific.
Wooden trapdoors are not traditionally flammable. However, they can catch fire from lava right next to it. In that sense, wooden trapdoors can indeed catch fire. Attempting to light wooden trapdoors on fire with flint and stone won’t work, though.
Are trapdoors transparent?
Yes, trapdoors are transparent, solid blocks. This means that you can set up trapdoors as a window. You can look through them and see what’s going on outside.
This makes for some pretty interesting builds that players make with their trapdoors. The birch trapdoor even resembles a sort of fancy window just by its appearance. Other trapdoors, like spruce and dark oak, don’t really have any holes in their design that let the player see the outside.
Do trapdoors block light?
While trapdoors are good for hiding blocks such as glowstone or those tasteless torches, they don’t block light. This makes them a perfect choice for when you want to keep the light in your home while still preserving the aesthetic.
Can mobs jump over trapdoors?
Mobs think of trapdoors as normal blocks. This means that they don’t try to jump over them at all. Instead, they try to walk on them.
You can utilize this information to make a great trap (no pun intended) for mobs. Simply placing trapdoors over a hole and opening them up, then leading the mobs towards it will leave you with a trap full of creepers and zombies to kill for XP.
You could consider it some sort of weird XP farm where you have to do most of the work. It’s still satisfying to see all the XP fill up at once, though.
Can mobs see through trapdoors?
Although you can see what’s going on through closed trapdoors, this doesn’t mean that mobs can see you.
A mob’s AI is programmed to “see” the player when there is no block obstructing the player from the mob’s eyes. If there is a trapdoor, or even glass, between you and the mob, you have nothing to worry about. It can’t see you through the trapdoor. As a result, it won’t react to you or try to attack you either.
Once you learn how to make a trapdoor in Minecraft, you’ll realize it’s a great way to keep yourself safe in desperate situations.
Can Zombies open trapdoors?
Minecraft mobs normally don’t try to open doors if they can’t see the player inside, anyway. However, zombies cannot open trapdoors either.
As a result, trapdoors are very useful in Hard mode, because zombies won’t try to get into your house. You also don’t have to go through the trouble of building an iron door to protect your home.
Can you place trapdoors sideways?
Unfortunately, you can’t place trapdoors sideways. However, you can place them and then right-click on them to “open” the trapdoor, which puts it in a different position.
Playing around with this idea should fill in the gaps for the idea that you’ve had in mind. You can also check out Phoenix SC’s video below to get some ideas on placing trapdoors to create a vertical slab.
Can you make a trapdoor window in Minecraft?
You can make a window out of a single trapdoor in Minecraft, although it requires more than just the trapdoor. Reddit user DerpCrafturr posted a slideshow of images detailing how to make a trapdoor window using a piston, a lever, and a red torch.
Can you make a big trapdoor in Minecraft?
If you’re looking for a big trapdoor in Minecraft, you might as well just make a regular door.
However, if that’s not the aesthetic you’re going for, you can just place several trapdoors next to each other to make one big trapdoor. They won’t all open at the same time and you’ll have to do it manually.
