Minecraft now offers a wide range of blocks to build with. Yet as players we often default to the classic combo of stone and wood. That certainly fits Minecraft, but it doesn’t come close to tapping into the full potential of the game’s block palette. Many blocks are forgotten or not even considered as viable building materials. That means you miss out on creative ideas and uses that can make your builds even better. In this post we’re highlighting eight blocks and block families that are frequently overlooked and that you should absolutely work into your builds.
Minecraft Soul Soil: Brown tone with a wave pattern for paths and fields
You’re probably familiar with soul sand, a rather spooky and uninviting Nether block. But don’t underestimate its other variant, soul soil. You can only find it in the Soul Sand Valley in the Nether and you can’t craft it yourself. Luckily, there’s plenty of it there.
Soul soil has a pleasant wavy texture without the faces found on soul sand. It’s excellent as carpeting, since it creates a seamless pattern. It’s also great for natural builds, such as muddy paths or fields.
Minecraft stained and tinted glass: Design windows creatively
Glass is one of the most important building materials in Minecraft, yet most players reach for clear glass blocks and glass panes only. Don’t forget you can stain glass in all 16 colors. There’s also tinted glass, which doesn’t let light through and suits special builds. Tailor the glass in your builds to your style.
On multiplayer servers this looks even better, since each player’s builds can feel more unique. rent an affordable Minecraft server and experiment with stained glass. You’ll see how versatile it is and how rarely you’ll need plain clear glass. We also recommend building a flower farm to get enough dye (Minecraft: Complete Guide to Dyes and Automatic Farms) .
Minecraft glazed terracotta: Bold patterns for strong accents
You’ll also need plenty of dye for glazed terracotta, a very striking part of Minecraft’s block palette. Here too you can choose from all 16 colors, each forming unique shapes and patterns. For some it’s too flashy, for others it’s perfect as accents, flooring, or decor elements. To obtain it, smelt dyed terracotta blocks in a furnace.
Depending on orientation you can create different patterns. Most form four connected motifs. Try different arrangements to find the look you want. Definitely one of the most complex blocks in Minecraft.
Minecraft bone block: Modern walls and strong quartz combinations
Unless you stumble across a rare fossil underground or in the Soul Sand Valley in the Nether, you might barely know this block. You can also craft it with nine bone meal in a crafting table. The bone block works similarly to logs, since it can be oriented in different directions and has end textures with a darker core, much like wood logs. That opens up lots of flexibility.
Its milky coloration pairs well with many white blocks, while keeping its own character. Combined with quartz it makes a strong duo. Use it for modern, smooth house facades. Each oriented “log” creates a distinct pattern.
Minecraft mushroom blocks: Red, brown, and stem for organic builds
Yes, you can actually build with mushroom blocks. This is often overlooked because you think of them as plants. With Silk Touch you can obtain four different blocks that hardly anyone builds with:
- Red mushroom block with white spots
- Brown mushroom block with a uniform texture
- Mushroom stem as a white trunk with a slightly wavy texture
- Cork-like/pore texture that appears when you break an adjacent mushroom block
These blocks add organic accents and bring variety to natural builds.
Minecraft end stone bricks: Subtle yellow bricks from the End
In the End there’s a resource many players overlook. From it you can make sleek bricks with a subtle yellow hue. You could use sandstone or other yellow blocks, but end stone bricks often fit in better. Craft four end stone into four end stone bricks. End stone is plentiful in the End and is a component of End Cities, where you find shulkers and elytra.
Minecraft red nether bricks: Crafting, stairs, and slabs
Red nether bricks are used even less, since you won’t find this block in the world. In addition to normal nether bricks, from which nether fortresses are built, you can also craft red variants. For that you need nether bricks from smelted netherrack and nether wart. Craft red nether bricks from two nether bricks and two nether wart.
The block has high contrast and one of the most striking colors in the game. It doesn’t fit everywhere, but it really stands out. You can make slabs, stairs, and walls from it. The only drawback: there’s no fence variant like there is for normal nether brick.
Minecraft coral blocks: Use colorful and dead variants cleverly
Finally, let’s look at coral blocks, which give you lots of possibilities. You can use five colorful blocks mined in coral reefs with Silk Touch. The catch is that they must be placed directly next to water to keep their color. Once they turn gray, they can’t be revived.
The dead variants are interesting too, since they have different textures. They’re a strong substitute for regular stone or combine well with it. Use them as a facade or as an alternative to cobblestone to make builds feel more authentic.
Conclusion: Use underrated Minecraft blocks creatively
As you can see, your Minecraft builds don’t have to be just wood and stone. Don’t underestimate the patterns and colors of other blocks you might not think of at first. Some don’t stand out because they’re rare, while others you may not associate with building. In Minecraft there’s a use for almost every block. Get creative and try something new.
