Concrete is one of the most valuable materials in Minecraft due to its sturdy nature and customizability. Unlike other objects like cobblestone and dirt, though, this isn’t something players can just gather and immediately start using. Players have to make concrete in Minecraft if they want to use it, but this is certainly worth the effort.
How to make concrete
The recipe to make concrete in Minecraft is one of the simplest in the game. You just need the following two ingredients to make it:
- 4 sand
- 4 gravel
- 1 dye item
Both of these items are quite easy to find in the world. Sand is one you can often find near the surface level next to water locations, such as rivers, lakes, and oceans. On the other hand, gravel is also easily found in the first few layers of the world. I recommend just finding an existing mine or building one yourself by digging down a little bit to find a good cave system. Gravel is notable for its similarities to sand in how it falls down if there is nothing underneath it to hold it.
As such, you have to be careful when mining for gravel since it can fall on your character and instantly eliminate them if you aren’t careful enough. Once you have both of these, all you need to do is use a crafting table with the sand and gravel to make some concrete powder. Take that concrete powder to any location with water and place it there to turn it into a concrete block, which you can then gather with a pickaxe.
You’ll then be able to use those concrete blocks to build or fortify your structures, keeping important assets like your lovely enchanting table safe. Since gravel and sand are so readily available even early in a game, this makes concrete a valuable material for defending your home against creepers, zombies, and other denizens of the night.
How to get different colored concrete in Minecraft
There is another aspect to making concrete in Minecraft worth mentioning, and that is how customizable it is. The default concrete block with sand and gravel has the usual basic gray color to it. But you are able to customize concrete blocks to be pink, yellow, red, and so on. To do this, you only need to add one extra material when you are crafting your concrete block at the crafting table. You can use cocoa beans, various flowers, and so on.
Gather the dye of your choosing and add it to the mix when crafting. This will turn the concrete block into whatever color you want. Better yet, these colored concrete blocks are flat with no pattern to them, so this makes them super versatile for just about anything you’re trying to make, be it a home or a work of art. Now that you have the means to secure your home early in Minecraft, you should consider making yourself a Mace to defend against any attacking enemies that come your way.
