Polished Basalt — Minecraft block

Polished Basalt

Polished Basalt is a smooth gray pillar block crafted from basalt, with vertical striations that make it ideal for columns and modern Nether builds in Minecraft.

Block ID minecraft:polished_basalt
Mod Vanilla
Game versions
1.21

Description

Polished Basalt is the smoothed, decorative form of basalt, introduced in the Minecraft 1.16 Nether Update. Polished Basalt is crafted by placing four basalt blocks in a 2x2 grid, producing four Polished Basalt, or by running one basalt through a stonecutter for a 1:1 conversion. Polished Basalt is an axis-oriented pillar block: its ends show concentric ring patterns while the four sides carry fine vertical striations, giving every placed block the look of a carved stone column. A pickaxe is required to mine Polished Basalt, which shares basalt's hardness of 1.25 and blast resistance of 4.2.

Polished Basalt suits columns, support beams, and the trim of large gray structures, and its neutral dark-gray tone pairs naturally with blackstone, deepslate, and smooth basalt in Nether-themed or industrial builds. Because Polished Basalt rotates with the direction it is placed, builders can lay it horizontally for banded floors or ceiling joists rather than only vertical pillars. Polished Basalt does not generate as a standalone block in the world, so crafting it from basalt gathered in the basalt deltas biome is the standard way to stock up.

Crafting Guide

How to make Polished Basalt in Minecraft

  1. 1

    Gather basalt

    Mine basalt with a pickaxe in the basalt deltas biome or from basalt columns in the Nether. You need at least four basalt for one craft.

  2. 2

    Craft in a 2x2 grid

    Place four basalt in a 2x2 square on the crafting grid to produce four Polished Basalt at once.

  3. 3

    Use the stonecutter alternative

    Place a single basalt in a stonecutter and select Polished Basalt for a clean 1:1 conversion with no waste.

  4. 4

    Place it along an axis

    Aim at the top, side, or front of a block before placing so Polished Basalt orients its stripes vertically or horizontally.

Edition note

Polished Basalt is available in both Java and Bedrock Edition from version 1.16 onward. The 2x2 crafting recipe of four basalt works identically in both editions.

How to craft this block

Ingredients: Basalt Basalt x4
Crafting
Basalt Basalt
Basalt Basalt
Polished Basalt
4
Polished Basalt

Related blocks

Frequently asked questions

How do you craft Polished Basalt?

Place four basalt blocks in a 2x2 square on the crafting grid to get four Polished Basalt, or convert one basalt at a time in a stonecutter.

Does Polished Basalt occur naturally in Minecraft?

No. Polished Basalt is obtained only by crafting it from basalt. The rough basalt itself generates in the basalt deltas biome and as Nether basalt columns.

What tool do you need to mine Polished Basalt?

A pickaxe of any tier mines Polished Basalt and drops the block. Mining it without a pickaxe destroys the block and yields nothing.

Is Polished Basalt a directional block?

Yes. Polished Basalt is axis-oriented like a log or quartz pillar, so it can be placed vertically or horizontally to control the direction of its stripes.

What version added Polished Basalt?

Polished Basalt was added in the Minecraft 1.16 Nether Update and is available in both Java and Bedrock Edition.

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