How to get Charcoal in Minecraft

There are two ways to get charcoal in Minecraft. This post will show you the step by step process on how to get charcoal through both methods.

1. Get a furnace (crafted using 8 pieces of cobblestone or blackstone).

2. Get any fuel source (planks, crafted using logs are the easiest source to use).

3. Get planks of any type (crafted by putting logs in a crafting table).

4. Put the logs in the top slot of the furnace.

5. Put your fuel source in the bottom slot of the furnace.

6. Wait till your logs are finished smelting (each log will give you one charcoal).

1. Find a taiga/spruce village (found in taiga/spruce forests).

2. Locate a campfire.

3. Mine the campfire with a tool not enchanted with “silk touch”.

4. You should have picked up charcoal and some sticks.

Gathering resources like wood for charcoal can be time-consuming. Learn how to teleport to forested areas to streamline the process.

Charcoal has the same smelting power as coal (can smelt 8 items) and is usually used as an alternative fuel source, if coal cannot be found. Charcoal can be used to craft torches, or to make campfires. Unlike coal, charcoal cannot be traded with villagers and cannot be crafted into a block of charcoal.

If you are interested in more Minecraft content, checkout our Minecraft glossary, villagers opening doors, getting Acacia wood, and our blogpost on how to kill mobs in Minecraft. You might also like our blogpost on Minecraft Player-vs-Player mode of gameplay. Also checkout and participate in Kodeclik's Minecraft Settlement Creation contest. Also learn about Minecraft MLG.

Want to learn Minecraft modding? Checkout Kodeclik's 1:1 and small group classes.

Method 1 (Smelt it):

Method 2 (Find it):

Uses of Charcoal in Minecraft