Updated 25 October 2026. Facts on this page come from minecraft.wiki, minecraft.net and the live Artemis PvP server; sources are listed at the bottom.
Sandstone in Minecraft: Types and Recipes
Sandstone is made from 4 sand, and red sandstone from 4 red sand. It forms naturally under the sand of deserts and beaches, and red sandstone in badlands. Unlike sand it never falls. Each comes in plain, cut, chiseled and smooth versions, plus stairs, slabs and walls, and you need a pickaxe to mine it.
What kinds of sandstone are there?
| Type | How to get it |
|---|---|
| Sandstone | 4 sand, or found under desert and beach sand |
| Cut sandstone | 4 sandstone, or a stonecutter |
| Chiseled sandstone | 2 sandstone slabs stacked, or a stonecutter |
| Smooth sandstone | Smelt sandstone |
| Red sandstone (all four) | The same recipes with red sand |
Where does sandstone generate?
Under several blocks of sand in deserts and beaches, and in desert wells, desert villages, desert pyramids and warm ocean ruins. Red sandstone covers badlands. Biomes: deserts and badlands. Structures: desert wells.
How do you mine it?
Any pickaxe works; with anything else it drops nothing. It is softer than stone, so it mines quickly. Sandstone also generates under the sand at cave openings in deserts and beaches, so the sand above does not fall in. Sand basics: sand and gravel.
Building tips
Sandstone gives warm desert colors for pyramids, villages and walls; smooth sandstone is a clean floor, and chiseled sandstone adds a carved pattern. Mix it with terracotta for a desert palette; see terracotta.
Sandstone or sand?
Sand falls when nothing holds it up, while sandstone stays where you put it, so it is safer for walls, roofs and bridges. Sand drops with any tool or by hand; sandstone needs a pickaxe but is still quick to break.
Frequently asked questions
How do you make sandstone?
Craft 4 sand into 1 sandstone.
Sources
Every fact on this page was checked against these pages; the wording is ours.