Introduction
How to make a wooden pickaxe is one of the most important early-game tools in Minecraft. It’s your gateway to mining stone, coal, and other basic resources that will help you progress in the game.
Without a pickaxe, you’ll be unable to gather the materials needed for better tools, weapons, and structures.
This how to make a wooden pickaxe guide will walk you through the process of creating your first wooden pickaxe, setting you on the path to mining success.
Required Materials
To craft a wooden pickaxe, you’ll need:
- 3 wooden planks (any type)
- 2 sticks
- A crafting table (already placed in the world)
If you don’t have a crafting table yet, you’ll need:
- 4 additional wooden planks to make one
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Gather Wood
- Find a tree in your world.
- Punch the tree trunk with your hand (hold left-click on PC).
- Collect at least 3 logs that drop when the wood blocks break.
- This will give you enough material for the pickaxe and crafting table if needed.
Step 2: Convert Logs to Wooden Planks
- Open your inventory (press ‘E’ on PC, ‘X’ on Xbox, ‘Triangle’ on PlayStation, or ‘Y’ on Nintendo).
- Place the logs in any slot of your 2×2 crafting grid (top-right of inventory).
- Collect the wooden planks that appear in the result box.
- Each log converts to 4 wooden planks, so 3 logs will give you 12 planks.
Step 3: Craft Sticks
- While still in your inventory, place 2 wooden planks vertically (one above the other) in your crafting grid.
- The crafting table pattern should look like this:
- Collect the 4 sticks that appear in the result box.
Step 4: Craft a Crafting Table (if needed)
- Place 4 wooden planks in a 2×2 square in your crafting grid.
- Collect the crafting table and place it in the world.
Step 5: Craft Your Wooden Pickaxe
- Right-click on your placed crafting table to open the 3×3 crafting interface.
- Then, place 3 wooden planks across the top row of the crafting grid.
- Place 2 sticks in the middle square and bottom square of the middle column.
The pattern should look like this:
- Collect your wooden pickaxe from the result box.
Tips & Tricks
Using Your Wooden Pickaxe
- The wooden pickaxe can mine stone, coal ore, and iron ore.
- It cannot mine gold, diamond, or redstone ore (you’ll need at least a stone pickaxe).
- Hold down left-click while pointing at a block to mine it.
- The wooden pickaxe has 59 durability (uses before breaking).
Efficiency Tips
- Upgrade to a stone pickaxe as soon as possible for better durability and mining speed.
- To make a stone pickaxe, replace the wooden planks with cobblestone in the same pattern.
- Save your wooden pickaxe for mining stone and coal only; don’t waste durability on dirt or other soft blocks.
- Create multiple pickaxes before venturing into caves to avoid being stranded without tools.
Material Conservation
- A wooden pickaxe only requires 3 planks and 2 sticks, so a single log can make enough planks for a pickaxe.
- Consider making an axe next for faster wood collection.
Troubleshooting
Common Issues
- Can’t craft a pickaxe: Make sure you’re using a crafting table, not the 2×2 inventory grid.
Note: If you still haven’t been able to create your crafting table yet, read this How to set up your crafting table in Minecraft to get set up.
- Pickaxe breaking quickly: Wooden pickaxes have low durability; this is normal.
- Can’t mine certain blocks: Some ores require better pickaxes (stone, iron, or diamond).
- Slow mining: Wooden pickaxes are the slowest mining tool; upgrade when possible.
For Beginners
- If you’re having trouble finding trees, look for areas with more vegetation.
- Keep track of your pickaxe’s durability by watching the small bar under the tool icon.
- Create a small shelter before nightfall to store your tools and materials safely.
Advanced Techniques
Tool Progression
After creating your wooden pickaxe, follow this progression:
- Mine stone to get cobblestone
- Craft a stone pickaxe
- Mine iron ore
- Smelt iron ore into iron ingots
- Craft an iron pickaxe
- Mine diamonds (when you find them)
- Craft a diamond pickaxe
Conclusion
The wooden pickaxe is your first step into the vast world of Minecraft resource gathering. Though humble and relatively weak, it opens the door to stone tools, which lead to iron, gold, and eventually diamond equipment.
Take good care of your first pickaxe, use it wisely to gather stone and coal, and soon you’ll be well on your way to creating a thriving Minecraft world filled with impressive structures and valuable resources.
Now that you know how to make a wooden pickaxe, why not take the next step and create your first fence with this article, How to make a fence in Minecraft – A Complete Guide.