How to Make a Door That Locks in Minecraft

PDF download Download Article
PDF download Download Article

Monsters in Minecraft have a small chance to open doors. A few zombies waltz in, and suddenly your cozy home becomes a death trap. Protect yourself with an iron door instead, and a mechanism that monsters cannot use. Redstone allows you to make actual locks, including the simple version described here.


Method 1
Method 1 of 2:

Simple Iron Door

PDF download Download Article
  1. Smelt six iron ingots , then open a crafting table . Arrange the ingots in the crafting area in a tall 2 x 3 pattern. Drag the iron door to your inventory, then place it wherever you like.
    • If you want to pick up the door again, attack it with any tool (an axe is fastest). Do not break it with your bare hand, or it will fall apart. [1]
  2. Iron doors cannot be opened by hand. You'll need to make one of the following to operate it: [2] [3]
    • Lever : Using it once will open the door, and using it a second time will close it.
    • Pressure plate : Simply walk over it to open the door, and have it close automatically behind you. Monsters can use these, so they should only be placed on the inside of the door.
    • Button : Opens the door for a short time, then closes it. Less practical than a pressure plate but harder to use accidentally.
    Advertisement
  3. Craft an place the control of your choice as follows:
    • Lever : Craft one stick above one stone block. Place it on any surface adjacent to the door, including above or below it.
    • Pressure Plate : Craft two stone blocks on the same row. Place it on the ground in front of the door.
    • Button : Put one stone block alone in the crafting area. Place the button on any surface adjacent to the door.
  4. You've just made a door that can only be opened from one side. This is an easy and effective lock, but not the most convenient one. Here are a few ways to get back inside your base, without leaving it open to mobs:
    • Place a second button on the outside. Monsters cannot use it, unless they accidentally fire an arrow at it. [4]
    • Carry around a second pressure plate and place it in front of the door when you want to get back inside. After you walk in, stand on the inside pressure plate while you remove the one outside.
    • Make a secret tunnel and cover the entrance with an easily removed block.
    • Using two levers is not recommended, since you can still lock yourself out if you leave the one on the far side in the "closed" position.
    5. Advertisement
Method 2
Method 2 of 2:

Redstone-Powered Door

PDF download Download Article
  1. Open your crafting table and place a chunk of redstone in the center. Place a redstone torch on either side, then three stone blocks on the lowest row. Repeat this recipe to make a second block.
    • Look for red-flecked redstone ore deep underground (at least 47 blocks below sea level.) Mine it with an iron or diamond pick. [5] You'll need several extra chunks of redstone as well.
    • To make a redstone torch, craft one chunk of redstone above a stick.
  2. Place a single iron door wherever you need your entrance. Place a pressure plate on the external side of the door, but not near enough to activate it. Keep a second pressure plate in your inventory for now.
    • Craft an iron door with a tall 2 x 3 pattern of iron ingots.
    • Craft a pressure plate with two stone or wooden blocks side by side.
  3. Place a redstone chunk directly on any solid, opaque block next to the pressure plate. Make a line of redstone from the pressure plate to a redstone repeater, then another line from the repeater to the door.
    • Make sure the line on the repeater connects the lines of redstone.
    • You can hide the redstone underground to make the entrance look nicer, but you might want to practice with everything out in the open first.
  4. Normally, pressure plates can be used by any player or monster who walks over them. You'll need to block the redstone connection to lock the door. The first step is placing a lever near the interior side of your door, but not right next to it.
    • Craft a lever by placing a stick over a block of stone.
  5. Turn 90 degrees and place a second redstone repeater next to the first. The line of torches visible on one repeater should be at right angles to the line on the second. [6] When this second repeater is activated, it will block the first repeater, breaking the connection between the pressure plate and the door.
  6. Use another line of redstone to connect the lever to the second repeater. As before, make sure the line of redstone meets the line visible on the repeater.
  7. From outside, walk over the pressure plate and through the door. Wait for the door to close, then use the lever to push it to the "on" position. This will lock the door in its current state (closed), preventing the pressure plate outside from functioning.
  8. Place your second pressure plate on the interior of the door, right in front of it. This one is not connected to the redstone, so you can use it to leave the room at any time. Careful — if the lever is in the locked position, you will lock yourself out.
    9. Advertisement

Community Q&A

Search
Add New Question
  • Question
    How do I lock a door with commands in Minecraft?
    Community Answer
    You can't. You could just use an iron door with a texture pack that makes it wooden, though, or get a mod that has locked doors.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 71 Helpful 25
  • Question
    Why can't I place a pressure plate right beside an iron door in Minecraft?
    Aditipk
    Community Answer
    It is because doors occupy the same space as two blocks, one above and other below. So you can't place one right beside.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 8 Helpful 21
  • Question
    What if you don't want people to see the redstone?
    Aditipk
    Community Answer
    You could cover them with grass blocks (in creative mode) or dirt ,which will turn to grass (in survival mode).
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 7 Helpful 24
See more answers
Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
      Advertisement

      Things You'll Need

      One-Way Door:

      • 1 Iron door (from 6 iron ingots)
      • 1 lever, button, or pressure plate (from 1–2 stone blocks and 0–1 stick)

      Redstone Door:

      • 2 redstone repeaters (from 4 redstone torches, 2 chunks redstone, 6 stone blocks)
      • Several redstone chunks
      • 1 Iron door
      • 2 pressure plates
      • 1 lever

      Tips

      • When hiding redstone underground, dig a hole to one side of the door, two blocks down. Redstone placed at the bottom of this hole will open the door when activated, even after you've covered it up with a block again. Use a similar tactic to hide the ends near the pressure plate and lever.
        Thanks
        Helpful 6 Not Helpful 5
      Submit a Tip
      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
      Name
      Please provide your name and last initial
      Submit
      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
      Advertisement

      Warnings

      • In multiplayer, other players can always break through the wall of your house. Try building a trap instead for better theft prevention, and using a hidden entrance to get inside your base.
        Thanks
        Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0


      Advertisement

      You Might Also Like

      6 Easy Steps to Make an Up/Down Water Elevator in Minecraft
      How to
      Make a Minecraft Elevator: 3 Easy Methods
      How to
      Make an Automatic Piston Door in Minecraft
      How to
      Create an Infinite Water Supply in Minecraft
      How to
      Make an Infinite Cobblestone Generator in Minecraft
      How to
      Make a Car in Minecraft
      How to
      Make and Use a Redstone Repeater in Minecraft
      A Step-By-Step Guide to Crafting a Gun In Minecraft
      How to
      Make an Automatic Furnace in Minecraft
      How to
      Make a Piston in Minecraft
      How To Craft a Beacon (and Beacon Tower) in Minecraft
      2 Ways to Make a Minecraft Wool Farm: Automatic & Manual
      How to
      Build an Auto Chicken Farm in Minecraft
      How to
      Make a Simple Flying Machine in Minecraft
      Advertisement

      References

      1. ↑ http://minecraft.gamepedia.com/Door
      2. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWzikMFioqE
      3. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZJpNi_XQv0
      4. ↑ http://minecraft.gamepedia.com/Button
      5. ↑ http://minecraft.gamepedia.com/Altitude
      6. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gq_uHDedMjQ

      About This Article

      In other languages
      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 114,875 times.

      Did this article help you?

      Advertisement