You're standing there with a wooden sword and a dream. The Overworld is fine, sure, but you need Blaze Rods. You need Wither Skeleton skulls. Honestly, you probably just want to see if you can survive the literal hellscape that is the Nether. But first, you have to actually get there. Knowing how to construct a nether portal is basically the "graduation ceremony" of any Minecraft survival run. If you can't do this, you’re stuck farming potatoes forever.
It's not just about purple swirls.
The Nether is a whole different beast. It’s a 1:8 ratio world. Travel one block there, and you’ve moved eight in the "real" world. That’s why veteran players use portals for fast travel. But if you misplace a single block of obsidian, or if you don't have a diamond pickaxe yet, you might think you're stuck. You aren't. There are actually two ways to do this—the "rich player" way and the "speedrunner" way.
The Frame Basics: 10 Blocks or 14?
Let's get the geometry out of the way. A standard portal is a 4x5 rectangle of obsidian. That’s the classic look. You’ve got two blocks on the bottom, two on the top, and three on each side. Total cost? Fourteen blocks of obsidian.
But here’s a secret: the corners don't matter.
Minecraft's engine doesn't care if the corners are there. You can put dirt there. You can put cobblestone there. You can leave them empty. If you’re short on resources, a 10-block frame is your best friend. It’s leaner. It’s faster. It looks a bit "budget," but it functions exactly the same. The internal air space must be 2x3. Anything smaller and the portal won't ignite. Anything larger? Well, you can actually go up to 23x23 if you’re feeling extra, but for your first trip, keep it small.
Method One: The Diamond Pickaxe Route
If you’ve spent your time mining at deepslate level, you likely have three diamonds. Craft that pickaxe. Now, find a lava pool. You need to turn that lava into obsidian by pouring water on top of it.
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Don't mess this up.
If the water hits a flowing lava stream instead of a source block, you get cobblestone. Total waste of time. You need "still" lava. Once you’ve cooled the pool, start clicking. Mining obsidian takes forever. It’s about 9.4 seconds per block with a diamond pick. If you’re using Netherite, it’s a bit faster, but let’s be real—if you have Netherite, you already know how to construct a nether portal.
Once you have your 10 or 14 blocks, stack them.
- Place two obsidian on the ground.
- Put a "filler" block (like dirt) on each end.
- Tower up three obsidian blocks on each side of those dirt blocks.
- Place another filler block on top of those towers.
- Connect the top with the last two obsidian blocks.
It’s basic construction. Simple.
Method Two: The Speedrunner "Mold" Technique
This is where things get interesting. What if you don't have diamonds? What if you're in a rush? You can actually "cast" the portal in place using a bucket of water and a lava pool. This is the gold standard for players who want to get to the Nether in the first ten minutes of a game.
Find a pool of lava.
Build a small "L" shaped wall of cobblestone.
Place your water source against it so the water flows across the lava.
Now, use your empty bucket to pick up lava source blocks and right-click them directly into the water stream.
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The water cools the lava instantly, turning it into obsidian exactly where you placed it. You are essentially 3D printing a portal. You’ll need a few buckets of lava for the sides and the top. It takes practice. You’ll probably accidentally turn your water into obsidian once or twice. It happens. Just bring a spare bucket.
Why Your Portal Might Not Work
You built the frame. You’re proud. You hit it with Flint and Steel and... nothing.
Check the dimensions. If it’s 3x3 inside, it won't work. If it's 1x3, it won't work. It must be at least two blocks wide and three blocks high on the inside empty space. Also, check for "obstructions." If there’s a stray piece of tall grass or a torch inside the frame, the purple portal blocks can't spawn. Clear it out.
Fire is the key.
Most people use Flint and Steel (an iron ingot and a piece of flint). If you’re truly desperate, you can use a Fire Charge. Some players even try the "wood burn" trick. They place wooden blocks next to the portal and wait for lava to set the wood on fire, hoping the flames jump into the portal frame. It's chaotic. It’s slow. But it works in a pinch.
Advanced Physics: Linking and Spawning
Once you step through, the game looks for an existing portal in the Nether. If it doesn't find one within a certain range, it creates a new one. This is where things get messy. Sometimes the game puts your Nether-side portal over a lake of fire or tucked inside a cave.
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If you want to get fancy with travel, remember the math.
Take your Overworld X and Z coordinates. Divide them by 8.
That is exactly where your portal should be in the Nether.
If they aren't lined up, you’ll experience "drifting," where coming back through the portal drops you in a random cave 200 blocks away from your house. Nobody wants that. To fix it, you have to break the portal the game generated and rebuild it at the correct coordinates.
Practical Safety Tips for First-Timers
The moment you finish how to construct a nether portal and step through, you are vulnerable. The "Loading Terrain" screen is a death trap.
- Bring Cobblestone: Ghasts can't blow it up. Build a small hut around your portal immediately. If a Ghast shoots the portal, it will go out, and you’ll be stranded.
- Gold Armor: Seriously. Just wear one piece. Gold boots, a gold helmet—whatever. It keeps the Piglins from jumping you the second you arrive.
- Write Down Coordinates: Seriously. F3 is your friend. If you get lost in the Nether without the coordinates of your portal, you are basically starting a new life in the fire.
Making the Move
Stop overthinking it. You don't need a massive fortress or enchanted gear to just go there. Get a bucket, find some lava, and build the frame. Whether you mine it or mold it, the result is the same: a gateway to the most dangerous, resource-rich part of the game.
Next Steps for Success:
- Gather the Essentials: Grab a bucket of water, at least one iron ingot, and find a gravel patch to get flint.
- Locate Surface Lava: Look for desert pools or ravines; these are much easier than digging down to Y-level -54.
- Build the 10-Block Frame: Save your resources. Skip the corners.
- Light It Up: Use your Flint and Steel on the top of one of the bottom obsidian blocks.
- Secure the Other Side: As soon as you load in, crouch. Don't move until the terrain is fully visible, then encase the portal in stone to prevent Ghast attacks.
Once you’re in, focus on finding a Fortress. That’s where the real game begins.