Making a fence in Minecraft takes planks and sticks now, not the old six-stick pattern. Older tutorials still show the outdated recipe, which is why the crafting grid trips people up. Here is the current Java and Bedrock way to craft wood fences, nether brick fences, Creative items, commands, and gates.
1. Start with the current wooden fence recipe
For a standard wood-family fence, open Crafting Table > 3x3 crafting grid and use 4 matching planks plus 2 sticks. Leave the top row empty, put Plank, Stick, Plank in the middle row, and put Plank, Stick, Plank in the bottom row. The output gives you 3 fence blocks. This same pattern works for Overworld wood fences, crimson fences, and warped fences.
2. Craft a wooden fence step by step
Collect 4 matching Planks for the fence type you want, then collect 2 Sticks. Open Crafting Table and leave the top row empty.
Place Plank, Stick, Plank in the middle row, then place Plank, Stick, Plank in the bottom row. Take the 3 Fence blocks from the output slot.
3. Let the recipe book fill it
Use the recipe book when you have the supplies and want Minecraft to place the pattern for you. Open Inventory or Crafting Table > Recipe Book, search for fence, then select the fence recipe.
Minecraft fills the crafting grid when the recipe and supplies are available. Select Craft to make the fence.
4. Build a nether brick fence
Collect 4 Nether Bricks blocks, then collect 2 Nether Brick items. Open Crafting Table and leave the top row empty.
Place Nether Bricks, Nether Brick, Nether Bricks in the middle row, then place Nether Bricks, Nether Brick, Nether Bricks in the bottom row. Take the Nether Brick Fence from the output slot.
5. Grab fences from Creative mode
Switch to Creative mode or open a Creative world, then open Inventory. Use Search and enter fence.
Move the fence you want into your hotbar or inventory, such as Oak Fence, Spruce Fence, Warped Fence, or Nether Brick Fence. Creative search is the cleanest route when you already have build access and do not need to gather materials.
6. Give yourself fences with a command
This fixes inventory access when cheats or operator permissions are turned on. In Java, enable cheats in a single-player world or be an operator on a server. In Bedrock, enable cheats and use a player with Game Directors permission.
Open chat with T or /, then enter /give @s minecraft:oak_fence 64. Replace oak_fence with a current item ID such as spruce_fence, warped_fence, or nether_brick_fence. Press Enter.
7. Place fences directly with commands
In Java, enable cheats in a single-player world or be an operator on a server. In Bedrock, enable cheats and use a player with Game Directors permission. Open chat.
Enter /setblock ~ ~ ~ minecraft:oak_fence replace to place one oak fence at your current position. Enter /fill x1 y1 z1 x2 y2 z2 minecraft:oak_fence replace to create a line or region of oak fences. Replace x1 y1 z1 x2 y2 z2 and oak_fence with the coordinates and fence ID you want.
Press Enter. Use /setblock for one block and /fill for a line or larger region.
8. Add a gate for an opening
This fixes the build problem where a fence line needs a working entrance. Open Crafting Table.
Place Stick, Plank, Stick in the middle row, then place Stick, Plank, Stick in the bottom row. Take the Fence Gate from the output slot.
Place it in the gap in your fence. Press Use to open or close it.
9. Ignore the old six-stick recipe
Some older guides say to make a wooden fence by filling two crafting rows with 6 sticks. That recipe only applies to old Java versions before 1.8 or old modded servers pinned to that era. In current vanilla Minecraft, use Crafting Table > 3x3 crafting grid with the Plank, Stick, Plank pattern instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many fences does the current wooden recipe make?
The current wooden fence recipe makes 3 fence blocks from 4 matching planks and 2 sticks.
Do crimson and warped fences use the same recipe?
Yes. Crimson and warped fences use the same wood-family fence pattern: Plank, Stick, Plank in the middle row and bottom row.
What command gives you oak fences?
Use /give @s minecraft:oak_fence 64 with cheats or operator permissions enabled.
What is the difference between a fence and a fence gate?
A fence is a barrier block. A fence gate is a separate block that creates an opening in a fence line and opens or closes with Use.