How to Make a Trapped Chest in Minecraft

Last Updated: June 13, 2022

Need to make a trapped chest in Minecraft? A trapped chest triggers a redstone circuit when it's opened. Use our handy guide to create a trap for any curious players who want to see what's inside the chest.

1

Gather wood from trees.

The wood will help you craft wooden planks. You can gather wood from trees by attacking them with your hands or with an axe.

2

Craft wooden planks.

Open your crafting menu and craft wooden planks from wood. You'll need 15 wooden planks to craft everything you need.

3

Craft a stick.

Open your crafting menu and craft sticks from 2 wooden planks. You only need one stick.

4

Acquire an iron ingot.

Use a stone, iron, or diamond pickaxe to mine iron ore deep underground. Iron ore resembles stone blocks with yellowish spots on them. Then you'll need to smelt the iron ore furnace to make iron ingots.
- You can also find iron ingots in chests found in villages, temples, and abandoned buildings.

5

Acquire redstone dust.

You'll need redstone dust to trigger a trap. Redstone dust can be mined from redstone ore deep underground using an iron or diamond pickaxe. Redstone ore resembles stone blocks with red spots on it.

6

Craft a crafting table.

Open your crafting menu and craft a crafting table from 4 wooden planks. Then place the crafting table anywhere.

7

Craft a chest.

Open your crafting table. Then, place 8 wooden planks in along the edge of the 3x3 grid. Drag the chest into your inventory.

8

Craft tripwire hooks.

Open your crafting table. Place 1 stick in the center space of the 3x3 grid, an iron ingot in the space above it, and a wood plank in the space below. Drag the tripwire hooks into your inventory. This creates 2 tripwire hooks, but you only need one.

9

Craft the trapped chest.

Open your crafting table. Place the chest in the center space of the 3x3 grid. Then, place a tripwire hook in the space to the left or right of the chest. Drag the trapped chest into your inventory.

10

Set a trap with the trapped chest.

Find a location and place the trapped chest where it'll be visible. Use redstone dust to connect the trapped chest to a redstone contraption. You can place redstone dust underground below the trapped chest. Connect the trapped chest to TNT or a trapped door.
- You can also connect it to a dispenser loaded with arrows to shoot arrows at anyone who opens the chest.

Community Q&A

Question

What does a trapped chest do?

Community Answer

A trapped chest can send a redstone signal nearby when opened. Examples:Activate TNT, Open fence gates, open trapdoors, and open doors.
Question

How do I use a tripwire hook? Just for a chest?

Community Answer

Place a tripwire hook on two solid blocks such as cobblestone or dirt, and use string that you get from spiders as the tripwire. Place redstone dust connected to the block that the tripwire is attached to. As long as an entity such as a mob or player is standing on the tripwire, whether walking across or just standing there, it will be sending a redstone signal. This is good for home defense if you can conceal the tripwire hooks.
Question

Can I use the chest to hold inventory?

Belle K.

Top Answerer

Yes, a trapped chest acts the same as a normal chest in terms of holding items.