Opacity/Placement

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Reason: Information about Bedrock Edition.

Many transparent blocks exhibit unique behavior when it comes to being placed or being placed on. This page covers only those blocks that exhibit unique behavior. For example, glass is not covered as everything can be placed on it. In addition, only blocks that need some sort of support are covered in the columns.

Placement on top of blocks

PlacePlace
OnOn
BlockSprite amethyst-bud.png: Sprite image for amethyst-bud in MinecraftBlockSprite amethyst-cluster.png: Sprite image for amethyst-cluster in Minecraft Amethyst Cluster Banner Bell Button Cake Candle Carpet BlockSprite coral.png: Sprite image for coral in MinecraftBlockSprite dead-coral.png: Sprite image for dead-coral in Minecraft Coral BlockSprite coral-fans.png: Sprite image for coral-fans in MinecraftBlockSprite dead-coral-fans.png: Sprite image for dead-coral-fans in Minecraft Coral Fan Door Fire Glow Lichen BlockSprite kelp.png: Sprite image for kelp in MinecraftBlockSprite kelp-plant.png: Sprite image for kelp-plant in Minecraft Kelp[n 1] BlockSprite lantern.png: Sprite image for lantern in MinecraftBlockSprite soul-lantern.png: Sprite image for soul-lantern in Minecraft Lantern Lever Mushrooms[n 2] Pressure Plate Pointed Dripstone BlockSprite rail.png: Sprite image for rail in MinecraftBlockSprite powered-rail.png: Sprite image for powered-rail in MinecraftBlockSprite detector-rail.png: Sprite image for detector-rail in MinecraftBlockSprite activator-rail.png: Sprite image for activator-rail in Minecraft Rail Redstone Comparator Redstone Repeater Redstone Dust Scaffolding Sculk Vein BlockSprite seagrass.png: Sprite image for seagrass in MinecraftBlockSprite tall-seagrass.png: Sprite image for tall-seagrass in Minecraft Seagrass[n 1] Sea Pickle Sign Snow BlockSprite torch.png: Sprite image for torch in MinecraftBlockSprite soul-torch.png: Sprite image for soul-torch in MinecraftBlockSprite redstone-torch.png: Sprite image for redstone-torch in Minecraft Torch Twisting Vines Item Frame Item Frame
Anvil No Yes No No Yes Yes Yes No No No No No No Yes No No Yes No No No No No No No No Yes Yes No Yes No Yes
Azalea Yes No Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No[n 3] Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No[n 3] Yes No Yes Yes Yes No
Bamboo No Yes No No Yes No Yes No No No Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No No No Yes Yes No No No Yes
Barrier Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No‌ Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes
Bell No Yes No[1] No Yes Yes Yes No No No No No No Yes No No Yes No No No No No No No No Yes Yes No Yes No Yes
Brewing Stand No Yes No No Yes No Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No Yes No No No Yes
Cactus No Yes No No Yes No Yes No No No No No No[n 4] No No No No No No No No No No No No[n 4] No Yes No No No Yes
Cauldron No Yes No[1] No Yes No Yes No No No No No No No No No Yes No Yes Yes Yes No No[2] No No Yes Yes No No No Yes
Chain No Yes No No Yes Yes Yes No No No No No No Yes No No Yes No No No No No No No No Yes Yes No Yes No Yes
Chorus Flower Yes No Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes No
Chorus Plant (up=true) No No No No No Yes[n 5] Yes[n 5] No No No No No No[n 3] Yes[n 5] No No Yes[n 5] No No No No No No No No[n 3] Yes[n 5] No No Yes[n 5] No No
Cobweb No Yes No No Yes No Yes No No No No No No[n 3] No No No No No No No No No No No No[n 3] No Yes No No No Yes
Composter No Yes No[1] No Yes No Yes No No No Yes No No No No No Yes No Yes Yes Yes No No[2] No No Yes Yes No No No Yes
Decorated Pot No Yes No No Yes Yes Yes No No No No No No Yes No No Yes No No No No No No No No Yes Yes No Yes No Yes
Dirt Path No Yes[n 6] No No Yes[n 6] No Yes[n 7] No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No Yes[n 6] No No No Yes
Doors No Yes No No Yes No Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No Yes Yes No No No Yes
Dragon Egg No Yes No No Yes Yes Yes No No No No No No Yes No No Yes No No No No No No No No Yes Yes No Yes No Yes
End Portal Frame (with eye) No Yes No No[3] Yes Yes Yes No No No No No No Yes No[3] No Yes No No No No No No No No Yes Yes No Yes No Yes
End Portal Frame (without eye) No Yes No No Yes No Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No Yes No No No Yes
End Rod No No No No No Yes Yes No No No No No No[n 3] Yes No No[n 8] Yes No No No No No No No No[n 3] Yes No No Yes No No
Farmland No Yes[n 6] No No Yes[n 6] No Yes[n 7] No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No Yes[n 6] No No No Yes
Fences No Yes No No Yes Yes Yes No No No Yes[n 9] No No Yes No No Yes No No No No No No No No Yes Yes No Yes No No
Fence Gates No Yes No No Yes Yes Yes No No No Yes[n 10] No No Yes[4] No No Yes[4] No No No No No No No No Yes[4] Yes No Yes[4] No No
Glass Pane No Yes No No Yes Yes Yes No No No No No No Yes No No Yes No No No No No No No No Yes Yes No Yes No Yes
Grindstone No Yes No No[5] Yes Yes Yes No No No No No No Yes No[5] No Yes No No No No No No No No Yes Yes No Yes No Yes
Hanging Sign No Yes No No Yes Yes Yes No No No No No No Yes No No Yes No No No No No No No No Yes Yes No Yes No Yes
Honey Block No Yes No No Yes No Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No Yes Yes No No Yes
Hopper No Yes No[1] No Yes No Yes No No No No[6] No No No No No Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes No[2] No No Yes Yes No No No Yes
Ice Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes
Packed Ice Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes
Iron Bars No Yes No No Yes Yes Yes No No No No No No Yes No No Yes No No No No No No No No Yes Yes No Yes No Yes
Ladder No No No No No No Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No Yes No No No No No
Leaves No Yes No No Yes No Yes No No No Yes Yes No No No No No No No No No No No Yes No Yes Yes Yes No No Yes
Lectern No Yes No No Yes No Yes No No No Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No Yes No No No Yes
Lightning Rod No Yes No No Yes Yes Yes No No No No No No Yes No No Yes No No No No No No No No Yes Yes No Yes No Yes
Scaffolding Yes No Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes No
Sniffer Egg No Yes No No Yes Yes Yes No No No No No No Yes No No Yes No No No No No No No No Yes Yes No Yes No Yes
Snow Layer (2–7) No No No No No No Yes No No No No No No[n 3] No No No No No No No No No No No No[n 3] No No Yes[n 11] No No No
Snow Layer (8) Yes No Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No[n 3] Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No[n 3] Yes No Yes Yes Yes No
Stairs No Yes No No Yes No Yes No No No Yes[n 10] No No No No No No No No No No No No No No Yes Yes No No No Yes
Wall No Yes No No[7] Yes Yes Yes No No No No No No Yes No[7] No Yes No No No No No No No No Yes Yes No Yes No No

Everything can support:

Everything can be placed on:

  1. a b Need to have water first.
  2. Need to have a light level of at most 12 first.
  3. a b c d e f g h i j k l This block breaks when water flows into it.
  4. a b Cactus does not break when water flows against the side, but breaks when water flows on top.
  5. a b c d e f This can cause the chorus plant to update.
  6. a b c d e f Block is converted to dirt.
  7. a b Block is not converted to dirt when placed on top.
  8. End rods emit a light level of 14, which is more than the maximum light level that mushrooms can place on blocks that's not podzol, mycelium, and nylium.
  9. Works only for Overworld wood fences.
  10. a b Works only for Overworld wood fence gates.
  11. Adds a layer to the snow instead of placing a snow layer floating on top of the snow.

Placement on the side of blocks

PlacePlace
OnOn
Banner Bell Button Ladder Lever Sign Torch Tripwire Hook Vines BlockSprite amethyst-bud.png: Sprite image for amethyst-bud in MinecraftBlockSprite amethyst-cluster.png: Sprite image for amethyst-cluster in Minecraft Amethyst Cluster BlockSprite coral-fans.png: Sprite image for coral-fans in MinecraftBlockSprite dead-coral-fans.png: Sprite image for dead-coral-fans in Minecraft Coral Fan Glow Lichen Hanging Sign Sculk Vein Painting Item Frame Item Frame
Anvil Yes No No No No Yes No No No No No No No No Yes Yes
Bamboo Yes No No No No Yes No No No No No No No No Yes Yes
Bell Yes No No No No Yes No No No No No No No No Yes Yes
Brewing Stand Yes No No No No Yes No No No No No No No No Yes Yes
Cactus Yes[n 1] No No No No Yes[n 1] No No No No No No No No Yes Yes
Cauldron Yes No No No No Yes No No No No No No No No Yes Yes
Chain Yes No No No No Yes No No No No No No No No Yes Yes
Chorus Flower No Yes[n 2] Yes[n 2] Yes[n 2] Yes[n 2] No Yes[n 2] Yes[n 2] Yes[n 2] Yes[n 2] Yes[n 2] Yes[n 2] Yes[n 2] Yes[n 2] No No
Cobweb Yes No No No No Yes No No No No No No No No Yes Yes
Decorated Pot Yes No No No No Yes No No No No No No No No Yes Yes
Dirt Path Yes No No No No Yes No No No No No No No No Yes Yes
Dragon Egg Yes No No No No Yes No No No No No No No No Yes Yes
Enchanting Table Yes No No No No Yes No No No No No No No No Yes Yes
End Portal Frame Yes No No No No Yes No No No No No No No No Yes Yes
Farmland Yes No No No No Yes No No No No No No No No Yes Yes
Fences Yes No No No No Yes No No No No No No No No Yes Yes
Fence Gates Yes No No No No Yes No No No No No No No No Yes Yes
Glass Pane Yes No No No No Yes No No No No No No No No Yes Yes
Grindstone Yes No No No No Yes No No No No No No No No Yes Yes
Hanging Sign Yes No No No No Yes No No No No No No Yes No Yes Yes
Honey Block Yes No No No No Yes No No No No No No No No Yes Yes
Hopper Yes No No No No Yes No No No No No No No No Yes Yes
Iron Bars Yes No No No No Yes No No No No No No No No Yes Yes
Leaves Yes No No No No Yes No No Yes No No Yes No Yes Yes Yes
Lectern Yes No No No No Yes No No No No No No No No Yes Yes
Lightning Rod Yes No No No No Yes No No No No No No No No Yes Yes
Slabs Yes No No No No Yes No No No No No No No No Yes Yes
Sniffer Egg Yes No No No No Yes No No No No No No No No Yes Yes
Wall Yes No No No No Yes No No No No No No No No Yes Yes

Everything can be placed on the side of:

Everything cannot be placed on the side of:

  1. a b The block being placed on is destroyed.
  2. a b c d e f g h i j k l The chorus flower may break, depending on its placement.

Placement on bottom of blocks

PlacePlace
OnOn
BlockSprite amethyst-bud.png: Sprite image for amethyst-bud in MinecraftBlockSprite amethyst-cluster.png: Sprite image for amethyst-cluster in Minecraft Amethyst Cluster Bell Buttons Glow Lichen Hanging Sign Lantern Lever Pointed Dripstone Sculk Vein Spore Blossom Vines[n 1] Weeping Vines Item Frame
Brewing Stand No Yes No No Yes Yes No No No Yes No No
Campfire Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes
Chain No Yes No No Yes Yes No No No Yes No No
BlockSprite chest.png: Sprite image for chest in MinecraftBlockSprite ender-chest.png: Sprite image for ender-chest in Minecraft Chests No Yes No No Yes Yes No No No Yes No No
Composter Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes
Daylight Sensor Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes
Decorated Pot No Yes No No Yes Yes No No No Yes No No
Dirt Path Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes
Enchanting Table Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes
End Portal Frame Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes
End Rod No Yes No No Yes Yes No No No Yes No No
Farmland Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes
Fences No Yes No No Yes Yes No No No Yes No No
Fence Gates No No No No No No No No No No No No
Flower Pot No Yes No No Yes Yes No No No Yes No No
Glass Panes No Yes No No Yes Yes No No No Yes No No
Grindstone No Yes[n 2] No No Yes[n 2] Yes[n 2] No No No Yes[n 2] No No
Hanging Sign No Yes No No Yes Yes No No No Yes No No
Heads No Yes No No Yes Yes No No No Yes No No
Honey Block No Yes No No Yes Yes No No No Yes No No
Hopper No Yes[n 3] No No Yes[n 3] Yes[n 3] No No No Yes[n 3] No No
Iron Bars No Yes No No Yes Yes No No No Yes No No
Leaves No No No Yes No No No No Yes No Yes No
Lectern Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes
Lightning Rod No Yes No No Yes Yes No No No Yes No No
Sniffer Egg No Yes No No Yes Yes No No No Yes No No
Trapdoors[n 4] Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes
Turtle Egg No Yes No No Yes Yes No No No Yes No No
Walls No Yes No[7] No Yes Yes No[7] No No Yes No No

Everything can be placed under:

Everything cannot be placed under:

  1. In Bedrock Edition vines cannot be placed under blocks at all.
  2. a b c d Only if the grindstone is facing down.
  3. a b c d Only if the funnel is facing down.
  4. Only if the trapdoor is the bottom half and closed.

Doors and trapdoors

Doors and trapdoors behave in unique ways. The flat side of each block acts as a solid surface, allowing anything to be placed on it. However, all other sides act as non-solid blocks. Because of this, many blocks that can be placed on doors and trapdoors do not stay in place if the door or trapdoor is opened or closed.

Signs and banners can be placed anywhere on a door or a trapdoor and cannot be destroyed unless the door or trapdoor itself is destroyed. Cakes and sea pickles can be placed on the tops of doors and trapdoors and are not destroyed when the door or trapdoor opens and closes. Rails, redstone dust, redstone repeaters, and redstone comparators can be placed only on a closed trapdoor in the top half of a block, but are not destroyed if the trapdoor is opened until the block is updated. All other blocks are destroyed when the door or trapdoor changes states.

Shulker boxes

Shulker boxes typically act as a solid block in that they allow everything to be placed on them. However, many of these blocks are destroyed when the shulker box is opened. This behavior is also dependent on the rotation of the shulker box.

Upward-facing shulker boxes

Upward-facing shulker boxes do not destroy most transparent blocks placed on their tops or bottoms when opened. However, some blocks stop the opening of the box.

While most blocks can be placed on top of upward-facing shulker boxes, the same is not true for blocks placed on the sides. Signs are not destroyed, but the following blocks are.

Sideways-facing shulker boxes

The following blocks stop a sideways shulker box from opening when placed on their front

Sideways facing shulker boxes destroy the following blocks when opened.

Downward-facing shulker boxes

The following blocks stop downward-facing shulker boxes from opening.

Downward-facing shulker boxes do not destroy any blocks placed on their tops or bottoms when opened. However, they do destroy some when placed on the sides.

Pistons

All transparent blocks can be placed on unextended pistons. However, on Java, many blocks cannot be placed on extended pistons and/or are destroyed when pistons extend or retract.

Upward-facing pistons

All blocks (except for vines) can be placed on the top or bottom of an extended upward-facing pistons. Only signs and banners can be placed on the sides of extended upward-facing pistons. However, they destroy most blocks when extending or retracting.

Blocks destroyed on extention[n 1] Blocks destroyed on retraction Blocks that stop extention[n 2] Blocks not destroyed

Sideways-facing pistons

The following blocks can be placed on extended sideways pistons.

Blocks destroyed on extention[n 1] Blocks destroyed on retraction Blocks that stop extention[n 2] Blocks not destroyed

Banners (head)

Downward-facing pistons

All blocks (except vines) can be placed on the top and bottom of extended downward facing pistons. The only blocks that can be placed on the sides of extended downward facing pistons are signs.

Blocks destroyed on extention[n 1] Blocks destroyed on retraction Blocks not destroyed

Torch (side)

  1. a b c If the block can be placed on an extended piston, it breaks upon retraction.
  2. a b If the block is placed on the extended piston, it is destroyed on retraction.

Block placement mechanics

Most blocks can be attached to any surface (top, bottom, or side) of any other block, even blocks with irregular shapes such as pointed dripstone; this is the default block placement behavior. Some blocks override this default behavior and will only attach to specific blocks, or blocks with a particular type of surface.

Surface and block types

Solid surface

A solid surface is a surface with a collision box that prevents an entity from moving through the surface. Can be any shape.


Full square solid surface

A solid surface with a square-shaped collision box that is a full block wide.


Small square solid surface

A solid surface with a square-shaped collision box that covers a smaller surface than a full block (e.g. fence post). Any block that can be placed on a small square solid surface can also be placed on a full square solid surface.


Hollow square surface

A surface with a solid perimeter, but hollow interior (e.g. composter or hopper). Blocks that can be placed on a surface with a hollow square can also be placed on a full square solid surface.


Full opaque block

Full solid blocks that do not allow light to pass through them (e.g. stone).


Leaves

Leaves exhibit unique behavior when it comes to being placed on. Blocks that check for full square, small square, and hollow square solid surfaces cannot be placed on leaves blocks. However, blocks that only check for a generic solid surface (e.g. banners, signs, etc.) can be placed on leaves. This is because leaves do not actually have a defined side shape for other blocks to check, and are treated as having a generic solid surface.


References

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