You’ve probably spotted the Minecraft smithing table recipe in your crafting table, but it’s not obvious what it’s used for, or whether it’s even useful to the average player. A smithing table is used to alter your tools and armor, and you’ll need smithing templates alongside a selection of materials. This process retains any enchantments you’ve added to your tools and armor, and it can also be used to upgrade diamond equipment to netherite. If you’ve got plenty of villagers around, the smithing table is also needed for the toolsmith to work.
How to get a smithing table
You can occasionally find a smithing table in a village where a toolsmith is working–you’ll find them inside their houses. They can also spawn in trail ruins. You can use any tool to break and collect them, but an axe is fastest.
However, the most effective way to get a smithing table is just to craft your own. You’ll need two iron ingots and four planks of any wood.
How to use a smithing table
You can use a smithing table to upgrade diamond gear, change villagers’ professions, apply armor trims, add bass to note blocks, or even for fuel. Simply placing a smithing table underneath a note block will give the note more bass.
How to upgrade diamond gear to netherite
When using the smithing table, your diamond gear will retain any enchantments applied to it. It will also retain its degradation status, so using a nearly-broken diamond pickaxe in a smithing table to upgrade it to netherite will not repair it. Using a smithing table to upgrade items with netherite does not cost any experience points.
To use the smithing table in this way, add one netherite ingot, the diamond gear, and the netherite upgrade armor trim. Then retrieve the item from the smithing table, and it’s ready to use.
How to change villager professions
When a smithing table exists in a village and has not been claimed by a villager already, it’s possible to make a profession change for an existing villager. However, if the villager has already been traded with, it cannot change professions. The best way to guarantee this is by not trading with the villager and then placing the smithing table near them. They will eventually begin using the table and their profession will change to toolsmith.
How to apply armor trims
To use the smithing table to add an armor trim, which has only aesthetic value, you will need a smithing template, the armor piece, and the mineral or gem for the color you want the trim to be. The armor’s pattern will depend on the smithing template you used during the process.
Armor colors
You can use the following items to guarantee armor color during this process:
- Amethyst Shard – purple
- Copper Ingot – orange
- Diamond – light blue
- Emerald – green
- Gold Ingot – yellow
- Iron Ingot – gray
- Lapis Lazuli – dark blue
- Nether Quartz – white
- Netherite Ingot – red/brown
- Redstone Dust – red
- Resin Brick – light orange
Now that you’re clued in on smithing tables and their various uses, check out our Minecraft guides hub, which has plenty more tips and tricks for your playthrough.
