~ BUILD A SPHERE, ONE LAYER AT A TIME ~
Minecraft Sphere Generator
Turn a diameter into a complete block-by-block sphere plan. Choose a hollow shell for a globe or floating base, or a solid sphere for a filled sculpture. Inspect each horizontal layer, see how it lines up with the layer below, and download the full plan. Free to use in your browser, with no account needed.
STYLE
DISPLAY
Blocks: 1,850 · Layers: 21
64-block stacks needed: 29 (rounded up)
All layers, from bottom to top
Select a layer to preview it. Layer 1 is the bottom. The block count includes only blocks placed on that layer.
centre · Odd diameter → a single centre block. Quarter symmetry: build one quadrant, then mirror it 4×.
How to build a sphere in Minecraft
- Choose the outside diameter. Enter the full width of the sphere in blocks, from one outside edge to the other. The same number sets its depth and height. The tool supports diameters from 1 to 96. A 21-block sphere has 21 horizontal layers, not a radius of 21 blocks.
- Pick a hollow shell or a solid sphere. Hollow leaves the interior empty and is useful for rooms, globes and glass enclosures. Solid fills every position inside the sphere. The block total and every layer update together, so collect materials for the mode you actually intend to build.
- Start with the bottom layer. The preview opens at the middle so you can see the sphere's widest section. Select Start at bottom before placing blocks. Layer 1 is the lowest layer; each following layer sits one block higher. Keep the same square footprint and centre throughout the build.
- Build upward without shifting the centre. Place the blue blocks shown on the current layer. Grey blocks are only a reference to the layer below, not extra blocks to place on this layer. Use the centre guide and the layer overview to stay aligned, especially where the sphere begins to narrow.
- Download a plan to keep beside your build. Save the current layer as a PNG, or download the complete text instructions for every layer. The text uses numbered rows and column ranges in the same top-down view as the preview. Read each range inclusively: columns 4–7 means four blocks, in columns 4, 5, 6 and 7.
Sphere sizes and block counts
These counts are calculated by the same generator used above. They are exact for this tool's plan, including the closed top and bottom of a hollow sphere. Choose a size to open it in hollow mode. Supports, access scaffolding and decorative details are not included.
| Diameter (blocks) | Hollow shell | Solid sphere |
|---|---|---|
| 5 × 5 × 5 | 74 | 81 |
| 8 × 8 × 8 | 224 | 280 |
| 10 × 10 × 10 | 368 | 552 |
| 12 × 12 × 12 | 536 | 912 |
| 16 × 16 × 16 | 1,064 | 2,176 |
| 20 × 20 × 20 | 1,664 | 4,224 |
| 21 × 21 × 21 | 1,850 | 4,945 |
| 24 × 24 × 24 | 2,408 | 7,208 |
| 30 × 30 × 30 | 3,944 | 14,328 |
| 32 × 32 × 32 | 4,496 | 17,256 |
| 40 × 40 × 40 | 7,112 | 33,552 |
| 48 × 48 × 48 | 10,256 | 57,856 |
| 64 × 64 × 64 | 18,608 | 137,376 |
| 96 × 96 × 96 | 42,248 | 463,400 |
Diameter, radius and the centre of your build
Diameter is the complete outside width; radius is half that width. A diameter of 20 gives a radius of 10, while a diameter of 21 gives a radius of 10.5 in this generator's geometry. This distinction matters when you copy a size from a tutorial that gives a radius instead of a diameter. Reserve a square footprint as wide as your chosen diameter, then the same number of blocks vertically.
Odd and even diameters have different centres. An odd diameter has a single centre column in each horizontal direction, with one middle layer vertically. An even diameter has its centre between blocks, so the horizontal guide crosses a 2 × 2 group and there are two middle layers. Either is valid. Choose the parity that lines up with your doorway, tower or existing base rather than moving individual layers sideways.
Why a hollow sphere is not just a stack of thin rings
A closed sphere needs a bottom and a top as well as curved side walls. Near the poles, a hollow layer can therefore look like a filled disk. Closer to the equator, the same shell opens into a ring. Replacing every layer with the outline of a circle would remove parts of those caps and produce a different build.
This generator first includes blocks whose centres lie inside the mathematical sphere. For a hollow sphere, it keeps a block when at least one of its 26 neighbouring positions lies outside. That creates a connected boundary with extra coverage around diagonal slopes. It is not a selectable, uniformly one-block-thick radial wall. Different generators and in-game commands may choose a different boundary rule, so their block counts need not match this plan.
Use symmetry to check your layers
The top and bottom halves mirror each other. In a 21-layer sphere, layer 1 matches layer 21, layer 2 matches layer 20, and layer 11 is the middle. In a 20-layer sphere, layers 10 and 11 match at the centre. The layer overview shows each layer's block count, which helps you spot a skipped or duplicated level before you close the top.
The plan gives block positions, not a material or construction sequence that defeats gravity. Choose building blocks suited to your design, and allow for temporary supports or scaffolding where needed. For a hollow base, decide where access openings will go before covering them. Any doorway, window or deliberate gap changes the final number of blocks from the unmodified total shown here.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make both hollow and solid spheres?
Yes. Switch between Hollow shell and Solid. The preview, complete layer plan and total block count all use the selected mode. Small hollow spheres may use the same blocks as solid ones because there is no interior block far enough from the boundary to remove.
What does the diameter setting measure?
It measures the full outside width in blocks, not the radius. The sphere is the same number of blocks wide, deep and high. Enter a value from 1 to 96; both odd and even diameters are supported.
Why is the first layer not always one block?
The plan samples an ideal sphere at block centres. The lowest horizontal slice can contain several blocks, particularly for larger diameters. This is part of the rounded cap, not an alignment error. Build the layer shown rather than replacing it with a single block.
Do the grey blocks belong to the current layer?
No. Grey blocks show positions occupied in the layer immediately below that are empty on the current layer. They help you align changes in the outline. Only the blue blocks count toward the current layer and the exported placement instructions.
Can I use the plan in Java and Bedrock Edition?
The plan is a list of block positions for manual building, so you can follow it in either edition. It does not install a structure, run commands or require a mod. The PNG is an image, and the text download is a human-readable building plan, not a schematic file.
Can I download all layers at once?
Yes. Download all layers saves a text file containing every layer, its block count, and the occupied column ranges for each non-empty row. Download current layer PNG saves only the layer currently on screen, including the display guides you have enabled.
Why does another sphere generator give a different block count?
Generators can differ in where they place the mathematical centre, how they round the surface and which neighbours they use to define a hollow shell. This tool uses a block-centre inclusion test and a 26-neighbour boundary. Use one plan consistently instead of combining layers from different algorithms.
MakeBead is not affiliated with Mojang Studios or Microsoft. Minecraft is a trademark of Mojang Studios.