Learning how to carve a pumpkin in Minecraft is one of those satisfying crafting moments that feels way more rewarding than it should be. Whether you’re building a spooky Halloween village or just want to add some festive flair to your base, carved pumpkins are the perfect decorative block. In this guide, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know to carve pumpkins like a pro—no fancy tools required, just a little know-how.
Table of Contents
Gather Your Materials First
Before you start carving, you’ll need to stock up on the right supplies. The beauty of pumpkin carving in Minecraft is that it requires minimal resources—basically just pumpkins and shears. Grab yourself a pair of shears (crafted from two iron ingots arranged diagonally), and you’re ready to go. If you don’t have iron yet, hit some stone with a pickaxe to find ore. The whole setup takes maybe five minutes of gathering if you’re starting fresh.
Pro tip: Keep multiple pairs of shears in your inventory. They wear out eventually, and there’s nothing worse than being mid-carving spree and running out of durability. Stock up on iron ingots while you’re at it—you can always craft more shears as backup.
Where to Find Pumpkins
Pumpkins spawn naturally in patches throughout the world, usually in plains biomes, forest biomes, and sometimes near villages. The easiest way to locate them is to wander around during daylight and look for the distinctive orange blocks scattered across the landscape. They typically grow in clusters, so once you find one, there are usually more nearby. Harvest them by breaking them with any tool—they’ll drop as items you can carry.
If you’re having trouble finding natural pumpkins, consider setting up a farm. Plant pumpkin seeds (which you can get by breaking tall grass or finding them in village chests) and they’ll grow into full pumpkins within a few Minecraft days. This is especially useful if you’re planning a large decorative project and need dozens of carved pumpkins.
The Carving Process Explained
This is where the magic happens. Hold your shears and right-click (or use your secondary action key) on a pumpkin block. You’ll hear a satisfying cutting sound, and boom—the pumpkin transforms into a carved pumpkin with a glowing jack-o’-lantern face. The carved pumpkin face always points toward you when you carve it, which is handy for directional building.
Here’s the thing: carved pumpkins emit a light level of 15, which is the brightest light source in the game besides fire and lava. This makes them incredibly useful for lighting up dark areas without the fire hazard. Unlike uncarved pumpkins, the carved version glows with an eerie orange light that’s perfect for spooky builds or Halloween-themed projects.
One important note—you can’t “uncarve” a pumpkin once it’s carved. The carved pumpkin is a separate block from the uncarved version, so plan accordingly. If you need both carved and uncarved pumpkins in your build, gather extras.
Smart Placement Strategies
Where you place your carved pumpkins makes all the difference between a tacky build and something that looks genuinely impressive. Stack them vertically to create pumpkin pillars, arrange them in patterns across rooflines, or nestle them into landscape features like hillsides and garden beds. The carved face always points toward the player when placed, so you can control which direction the jack-o’-lantern “looks.”
Try clustering carved pumpkins around your base entrance for a welcoming Halloween vibe. Line pathways with them for atmospheric lighting that beats torches hands-down. Combine them with dark wood blocks, black concrete, and purple lighting for a genuinely spooky aesthetic. The contrast between the warm orange glow and darker surroundings really makes them pop.
Using Carved Pumpkins for Light
Since carved pumpkins emit light, they’re a legitimate alternative to torches and lanterns—and honestly, they look cooler. String them along the edges of your base perimeter instead of placing random torches everywhere. Use them to light up underground farms and mining operations. In caves and dungeons, carved pumpkins create an eerie ambiance that torches simply can’t match.
The light emission from carved pumpkins spreads in all directions, so you don’t need to worry about placement angles like you do with lanterns. Place them roughly every 12-15 blocks apart for complete light coverage, similar to torch spacing. This is especially useful if you’re building in a dark biome or underground and want to avoid mob spawning without sacrificing aesthetics.
Creative Build Ideas
Once you master the basics, the possibilities explode. Build a haunted pumpkin patch by carving dozens of pumpkins and arranging them in rows like a real farm. Create a jack-o’-lantern tower by stacking carved pumpkins vertically as a landmark. Design a spooky scarecrow using carved pumpkins as the head and body parts.
For seasonal builders, consider a pumpkin-themed village where carved pumpkins serve as both decoration and functional lighting. Mix carved and uncarved pumpkins for visual variety. Combine them with hay bales, dark oak wood, and orange wool to create cohesive autumn-themed structures. The key is using them as intentional design elements rather than random scattered decorations.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Don’t carve pumpkins too close together without planning the overall design first. Carved pumpkins take up space and emit light, so crowding them creates an overwhelming orange glow that looks messy. Space them intentionally with breathing room between clusters.
Avoid using carved pumpkins as your only light source in large areas—mix them with other lighting methods for better visual balance. Don’t forget that carved pumpkins are directional and face toward you when placed; plan ahead if you need them facing specific directions for your build’s story.
Also, remember that carved pumpkins are decorative blocks in most contexts. If you’re building a functional farm, keep uncarved pumpkins for harvesting seeds and growing more pumpkins. Save your carved versions purely for aesthetic purposes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you get pumpkins from carved pumpkins?
No, carved pumpkins are purely decorative. They don’t drop anything when broken and can’t be turned back into uncarved pumpkins. If you need pumpkins for farming or crafting, harvest the uncarved versions instead.
Do carved pumpkins prevent mob spawning?
Yes, carved pumpkins emit light level 15, which prevents hostile mobs from spawning in that area. This makes them excellent for mob-proofing spaces while maintaining a spooky aesthetic.
Can you place carved pumpkins underwater?
Yes, carved pumpkins can be placed underwater and will still emit light. This creates interesting underwater lighting effects, though the glow is less dramatic underwater due to water’s light absorption properties.
What’s the difference between carved and uncarved pumpkins?
Uncarved pumpkins are solid orange blocks used for farming and decoration. Carved pumpkins have a glowing jack-o’-lantern face and emit light level 15. You carve uncarved pumpkins using shears to create carved versions.
Can you craft carved pumpkins without shears?
No, shears are the only way to carve pumpkins in survival mode. In creative mode, you can grab carved pumpkins directly from the inventory.
Final Thoughts
Mastering how to carve a pumpkin in Minecraft opens up a whole world of decorative possibilities. Whether you’re building seasonal structures, lighting up dark areas, or just adding festive touches to your world, carved pumpkins deliver serious visual impact with minimal effort. The process itself is straightforward—find pumpkins, grab shears, carve away—but the creative applications are nearly limitless. Start with simple placements around your base, experiment with different arrangements, and before long you’ll have a genuinely impressive jack-o’-lantern display that makes your builds feel alive and intentional. Happy carving!
