4. The Extinguishing Fireplace Trapdoor
What This Idea Means
A cozy living room fireplace serves as a classic cover for a secret basement entry. Lighting the Netherrack hearth keeps the fire burning infinitely, blocking view and entrance. Extinguishing the fire (or dousing it via a hidden water trigger) temporarily disables the flame, allowing you to drop down into a hidden shaft before the hearth automatically reignites.
Materials Needed
- 1 Netherrack
- 1 Dispenser
- 1 Water Bucket
- 1 Flint and Steel
- Redstone Dust & Repeaters
- 1 Sticky Piston
- 1 Wooden or Stone Button
Step-by-Step Tutorial: How to Make It
- Hearth Setup: Dig out the center floor of your fireplace and place Netherrack one block lower than floor level.
- Dispenser Placement: Place a dispenser facing sideways into the flame space, containing a Water Bucket. Place a secondary dispenser facing the Netherrack containing Flint and Steel.
- Piston Retractor: Place a sticky piston underneath the Netherrack block pointing upward.
- Circuit Design: Wire a hidden button nearby. When pressed, the button sends a signal to:
- Activate the water dispenser (extinguishing the fire immediately).
- Retract the sticky piston down, dropping the Netherrack block to create a hole.
- After a 3-second delay via repeaters, pull the water back into the bucket, raise the Netherrack block, and trigger the Flint and Steel dispenser to reignite the fire.
- Drop Tunnel: Build a vertical drop shaft beneath the Netherrack with water or slime blocks at the bottom to prevent fall damage.
Tips and Variations
- Splash Potion Trigger: Throw a splash water potion directly at the hearth to douse it manually if you prefer zero external buttons.