Sorting and finding parts

Most of the time spent on a build is not spent pressing bricks together. It goes into looking for the next piece. A little organization before you start makes every build faster and a lot less frustrating, whether you are working from a small tub or a room full of drawers.

This guide covers how to sort a collection, how to read the parts list on a Brick Recipe page, what to do when you are missing something, and a short checklist for before you begin.

Sort by type first, then by color

There are two obvious ways to sort bricks: by shape or by color. For building from instructions, sorting by shape first usually wins. When a step asks for a “Plate 1 x 2”, you know exactly which container to open, and spotting the right color inside a small pile of plates is quick. Hunting for one specific shape in a box of mixed red pieces is much slower, because many parts look alike from above.

A practical set of groups to start with:

Bricks — the tall, basic blocks, split into small (1 x 1 to 1 x 4) and large (2 x 2 and up) if you have a lot.
Plates — the thin pieces, one third the height of a brick.
Tiles — plates with a smooth top and no studs.
Slopes — anything angled, including curved slopes.
Round parts — round bricks, round plates, cones and dishes.
Technic and connectors — pins, axles, hinges and clips.
Details — flowers, fences, windows, bars, small decorative pieces.

As a collection grows, split the biggest groups by color, or by size within a group. Start coarse and split a container whenever it gets hard to search.

Containers that work

Shallow containers beat deep ones, because you can see everything at a glance. Compartment boxes, small food storage boxes, egg cartons or a muffin tin all work for small parts. For an active build, a few small trays or bowls on the table are useful: one for the pieces of the current step and one for pieces you have pulled out but not used yet.

Reading the parts list

Every recipe page has a full parts list under the build steps. Each row gives you:

A picture of the part in the right color.
The part name, such as “Brick 1 x 4” or “Slope Brick 45 2 x 2”. Sizes are given in studs: the first number is the width and the second the length. A third number, as in “Brick 1 x 1 x 3”, is the height in bricks.
The part number, shown in small gray type under the name (for example 3010). These numbers come from a shared catalog of part shapes, and many builders use them to identify pieces exactly. When two parts have almost the same name, the number tells them apart.
The color name, with a small swatch. Color names such as “Light Bluish Grey” and “Dark Bluish Grey” are specific, so it is worth learning the difference between similar shades.
The quantity you need, with a total of all pieces at the bottom.

The same part in two colors appears on two rows. The step cards use the same names, numbers and color names, so whatever you learn reading the parts list carries straight over to the steps.

Words that come up often

Plate and brick describe height; three plates stacked are as tall as one brick.
Tile means a smooth top with no studs to build on.
Round means a circular footprint, as in “Plate 1 x 1 Round”.
Inverted describes a slope or dish that faces downward.
With Groove, with Hollow Stud and similar phrases describe small variants. Older and newer versions of the same shape often fit and look the same in a finished model.

Substituting parts and colors

You will not always have every piece. Most builds handle substitution well if you follow a few rules:

Hidden parts are the easiest to swap. Pieces inside walls, under floors or behind other pieces only need the right shape. Any color will do.
Combine smaller pieces for a larger one. Two 1 x 2 bricks can stand in for a 1 x 4 in most places, though the wall will be a little weaker at the join. A 2 x 4 plate can be replaced by two 2 x 2 plates if something above locks them together.
Three plates equal one brick in height. If you are short of a brick, a stack of three plates of the same footprint fills the gap.
Keep visible colors consistent. If you swap a color on the outside, swap it everywhere in that area. One odd piece in a wall stands out more than a whole wall in a different shade.
Check the next steps before substituting. A piece that seems hidden now may be visible later, or may have to carry something with studs on top. Drag the slider ahead to see what goes on top.

If you need specific pieces, online part marketplaces and secondhand sellers exist where you can search by part number and color, which is where those numbers in the parts list become most useful.

Check you have everything before you start

Finding out at step 17 that you are missing a piece from step 3 is no fun. A quick check up front avoids it:

Go through the parts list row by row and pull each piece into a tray, counting as you go. Tick rows off on paper, or simply work top to bottom.
Separate the unusual parts. Windows, dishes, round plates and decorative pieces are the ones most often missing; put them aside where you can see them.
Note any gaps and decide on a substitute now, using the rules above.
Compare the total. The bottom of the parts list shows the total piece count; it is a useful sanity check on a large build.

For big builds, you can gather pieces in batches instead: collect only the parts for the next several steps from the step cards.

Next steps

Once your pieces are sorted, see how to read the instructions for a tour of the viewer and step cards, or choose your first build. The Stone Well and the Lemonade Stand are both small builds with short parts lists, good for trying out a new sorting system.