How to roll a joint

How to Roll a Joint: An Easy Beginner’s Guide

How to become a rolling master in a matter of minutes!

by Kelly Pitts – November 30, 2020

Joints are a classic way to enjoy cannabis, and rolling your own can be both satisfying and economical. With the right steps and a little bit of practice, you’ll be rolling like a pro before you know it. In this guide, we’ll show you how to roll a joint for complete beginners.

What do I need to roll a joint?

Rolling Tray: Although a rolling tray is optional, it provides a clean surface to contain any cannabis that may fall during the rolling process. Many find that this is a better option than picking up stray pieces of weed off of your carpet or lap and getting all manner of dust, hair, and lint caught in it. If you don’t have a designated rolling tray, a fresh magazine, paper plate, folder or notebook can make a great alternative.

Grinder: Grinders are an ideal resource for efficiently and uniformly grinding your weed without getting your fingers sticky in the process. If you don’t have a grinder, consider using a pair of scissors.

Cannabis Flower: If you have multiple options available, choose a strain that is suited for the time of day and the occasion. For example, you may want the uplifting effects of a sativa during the day or at a social gathering, while an indica may be more appropriate for a solo bedtime session.

Rolling Papers: The size of your rolling papers is up to your preference. You can choose between standard or king-sized papers(which are good for rolling larger joints). Whenever possible, look for papers that are unbleached, organic, and made with vegetable-based inks and adhesives.

Filter(optional): Also known as a “crutch,” you can choose to use a store-bought filter or make one of your own. Filters are optional, but they offer the added benefits of making your joint easier to grip, keeping any small particles from getting into your mouth, and preventing saliva from moistening the cannabis.

Step 1. Prepare your cannabis

Place your rolling tray on a stable surface like a coffee table. Grind your cannabis uniformly to a medium coarseness—about the size of a grain of rice, but not into powder. If you don’t have a grinder, break your weed down with scissors or your fingers. If your hands get sticky in this process, wash them with soap to remove any residue before moving on to the next step.

Step 2. Make a crutch (Optional)

If you choose to use a filter, and you don’t have any commercially made tips, you can use any kind of thick paper(think cardstock or a magazine cover) to make your own. Some rolling paper packages even include filter papers that you can use. Tear or cut your thick piece of paper to roughly ¾” by 2 ½”. Make a few accordion folds on one end of the filter paper, then roll the remaining paper around the folds until it forms into a short tube.

Step 3. Ready Your paper

Remove a sheet of rolling paper from your pack. Hold the paper loosely between your middle finger and thumb in your dominant hand and make sure that the glue strip is facing you. If you are using a filter, place it in the crease of your paper and hold it in place with your index finger.

Step 4. Pack it up

Use your other hand to sprinkle your desired amount of cannabis into the remaining part of the paper’s crease. Avoid pressing down on the cannabis to prevent it from sticking together too much. Once filled, bring both hands to the joint paper and pinch the folded paper between your thumbs and forefingers. Slide the paper back and forth between your fingers until the cannabis lightly packs down, just enough to form into a tube or cone shape.

Step 5. Tuck and roll

Once the contents of your joint have taken form, it’s time to get rolling. Bring the front(unglued) edge of the rolling paper up and over the packed cannabis and tuck it in so that it encircles the core of the joint. Once the front edge of the paper is flush around the center of the joint, use your thumbs to continue rolling in an upward motion until only the glue strip remains exposed.

Step 6. Seal

Moisten the adhesive directly with your tongue, or lick the tip of your finger and dab along the glue strip. Secure the glue strip to the outer wall of the joint, forming a complete seal. Gently tap the filter or mouthpiece side of the joint on the tray to pack the cannabis down slightly. If the joint still feels overly loose, use a pen or other narrow tool to pack the weed down further. [Remember: Not too tight!] On the open side of the joint, twist the remaining rolling paper to form a small point.

The final step is to spark it up and enjoy!

How much weed is in a joint?

Many pre-made joints that you’ll find in a dispensary come rolled with 1 gram of cannabis. Other commercially-made joints come in a 2-pack with each containing a half gram. When rolling your own, you’re free to use as much cannabis as you want, but somewhere between 0.3-1 gram is usually a good place to start. King size rolling papers will allow you to roll even larger joints.

Joints vs. Blunts vs. Glass: What’s the Difference?

The best way to smoke is a matter of personal opinion. It largely depends on what kind of experience you’re looking for.

Rolling a good joint takes time and practice, and requires burning papers in addition to cannabis. These papers can contain artificial dyes, artificial flavors, and adhesives. To avoid these additives, some may prefer to smoke out of glass, which also allows you to experience the true aromas and flavors of your cannabis. Glass is heavier and breakable, however, and may not be as travel-friendly as a joint.

A blunt, which is cannabis rolled in dried tobacco leaves, typically requires more weed(2-3g) than a joint, but might be better for sharing among a larger group. If smoking alone or with one or two others, a 1-gram joint may be the preferable serving size.

Knowing how to roll a joint is a great skill to add to your smoker’s toolbox. Good luck, and happy rolling!

How to Roll a Joint for Beginners: An Extensive Guide on Rolling

Learning how to roll a joint is an essential stoner skill.

Glass breaks, is expensive and is hard to travel with.

Joints, on the other hand, are, well, the opposite of all that.

Today, I’ll teach you not only how to roll a joint for beginners, but also various joint rolling techniques and tricks that will have you rolling perfect joints, every time!

How to Prepare a Joint

Before you learn who to roll, you need to think about how you need to get your cannabis ready to be rolled.

What do you need?

Just a paper and some weed! (How cool is that?)

Thrive Leads Shortcode could not be rendered, please check it in Thrive Leads Section!

There isn’t much that goes into the preparation of a joint, but I wanted to talk a little bit about how to prepare the cannabis for one.

Some smokers like to use grinders, and you really can’t go wrong with that.

If you grind up your bud to finely for a joint, however, it can lead to a joint that ends up being hard to hit and gets bogged down with resin.

When rolling up a joint, it’s always best to go with a somewhat rougher grind.

Check out this guide to look at grinders that work perfectly for joint rolling

Aside from that, make sure you have some good joint papers and maybe a rolling tray.

What Can I Roll a Joint With

Now, there comes a time in every smoker’s life that they get caught with nothing to smoke with and nothing to roll with.

When this happens, you can either go full on engineer and try to make a homemade bong or find something creative to roll a joint with.

But a word from the wise, don’t use anything other than real joint papers to roll up.

True, you can use a gum wrapper with the aluminum peeled off or corn husk or even printer paper.

Be patient, make a gas station run and enjoy cannabis the way it was meant to be enjoyed.

How to Roll a Joint for Beginners

If you came here to simply learn how to roll a joint, this section is all you’re going to need.

This will break down step by step how to roll a joint.

No tricks or fancy equipment, just the tried and true, old school way.

You can either watch this video or, if you prefer, you can read how to roll a joint step by step.

Step 1: Grind Your Cannabis

Before you can roll, you need to prep everything.

As mentioned earlier, you can use a grinder or a rough finger grind to prepare your cannabis.

You can also use scissors or any other homemade grinders.

I recommend you play around with different methods to see which you like the best because they do not all smoke the same.

Step 2: Fill the Joint with Cannabis

Now, take your paper and fill it with the shake you got from grinding your cannabis.

If you’re using a filter, place it at one end of the joint.

Usually, a good amount of cannabis for a joint is around a half gram (you can weigh it out with a scale if you want).

With one hand holding the paper, use your free hand to shape the joint by moving the cannabis around to where it’s evenly distributed across the paper.

A lot of beginners tend to roll joints with fat bellies.

Take the time to shape the joint properly.

Step 3: Pack the Joint and Distributed the Cannabis

So you’ve got the joint loaded and shaped, now is the time to roll it up.

Do so by pinching the paper between your fingertips and slowly roll it back and forth to pack the cannabis down.

Once you see it taking the shape of a joint, it’s time to go to the next step.

Step 4: Roll the Joint

Everything up to this point has been easy.

Now is the time that the great joint rollers separate themselves from the beginners.

Start by tucking the unglued side of your paper into the roll.

Lick the glued edge of the paper and roll one end down to hold it into place.

If you’re using a filter, roll this end into place first.

It makes it easier and helps guide the paper as it rolls around itself.

Slowly, work your way down the rest of the joint, tucking and sealing the joint as you go.

Step 5: Finishing Touches

Now that you have a rolled joint, you should pack it to ensure an even burn.

You can pack it by either using something like a pen to pack the cannabis down through the top of the joint, or you can pinch the top of the joint and lightly flick the joint back and forth till it packs down.

How to Roll a Filter for a Joint

Filters are also called crutches or tips.

The idea behind them is they allow you to smoke more of your bud instead of being left with an unsmokeable roach.

You also can smoke a joint a little bit better because it helps fight the resin clogging that usually happens at towards the end of the joint.

To make one, it’s best to use a thin cardboard like a business card.

Some papers even come with crutches built in, or you can just use an empty paper box.

RAW also makes some packs of just filter papers that, of course, work perfectly.

They’re pretty easy to make.

Just make a couple of accordion folds on one end of the cardboard (basically, fold the end into a W) and then roll it up thick enough to match the width of the joint you plan on rolling.

Again, it’s not required to use a filter for your joints, but they do prevent scooby snacks (swallowing cannabis), make the joint more stable and make it easier to smoke.

How to Roll a 2 Paper Joint

Now, rolling a two paper joint is exactly like rolling a single paper joint.

The only thing you need to learn is how to attach the two joint papers.

There are two different ways you can go about doing it.

The first way is the preferred method that is easier to roll, and that’s to take the second paper and attach it by shaping the two papers into an L shape.

You can see how it’s done in the video below.

The other way to roll a two paper joint is by attaching the papers slightly overlapping each other.

While this one sounds cooler since it will be a bigger joint, it tends to be pretty unstable and clog up from massive resin build up.

You’re better off rolling up a blunt.

How to Roll a Joint with a Joint roller

Using a joint roller is one of the easiest ways for beginners to learn how to roll joints.

The concept is pretty much the same as rolling one free hand, except the machine does the work of holding the paper in the right place for you.

How to Roll a Joint Dollar Bill

You’re not going to be smoking a dollar bill!

Instead, you’re using the dollar bill as a makeshift joint roller to roll perfect joints quickly and effortlessly every time.

Usually, when I’m asked to teach a beginner how to roll a joint, using a dollar bill is the first method I go to.

It’s like joint rolling with training wheels, and it helps you perfect the motions.

Here’s how to do it:

How to Roll a Joint Hash

Rolling a joint with hash isn’t any different than rolling a normal joint.

You can use any of the joint rolling techniques mentioned above to do it.

The whole idea behind it is just putting hash in your joint.

There are right and wrong ways to put hash in your joints, though.

If your hash is very dry, like compacted kief hash is, use a knife to scrape off some of it into the cannabis you have prepped for your joint.

If the hash has a more play-dough consistency, then take a little bit of it and roll the hash until it’​s a long and very skinny line of hash.

It needs to be roughly the same size of the joint.

Place the hash on top of the weed and roll it up.

From my experience, if you just tear off pieces of hash and throw them in the joint it smokes unevenly and causes the joint to run once you get to a chunk of hash.

These methods distribute the hash evenly creating a better smoke.

Conclusion

If you’ve managed to make it through this extensive rolling guide, I think it’s safe to say you can roll a joint now.

At the end of the day, it takes practice.

Perfection is only achieved through repetition, and it’s only natural to struggle at first.

Remember, we can’t all be Tony Greenhand.

Don’t worry, though, it’s a ride of passage, and once you master it, it will be a skill that never leaves you.

Anything you would like me to add to this guide on how to roll a joint for beginners?

Did it help you get over the hump and start rolling some masterpieces?

How to Roll a Joint | Beginner Tips for Rolling Better Joints

It is extremely vital for every stoner to know how to roll a joint. Actually, the assumption is if you are a stoner, then you definitely know how to roll a joint. On the contrary, many WEED stoners do not know how to do it and when they do, it is all wrong. The cannabis community today has more ways of rolling up their joints some of which are too hard to comprehend especially for beginners.

Joints today come in the shapes of favourite cartoon characters, superheroes and many more. If you are a beginner and trying out rolling skills, you do not have to go with the trends. You need to learn from the basics and in this article, I will give you a guideline on how to roll a joint like a pro.

Table of Contents

Best Article About Marijuana Fact On 08- 2022

Best Rolling Machine On Amazon:

Why smoke a joint and how do you prepare it.

The first question you should probably ask yourself before learning the steps is why you should smoke a joint. The best answer for this is smoking CANNABIS is the best way to feel its effects whether you are smoking it for medical benefits or you just want to feel high. For you to get a good smoke out of your weed, the joint must be easy to smoke and therefore comes the reason for proper rolling.

You however do not just up and start rolling but there are things to put into consideration first. The major one is getting your weed ready for rolling and the particular items you need for the task. Not much goes into getting ready for rolling because all you need are just two simple things. Weed, paper, and you are good to go.

Even though there is not much you need for rolling, you still need to prepare your weed for rolling. People use different ways to prepare their weed for rolling; some use grinders to break up the buds because using fingers to do the same will not give the expected product. Also using finders to break the buds destroys the trichomes, which are the most essential parts of the buds.

When using a grinder, you also have to be careful not to grind the buds too finely in order to avoid resin. Having resin on your ground buds may lead to the joint becoming hard to hit. Now that you have a grinder, the next thing to make sure you have is a joint paper. You could also need a rolling tray to make your work easier.

In some instances, you may be in a situation where you have absolutely nothing to roll your weed with in the form of a real joint paper. this should not worry you because once that craving strikes, you will have to take care of it. You can make a homemade bong or turn an ordinary paper into your roll.

You however have to note that real joint papers are the best to use for your weed. Printer papers, gum wrappers without the aluminium peel end off or even cornhusks can all play the part but they are the best to use. You can only use them if you have no other alternative and maybe only once as you prepare to look for authentic joint rolling papers.

Guidelines on how to roll a joint

In this section, we will give a step-by-step guideline on how to perfect your joint rolling skills. These are the traditional ways of rolling a joint with no tricks or any fancy equipment.

Step One

Breaking down the buds

The first thing to learn is how to break your buds into a smoke able consistency. Some people, very few I might add smoke their weed without using pipes or papers but I can assure you that this is very dangerous as it takes a toll on the lungs. Preparing the weed makes it easier to smoke and with better effects.

As I said earlier, at this stage, you can prepare your weed to a good consistency using a good grinder. For one of the best grinders you can use for this step, check out the product review details below.

Best grinder product review.

Space Case Grinder

Space grinders are some of the best products to use for grinding your buds. The product that many people have tried to imitate but never managed to duplicate is a worthy quality product that will last you a lifetime. It features grinding teeth that do not dull your weed and a screen that does not clog. The grinder has a neodymium magnet that holds it in place throughout the grinding process.

The benefit of using this grinder is that you can grind more weed buds all at once which saves you time. The USA made product grinds the weed to the perfect consistency and it requires very little maintenance. It is easy to clean and one of those investments you will never regret buying.

Step Two

Prepare a filter

Using a filter is optional and many weed smokers prefer not to use it. The main aim of a filter is to prevent loose weed form getting into your mouth as you smoke. It also prevents resin from getting into the mouthpiece and burning your fingers. The reason why some people do not like using filters is because they bring out the taste of paper, which becomes more prevalent as you continue smoking. This dilutes the real taste of weed.

If you choose to use a filter, take a piece of it and fold one end into the W shape. Then take another filter paper and roll it tightly around the W shape making sure there are no gaps in between. Note that you can have whatever shape you want and not necessary the W shape. If you choose to skip this step, then go direct to the next one.

Step Three

Place your weed on paper

The paper is everything when it comes to rolling up a joint. If you choose not to use a filter, then it is fine but if you want to go with the filter, select one side for it on your rolling paper before placing the weed. In many cases, there are two styles to roll up your joint. One is the pinner and the other is the bat. Before putting your weed, you must first make a decision on the style you want to use.

A pinner looks just like a cigarrete while bats have the shape of a cone with one end being much larger than the other end. Many people prefer the pinner because you get an even hit all throughout the puff. Solo smokers prefer the bat style because all they want are the first few puffs to feel a high. The more they continue smoking, the less weed they smoke and they can choose to either smoke to the end or toss the remaining part away.

After deciding the style to go with, sprinkle your weed into the joint making an even spread if you are using the pinner style. If you go with the bat style, sprinkle less weed at the filter end and increase the amount as you move from the end. Once you are through with this, you can now start shaping your joint.

All you need for shaping the joint are your thumbs and forefingers. Roll the non-sticky part up and down slowly until your joint takes the shape you desire. After this make the joint tighter ensuring that, there are no gaps in between.

Step Four

Tucking in your joint

For some people, this step is a bit tricky and it needs mastering. For a good tuck, start at the end of the filter, slowly tucking the paper around the weed and move your thumb to the other side to tuck in the rest of the weed.

Step Five

Rolling and licking

After you are certain that your tuck looks okay, roll your joint until the glue end of the filter. Once you are here, apply some moisture on the glue area and slowly, pat it down on one side. Continue gluing in the rest of joint until you are sure you have left nothing unsealed.

At this point, you can light up your weed but you still need to be sure that you are getting the best out of your roll. Ensure that the roll is tight and before lighting it up, push in the weed from the end of your filter. You can use anything with a small blunt tip to help you achieve the perfect push.

When you are pushing the weed down, ensure that it fills all the gaps in the joint by pushing it all in closer together. Also, make sure that you leave some space for airflow by not packing in down too much weed. If you put too much, your joint will just burn and you may have nothing to smoke even if you take in huge pulls.

Step Six

Twisting and lighting

Here comes the final step of your joint rolling. The twisting and lighting part will depend on whether you are rolling your joint to smoke right away or rolling it o smoke later. If you are planning to save it for a later date, then you will need to shut the end of your joint. This you can only do by twisting.

If you look at your joint after you finish rolling, you will notice that the opposite of the filter is only paper with no weed. To make sure you keep the weed inside the joint safe and fresh, put a little moisture on the end of the filter and twist the paper shut. If you are not saving it for later, just go ahead, light up your joint and enjoy the high.

How to roll a cross joint

As I mentioned in the beginning, today, there are many other kinds of joints besides the regular cigarette looking and coned looking joints. People today, especially celebrities are rolling cross-joints and making them loo cooler than the regular joints. Cross-joints are just fun ways to enjoy your weed smoking with a little class and style. If you want to venture into making cross-joints, here is a simple guideline on how to do it. Note that the word may fool you but it is just as easy as rolling a regular joint.

Requirements:

What you need for this method are your favourite weed blends, a needle or paper clip or any other pointed object and three rolling papers.

Step One

Choose your weed blends

For cross joint rolling, you need to have just more than one weed strain. Choose the strains that you like most and make two rolls of them. The first roll should be slightly longer than your normal regular roll and the second one should be thinner and much smaller. Make sure to leave the ends of both the small and the larger rolls empty to facilitate better ignition of both joints.

Step Two

Make hole through the joints

Once you have rolled up your joints, use your needle or paper clip to make a hole through to the larger hole. The hole should be three quarters from the base of the joint and you should make sure that your pierce through from one side to the other. Do the same with the smaller joint but instead of having it three quarters away from the base, make sure it as the centre of the joint.

The hole on the larger joint should be slightly larger than that of the smaller joint. The importance of these holes is to allow the flow of air from the tip to the end and this step is the most important when making a cross joint because without it, then your joints will only burn and you may not have any smoke to inhale.

Step Three

Insert the smaller joint into the larger joints hole making sure that you align both holes. If it is your first time doing this, ensure that the smaller joint is as small as possible to get it right the first time.

Step Four

Now the joints will take the shape of a cross and the next step will be to wrap them up. To do this rip a strip of the remaining rolling paper and wrap the center of the cross. Seal them completely ensuring that you do not leave any gaps in between to prevent smoke from seeping out. Wrap the paper diagonally to ensure that both joints are securely in place.

Step Five

Now that you are sure your cross joint is securely wrapped, sit back, light up and enjoy a mixture of your favourite weed blends.

Though the making of cross-joints may seem hard for most people, all you need is enough practices and you will get it right. It is also another way of bringing inventive ways of enjoying your weed and moving away from the traditional regular joint smoking.

How to roll joint using rollers

Besides using your fingers to roll a joint, one of the other easiest ways to do it is by using a roller. Follow the same grinding instructions and once you have the correct twist from your buds, take the roller making sure that that it is not in a tight position. Take the roller apron down and fill the roller chamber with the bud.

Distribute the bud evenly in the chamber, if you are using a filter, place it on either end of the roller. Close the roller and in case you have any bud sticking out that may prevent complete closure, push it in with your finger. Do not overcrowd the roller to prevent the joint from becoming too tight to smoke.

Without using any paper, roll the roller until you are sure the bud is in place. With the adhesive facing up, take a joint paper and place it in the roller opening. After this, roll down to ensure that the adhesive stays on the right end.

Roll lightly to avoid the joint from becoming too tight. Continue rolling lightly and solely until only the adhesive side of the roll paper is sticking out. Lick the glue on the adhesive and continue rolling to finish the task.

Once you are done, you can now take your joint out of the roller and enjoy a smoke. You also have to note that joints rolled with a roller have a finer looking look than those rolled by thumbs and fingers. Then again, this is a machine and those are human fingers.

Using a dollar bill to roll a joint

In some circumstances, you may have seen people using the dollar bill to roll their joints. It is important to note that the dollar bills just act as makeshift rollers but not smoking papers. To start you need weed, a joint paper and a dollar bill.

Take your dollar bill and fold it into half, in the middle spread your bud evenly. Fold the dollar bill back ensuring that your cannabis stays in place in the middle of the folded crease. Use your thumbs to move your buds to the bottom of the crease by rolling the dollar bill back and forth slowly.

Continue rolling the dollar bill until you reach the end covering your weed. Hold your dollar bill with one hand and place your joint paper on the opening of the dollar bill making sure the adhesive part of the paper faces you. Lick the adhesive to close in the weed and start rolling the dollar bill back up again.

Be gentle and ensure that you do not roll the joint too tight to prevent the joint from becoming unsmokeable. Roll the dollar up completely, take out your joint and light up to enjoy your weed.

How to roll oil joint

Some people especially those that have smoked weed for long want to spice up their cannabis by adding something extra for super high effects. Weed with oil also tastes surprisingly good. If you want to go down that route, here is how you should roll your oil joint.

Get your favourite strain, your favourite oil that should also be high quality for better effects, your joint papers and a dabbing tool in order. Using the dabbing tool, take your oil and spread it evenly on the joint paper allowing some space for your finger. After that take your preferred cannabis strain and sprinkle it on top of the oil.

Make sure to spread contents are evenly and continue to roll your joint just as you would roll a regular joint. After you are through with rolling, tuck in the contents carefully. Rolling oil with cannabis is a bit tricky so you have to be extra careful. If you have any weed at the ends, use a tool to push it back in slowly and after, that twist the ends, light up and enjoy a new feel from your weed. The best oil to use for rolling with your weed is hash oil.

Choosing the best rolling papers

Choosing the right paper for your rolls may be the most important thing to determine the look and taste of your joint. You will find many different kinds of joint papers in the market all made from different materials. If you are a newbie, do not rush into buying the first product that you come across. Read reviews, and ask those that know more about them in order to ensure that you do your rolling perfectly.

Some of the best joint papers are the eco high quality papers that have few or no contaminants. Some papers also come with flavours to add an extra taste to your weed. The downside of using the flavoured papers is that they may contain some dyes, toxins and bleaches, which are not good for both your health and the environment. The recommendation would be to use them sparingly or for as few times as you possibly could.

Choose a paper that does not have a bad taste and one that burns evenly. For even burning, many people choose thin papers. to protect your papers when travelling or moving around, you can buy a rolling paper protector. a protector is also good because it prevents the papers from bending.

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How to Roll a Joint: 5 Steps (with Pictures)

Learning how to roll a joint is a rite of passage for the majority of cannabis users. Here’s how to do it in the next 5 minutes.

Joints, J’s, doobies, spliffs, Dutch cigs, reefers, whatever you call them — they’ve been around for quite some time.

Joints have been the staple mark of the weed industry since its initial days.

Back when cigarettes weren’t sold in packs and boxes, the art of rolling a perfect cone joint was truly appreciated and knowing a few joint rolling techniques is still a sought-after skill in the 420 community.

If not, here’s how to roll a joint the old school way.

How to roll a joint (step by step)

For rolling a joint you will need the following:

Step 1: Break down the bud

If you have the weed strain of your choice at hand, grab a herb grinder (if you have one) as it will make the process of breaking down weed a lot easier.

Don’t forget that strains that tend to be stickier are more prone to being harder to grind and you may have to break down those nugs by hand.

6 Best Weed Grinders in 2020 — Herb Grinder Buying Guide

If you don’t have a grinder at hand, don’t worry, you can also break the bud with your fingers or try other alternatives.

Step 2: Make a crutch A.K.A the filter

Most people prefer smoking joints with a crutch, otherwise known as a joint filter. They are usually made of thin cardboard sheets or thicker paper.

Some rolling papers usually come packed with as many filters as there are papers in the box so buying those types of paper can spare you the hustle of finding the perfect filter material right before going through this tutorial.

The easiest way to make a filter is to take a piece of thick paper and fold the first few millimetres of it 2-3 times and then roll it up in the same direction.

This will make it so that weed residue won’t go into your mouth through the filter hole in the middle of it.

Step 3: Fill the paper and pack the weed

Some people consider packing the joint properly to be the hardest part about rolling a joint. The way we at Greencamp do it is as follows:

The Definitive Guide to Rolling Papers: Say No to Blunts

Step 4: Roll it up

As you are pressing and pushing the weed down with your fingers, start rolling it up slowly with your filter thumb.

The other thumb should be going upwards from the filter, tucking in the bottom side of the rolling paper.

Doing this simultaneously while rolling the filter upwards will start giving it the cone shape.

Lick the sticky part of the upper side of the paper and slowly keep rolling the joint.

Step 5: Wrap it up

Stick a cigarette filter (or something of similar shape and weight) into the top of the joint and tap the filter against a hard surface a few times in order to pack your joint better.

Wrap the top and light up your first joint.

Congratulations — you’ve learned how to roll a standard joint.

Let’s explore more variations.

How to roll a cross joint

Cross joints gained in popularity ever since Seth Rogen introduced them to the world on the big screen in his movie Pineapple Express.

Basically, what you will need to do is roll 2 joints, one thicker and longer and one shorter, approximately the same thickness as the crutch.

Once you’ve rolled the bigger joint, use a needle to punch through it near the top, approximately two-thirds way from the crutch.

Punch the hole through the joint on both sides, and slowly and gently expand the hole with the needle.

Once you’ve expanded the hole on both sides, try to slide the thinner joint through the hole on both ends.

Use some sticky tape from the rolling papers (cut the top of the paper with scissors) to secure the cross part so that it doesn’t fall out.

How to roll a pinner

Pinners are great for people that don’t want to waste weed, especially when smoking alone. After all, they get their name after being so slim — like a pin.

Sure, there are better ways to smoke a small amount of weed, like using a vaporizer, but for some people, nothing gives a satisfying high like a joint or a blunt.

Pinners are quite easy to roll, but you have to know the basics of rolling a standard joint to make a pinner.

The technique is the same as rolling a joint, but you have to press down harder on it. The only major difference is that the top of the pinner is the same width as the crutch.

This is why you have to push down on the bud in the paper a lot harder, in order to pack it down and burn equally on all sides, otherwise, there’s gonna be a lot of canoeing.

How to roll a spliff

If you haven’t figured it by now, spliffs are just joints with tobacco in the mix. They aren’t a lot different when it comes to rolling.

The only minor difference which you’ll notice only when you’ve already rolled hundreds and thousands of joints is that tobacco and weed feel a bit different when you push down on the paper.

Tobacco is usually much drier, while weed tends to be a bit ‘spongy’ and it can push back a bit more than the tobacco.

How to roll an L joint

L joints get their name from the shape they are in before you roll them up. This is achieved by taping two pieces of paper together.

L joints are well suited for a large joint-smoking audience, as you can fit more weed than in a regular joint.

Take two papers from the box, and cut one in half, but somewhat diagonally. Take one of the halves and stick it vertically to the main paper at the and, so that you get the L shape we’re trying to achieve.

Make sure you are very careful when rolling up L joints because they are somewhat fragile due to their length.

How to roll a joint inside-out

Inside-out joints, also known as dutch joints, are very similar in size and shape to regular cone joints. However, there is one small difference in the way the joint is rolled.

Inside-out joints are rolled with the sticky part of the rolling paper on the “wrong” side.

So, keep the sticky part of the paper on the outside, fill it up with weed, and gently roll up the joint to the point that the sticky part is touching the rest of the paper.

Lick the rolling paper (the sticky part) on the outside of the joint, and stick the paper to it by constantly rolling it up.

How to Roll an Inside Out Joint (Step-by-Step Guide with Pictures)

Once you roll it up all the way to the top, give it a minute to dry and stick, and feel free to rip off the excess paper.

Inside-out joints are favored among people who don’t like the taste of paper, so this technique is perfect for when you want to get the full taste of the weed.

How to roll a tulip joint

I rolled only a couple of tulip joints in my life because I believe them to be a waste of weed.

The tulip joint is popular among novel smokers that are in it for the high, but they are not so practical for everyday smokers.

This is another two-part joint, as you’ll need to roll a standard joint in a king size rolling paper and add a second one for the ‘tulip’.

I’ve even seen people using a sort of cardboard straw, instead of the joint for the elongated part. Make sure you don’t twist the top of this joint because the top will go in the tulip part.

Once you’ve got that handled, make a small rope from one or two papers by rubbing them together between your hands.

Take another three rolling papers, and stick them together so that you have an almost square paper surface with the sticky part on one of the four edges.

Fold that paper so that you make a cone, and stick it all together with that one sticky edge. You should now have a sealed triangle, that is actually a cone when you spread the edges.

Full the paper cone with weed, as much as you can fit in it. Now, take the joint you rolled previously and put the top of it in the open part of the tulip.

After you’ve connected these two parts, twist the edges of the tulip part around the joint, and use the tiny rolling-paper rope you made to secure the tulip to the joint.

Go crazy with it

Once you get the hang of how easy rolling actually is, you can start making your own designs and techniques.

Did you know that there are organizations that fund competitive joint-rolling? Yep, not only that but there are hundreds of people competing every day.

How to roll a good joint

Table of contents

Long before you were prescribed medical marijuana or made that first trip to the dispensary, you probably knew cannabis in its most iconic form — rolled up in a joint, or a marijuana cigarette.

While there is a wide range of methods for smoking marijuana today and all types of cannabis smoking accessories, there’s something to be said for coming back to the basics.

What you need to roll a joint

How to roll a joint: step by step instructions

Step 1: grind the cannabis

Grind up anywhere from ¼ to 1 gram of cannabis. Make sure to remove any stems from the buds and to not grind it to a fine powder, which will make it hard to get a good pull on the inhale. Also, if you’re rolling a spliff (a joint made of cannabis mixed with tobacco), keep in mind you’ll need less cannabis to fill the joint.

Step 2: roll up a paper filter

Also called a “crutch,” this allows you to smoke the joint all the way down to the end without burning your lips or fingertips, and without getting loose grains of weed on your lips. It also eliminates the “roach” — the leftover tip of a joint that people sometimes save for a later session.

Simply take a piece of hard paper, like the lid of the rolling paper packages (most papers come with thick paper filters attached, just detach them and roll them), and roll it until you have a small, cylindrical filter. Don’t leave it too wide open or some plant matter can get in your mouth, but you don’t want it to be sealed so tightly that you can’t get a strong pull on the inhale.

Step 3: place the cannabis inside rolling paper

Place the ground cannabis inside the basin of the rolling paper and tamp it down. Make sure not to tamp it down too tight, which will make it pull less smoothly.

Tamp down the ground cannabis inside the rolling paper (The Cannigma / Anthony Travagliante)

Step 4: roll the paper

Using your fingers, roll the paper back and forth, making sure not to roll it too tight.

Step 5: seal the paper

Lick the gum of the rolling paper and seal it, closing the end opposite the filter.

It shouldn’t take more than a minute for the joint to dry, but you can also use a lighter to quickly dry it, flicking the flame over it for a moment or two.

Here’s a video that demonstrates a relatively easy method:

Once you’ve spent a good amount of time smoking more “standard” joints, you might want to mix things up a bit. Here’s a look at some unique, strange, even artisan joints you can try on a special occasion — or whenever the urge strikes.

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Advanced joint rolling: When you’re ready to level up

How to roll a cone joint

A cone shaped joint starts narrow at the filter and slowly expands to a cone-shaped tip may just be the iconic joint shape of today. It’s also quite easy to make. Prepare a standard joint like described above, but after placing your weed in the basin of the paper, add more at the end opposite the filter, giving it a shape somewhat like a baseball bat.

Gingerly take the paper and roll it over the filter and the bottom of the joint, twisting the joint and licking the gum slowly as you move up towards the end. Once you’ve sealed it to the tip of the joint (the wide end of the cone), take the joint and tap it on a table with the filter pointing down. This will cause the weed at the tip to settle down, leaving a small open portion of paper at the end. You can then use a pen or pencil to tamp it down further, or just seal up the end and get ready to smoke your first hand-rolled cone joint.

How to roll a fat joint

A fat joint, or a fatty, is the perfect joint for passing in a circle with friends. It’s quite straightforward really — a fatty is a joint that has more than the usual amount of weed, and is better suited for when you’re flush with weed, or smoking with company. To make a fat joint, simply roll a normal joint, but add more weed than you usually would. You could also buy a pack of extra large papers and fill accordingly.

How to roll a cross joint

First becoming a household name (of sorts) with its cameo in “Pineapple Express,” the cross joint isn’t an everyday option, but it’s a fun one that could be worth a shot. You’ll need three rolling papers, some ground cannabis, a sharp tool, and a filter.

Take one paper and put a rolled-up filter in the end and fill it evenly with weed, roll it, seal it, and place it to the side.

How to roll a heart joint

Any day can be Valentine’s Day with a heart joint, just don’t expect to get a whole lot of work done. What you’ll need is two rolled, filterless joints of equal size. Take the end of one joint and join it to the end of the other by twisting their tips together, and fasten them with glue strips from rolling papers.

Then take the other ends of the two joints and bend and join them together in a heart shape and seal with glue strips.

Roll a third joint with a filter, but keep it rather empty at the end. Cut open the base of the heart after the glue dries, and then take the third joint and cut the top into four strips of equal length, which can then be wrapped around the base of the heart and sealed.

How to roll a tulip joint (and what the hell is a rose joint?)

Popular (or infamous) among tourists in Amsterdam, a tulip is a joint with a prodigious amount of weed in the cone shaped tip, resembling a tulip. First roll a standard, filtered joint with a slight cone shaped tip and set it aside.

Take three more papers and fasten them to one another lengthwise along the glue edges, forming a large rectangle. Take another paper and tear it in half lengthways, twisting one half into a “rope.” Take the large paper rectangle and fold it into a cone shape, with one sticky end up top which can then be used to seal the cone.

Fill the cone with cannabis – it should take several grams – and then tamp it down gently. Insert the first joint you rolled into the open end of the cone, with the filter pointing up. Take the paper rope you made and tie off the tulip cone, holding the joint in place. You’re now ready for tulip season.

But what about a joint made of actual flowers? You can actually roll a joint with rose petals by first drying the rose petals overnight. You can join multiple petals together with your saliva if they’re well dried. Once the rose petals are sealed, gently roll them together similarly to how you would close a blunt, licking the petals generously to seal them into a rose petal joint.

Rolling with hash

Rolling a joint with hash is a potent way to get a double dose of cannabis. To roll a joint with hash, first prepare the amount of weed you normally would for a joint, along with a paper and filter. Then take a small amount of hash, about the size of a tic-tac, hold it in the palm of your hand and lightly heat it with a lighter until it properly softens and can be crumbled over the weed.

You can also try “cooking” it by placing it in a thimble-sized bowl of aluminum foil which you then heat with a lighter until it smokes. If you’re using particularly sticky hashish or jarras, you can also roll the hash between your hands until you make a long, thin strip that you then place in the basin of the paper with the cannabis. Think of how you would make a Play-Doh “snake” when you were a kid.

How to roll a thin or mini joint (a pinner)

Perfect when you’re by yourself or you’ve gotten your hands on some particularly strong herb, a small joint, also known as a pinner, can really hit the spot. Just roll a standard joint like you usually would — using less weed. You could make it your normal length but thinner, or make it shorter but still cone shaped. It’s your call.

There is also no shortage of joint-rolling accessories — from fillable cone papers to automatic grinders to manual rollers — that make the process require a bit less skill and practice.

Using a joint roller

A mainstay of any headshop worth its salt, the typical joint roller is a simple, straightforward tool for making perfectly-rolled joints every time.

The typical joint rolling machine is about the length of a standard rolling paper and consists of two “rolling pins,” connected by a sheet of material. Simply open the machine by pulling one of the pins forward and locking in place.

Then place a filter at one end and end in your weed to or near the top of the roller pin. Close the pins and roll them towards you for a few rotations, allowing the weed to roll together and become a more uniform shape.

Insert a paper between the rollers with the gum facing you, lick the gum, and then roll the pins towards you for a couple rotations. Open the roller and inside you’ll find a perfectly-rolled joint.

DIY joint rolling with household items

A store-bought joint roller is only one of many tools that can help you twist up the perfect joint — many others are already in your house. If you aren’t ready to roll a joint by hand (to “freehand” a joint or “roll a joint freehand”), these tricks can help you out.

How to roll with a dollar bill (or other paper currency)

Rolling a joint with a dollar follows something of the same mechanics of a joint-rolling machine. You take a dollar and fold one end a few inches over towards the center. Turn the dollar counter clockwise till it’s pointing upwards, and use the fold you made as a basin. Take some cannabis and place it in the basin and roll it in the joint to pack it down. Then take a paper and place it in the basin with the glue facing you, like you did with the rolling machine, lick the glue, and roll it in the paper with a few revolutions. Remove the joint and you’re ready to go.

How to roll with a pen

Take a pen and wrap a rolling paper around it. Lick the gum and seal the paper, and then slide it to the end of the joint. Slide the cylindrical rolling paper about a quarter of an inch off the edge of the pen, fill it with weed, then slide it further, tamp that down, add more weed, and repeat until the end of the paper. Then simply tie the end after you remove it from the pen.

Rolling a joint without papers

If you smoke enough joints for enough time, chances are you’re going to find yourself stuck at home with weed, a grinder, and no papers. Luckily, there are still some old school life hacks that can sort you out. Here are some classics:

How to roll a joint with a cigarette

Another easy way to roll a joint in a pinch is to take a cigarette and gingerly roll it between your fingers until you can coax all of the tobacco out. Then, holding the now hollow cigarette over a plate, drop ground weed into the opening, using a pen or similar shaped object to tamp it down. You can then decide to smoke the joint with the cigarette filter, or remove it and put in your own crutch.

Using bible pages

If you’ve checked into your hotel room, only to find Gideon’s Bible, you can still find a way to roll a joint by using the very thin paper pages of the bible. Also an old school trick used by high school students who were just given bibles by the Gideon’s while leaving campus, it can be used in a cinch, but you may prefer to use one of the blank pages in the back. They don’t have any ink on them, and it may allay some of your guilt (if you feel any).

How to roll with a gum wrapper

If you take the foil wrapper off a stick of gum and separate or peel off the foil layer, you will be left with a paper layer that can then be used to roll a joint. You will likely need to use a lighter to “cook” the foil side so that it will peel off. You can then use a generous amount of saliva to seal the joint, or a natural adhesive like honey.

Rolling a joint without a filter

Not all that long ago, rolling a joint without a filter was the norm, at least in the US.

You’d simply roll a joint and twist off both ends, and then hold one end between your thumb and pointer finger and shake it until it tamps down a bit.

Rolling a joint without a filter is very easy and perfectly safe and fine, but doesn’t produce quite as pleasant a smoking experience as a filtered joint.

Little bits of marijuana are likely to get in your mouth, and when the joint gets down to the end, it will be increasingly hard to hold it between your fingers without getting burned. Also, a filter works to keep the mouth end of the joint open. A joint without a filter can seal at the mouth tip after you’ve held it between your lips, which can ruin the whole show.

On the other hand, filters have all but eliminated an old school cannabis smoking icon — the roach. Saved for later and smoked with a “roach clip,” they were part of the landscape of cannabis for decades, but there are easier ways to smoke a joint these days.

Ready to roll?

A joint is a relaxing way to smoke cannabis at your own pace, which doesn’t require investing in paraphernalia or mastering the use of tools like a bong, pipe, or dab rig. For many people, smoking a joint also provides a deep, deliberate breathing sensation of smoking, which can be almost like meditation in its own right.

And sure, a joint isn’t the most economical or discrete way to smoke weed, and it can leave your fingers, hair, and clothes smelling like weed. But there is no denying that smoking is one of the quickest, most reliable ways to consume cannabis, and there is something timeless and uniquely enjoyable about smoking a joint. And now that you know how to roll your own, that’s one less thing to worry about.

Originally published on June 30, 2020.