SNOT Building Techniques: Complete Guide to Sideways Building
Most builders hit the same wall sooner or later: the front and the top of a MOC look sharp, but the moment you need side texture, a clean smooth shell or a structure that appears to float, something feels off. The trick that solves most of these problems is simpler than it looks: SNOT building techniques.
SNOT stands for "Studs Not On Top." Instead of stacking bricks stud-up, layer after layer, it lets you attach parts sideways, upside down or vertically, which opens up construction directions that normal stacking can't reach.
Why Learn SNOT Building Techniques
Traditional building keeps studs on the top face, so every surface carries stud texture by default. SNOT breaks that rule by freeing the build direction from straight up. Once you have the technique down, three things change:
- Smoother surfaces: studs get hidden inside the model, so walls, wings and car bodies read as clean panels.
- Richer detail: texture can go on the sides, the underside or deep inside the build, adding visible layers.
- Freer structure: cantilevers, inverted sections and recessed details become possible where normal stacking fails.
In practice, SNOT is one of the clearest dividing lines between a beginner and an experienced MOC builder.
The Basics: Master the Conversion Parts
Before anything else, you need to know the parts that turn a vertical connection into a horizontal or otherwise rotated one.
| Part type | Common element numbers | Main use |
|---|---|---|
| Plate with studs on the side (headlight brick) | 4070, 87087 | Provides a stud on a side face; the foundation of sideways building |
| 1x2-to-1x2 sideways element (bracket) | 99780, 99781 | Bridges top-down and sideways connections; the standard corner piece |
| Brick or plate with side holes | 3700, 60483 | Takes pins for hinges or rotating structures |
| Technic beams and pins | 32054, 6558 | Builds stronger mechanical connections |
The parts worth stocking up on first are 87087 (1x1 with a stud on the side) and 99780 / 99781 (brackets). Almost any MOC bigger than a small vignette will use them. As a first exercise, take two 2x2 plates plus one 87087 and clip a 1x2 tile flat against the side of another plate. If you can do that cleanly, you have already stepped through the door into SNOT building.
Next Level: Smooth Walls and Wing Techniques
The classic SNOT application is a fully smooth wall. A normally stacked wall always shows studs or anti-studs on its face; with SNOT you turn every stud inward so the outside becomes one flat, mirror-like surface. The working order is:
- Build an internal skeleton of sideways studs using brackets and side-stud parts.
- Clip tiles onto it from the outside, covering the whole face.
- Use height compensation (for example, 2 bricks equal 5 plates) so the outer surface stays continuous with no gaps.
This is the method behind a huge number of space shuttle, warship, supercar and architecture MOCs. On a supercar, the flowing bodywork and the flat door skins almost always depend on sideways building. Think of SNOT building techniques as required coursework for that premium look. There is a second useful detail here: a plate is exactly one third of a brick in height, so by varying plate counts you can shift a surface by half-brick increments and line up doors, windows and trim strips precisely.
Advanced Play: Inverted, Floating and Moving Structures
Push sideways building further and harder structures open up:
- Inverted builds: parts attached upside down to a roof or ceiling, ideal for light fixtures, suspension bridges and stalactites.
- Floating and cantilevered sections: a hidden internal SNOT frame makes part of the model look unsupported, which reads as a strong visual effect.
- Working mechanisms: Technic pins and gears mounted on sideways elements let doors, hatches and wings open and close the way they should.
These uses move SNOT building techniques from surface decoration into actual function, which is where advanced builders show their skill.
Making SNOT Your MOC Superpower
From learning the conversion parts to building smooth walls to pulling off inverted sections and mechanisms, SNOT building techniques are a path that keeps widening. It does not demand talent so much as an understanding of how individual parts behave, plus repetition. Once sideways building becomes instinct, complex MOCs that once looked impossible start to have obvious solutions.
If you want to take on harder MOC designs but keep running short on quality instructions for inspiration, take a look at brickplan.cn (https://brickplan.cn). It collects a large library of brick instructions and building resources, so whether you want a small piece to practice SNOT or a full sideways-built display model, you can find references to work from. Put the studs-up mindset aside and start building something more refined with SNOT.