LEGO® SNOT bricks: essential components for modern MOCs
26 August 2026
Anyone who regularly looks at LEGO® MOCs will increasingly come across structures with smooth facades, sloping shapes and surprisingly small details. Many of these building techniques are made possible by SNOT bricks: modified LEGO® bricks with one or more studs on the side.
These pieces are among the most useful building blocks for creative builders. You can use them to build sideways, attach details to vertical surfaces and create shapes that are difficult to achieve with standard bricks.
What does SNOT mean in LEGO®?
SNOT stands for Studs Not On Top. In simple terms, this means: studs that are not on top. On a traditional LEGO® brick, the studs point upwards. A SNOT brick, however, has one or more studs on the front or side.
This allows you to attach plates, tiles and other parts sideways. This means the structure does not have to be built exclusively from the bottom up. You can build in multiple directions at the same time.
SNOT is not a single specific building technique or a single component. It is a collective term for various ways of building sideways.
Why are SNOT bricks so popular with MOC builders?
Modern MOCs are becoming increasingly detailed. Builders want curved shapes, realistic vehicles, smooth walls and decorations that are positioned exactly where they should be. SNOT bricks offer a great deal of creative freedom for this.
You can use these parts for, amongst other things:
- - Smooth walls and facades with no visible studs
- - Headlights, grilles and details on vehicles
- - Faces and decorations on buildable figures
- - Windows, window frames and ornaments on buildings
- - Round or irregular shapes
- - Letters, numbers and mosaics
- - Micro-models and scale models
Every stud counts, especially on small models. With a single side connection, you can position a detail exactly at the right height and in the right place.
The 1 x 1 LEGO® brick with a stud on the side
One of the best-known SNOT components is the 1 x 1 LEGO® brick with a stud on one side. This compact brick is the same size as a standard 1 x 1 brick, but features an extra stud on the side.
You can attach a tile, plate, lamp or decorative element to this side stud, for example. This makes the brick suitable for both simple details and complex structures.
Thanks to the wide range of colours available, the element can be incorporated visibly into the design or, conversely, concealed entirely within the structure.
Building in multiple directions
Is a single side connection not enough? There are also bricks with studs on two or four sides. These allow you to place parts in multiple directions around the same central brick.
The LEGO® custom 1 x 1 brick with studs on two sides, for example, is handy for a corner structure. You can use it to create two vertical surfaces at right angles to each other.
A brick with studs on four sides, on the other hand, can be used as the core of a round model, a tree trunk, a lamppost or a buildable figure. From the centre, you can extend the structure in all directions.
The classic headlamp brick
Another popular SNOT piece is the LEGO® customised 1 x 1 headlight brick, also known by Design ID 4070. This piece has been around for a long time and is still widely used by experienced builders.
The stud at the front is set back slightly from the bottom of the brick. That small difference allows for unique connections and staggered arrangements. The brick is used not only for headlights, but also for façade details, robots, furniture and micro-builds.
Creating smooth surfaces with tiles
SNOT bricks are often combined with LEGO® tiles. Once the sideways bricks have been placed in the structure, you can cover the vertical studs with tiles. This creates a sleek and smooth surface.
This technique is popular for modern buildings and vehicles. For example, a tile placed sideways can serve as a sleek car door, shop front, information board or decorative wall panel.
By combining tiles in different colours, you can also build patterns, logo-like shapes and complete mosaics without all the studs remaining visible.
Bear in mind the LEGO® dimensions
When building sideways, it is important to take the proportions of LEGO® pieces into account. This is because the height of a brick is not equal to the width of a single stud.
Five plates stacked on top of each other have the same height as two studs wide. This ratio is often used to ensure that a sideways-built section fits neatly onto an upright section.
Test a new design with a few pieces first before ordering a large supply. This way, you’ll quickly find out whether the tiles and plates line up exactly where you want them.
Inspiration for your first SNOT MOC
Would you like to practise SNOT techniques yourself? Then start with a small build. For example, make a simple little house with a smooth façade or build a compact car with side-mounted headlights.
Other fun projects to get you started include:
- - A street sign with printed or coloured bricks
- - A vending machine or shop front for a LEGO® city
- - A small spaceship with smooth sides
- - An animal’s head with eyes and ears built to the side
- - A miniature building with detailed windows
- - A colourful mosaic or nameplate
Once you’re familiar with the technique, you can combine different types of SNOT bricks. This allows you to create increasingly complex shapes, making the possibilities virtually endless.
Buy LEGO® SNOT bricks at ToyPro
Are you looking for bricks with studs on the side? Then take a look at the custom LEGO® bricks at ToyPro. In this category, you’ll find various SNOT bricks, headlight bricks and other custom parts in a wide range of colours and sizes.
With just a small selection of these parts, you can quickly add new building directions and extra details to your MOC. Whether you’re building a vehicle, a building, a minifigure or a work of art, SNOT bricks give you the freedom to build beyond just straight up.
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