Joints are a classic — and for good reason. Whether you share one with a friend or partake in solo smoking, joints allow you to appreciate the flavors of your flower and require very few materials to get you from purchasing to puffing. If you want to experience one of the most timeless ways to enjoy cannabis, it’s time to learn how to roll a joint. 

Rolling a joint is something of an art form. It usually takes several tries to get it right, but the more you do it, the better you’ll get at it. In this blog, we’ll go over everything you need to know about rolling joints, from what supplies you need to technique and strategy. By the end of it, you’ll know how to roll the perfect joint, every time.

What You Need for Rolling Up Weed

The beauty of joints is that they don’t require many materials. So you can start enjoying your cannabis of choice in no time. Here’s a short list of items you’ll need to get started:

• Flower: First, pick out the flower that will give you the experience you’re after.

• Rolling paper: We recommend 1 ¼ size rolling papers for new joint rollers.

• Grinder: This will help you get the ideal cannabis consistency for packing even, smooth joints.

• Joint tip: If you want an easy way to roll a joint, use a tip. Tips help structure your joint, keep your fingers from burning, and create a nice clean puff. 

How to Roll a Perfect Joint: Step-by-Step Instructions 

Next, we’ll get into how to roll a joint. Before you get started, it’s important to remember that almost no one rolls a perfect joint the first time. It usually takes plenty of practice before you’re crafting beautiful joints you’re proud to show the world. So be patient with yourself. If you don’t like how your joint is coming together, you can always take it apart and start over. 

1. Get Prepped 

If you want the simplest and cleanest joint rolling experience, gather your materials in one place before you get started. We recommend buying a joint rolling tray. These trays not only give you one place to organize your weed, papers, tips, and grinder, but they’ll also catch any flower that falls out while you’re rolling. If you need to roll your tip (we’ll cover the different types of tips below), it’s a good idea to prepare that before rolling your joint. 

Now that you’ve gathered your supplies, let’s get into how to roll a joint, step by step.

2. Grind Your Flower

Getting your weed to the right consistency is crucial to creating and enjoying a sturdy joint. Why? For starters, any pointy or bulky parts left in your weed — like stems — can poke through your rolling paper and ruin your joint. Additionally, when your weed has the right consistency, it’s easier to evenly pack your joint because you won’t have any lumpy flower creating air pockets. 

While your grinder is going to be great for pulverizing your cannabis down into a joint-ready shake, it’s a good idea to hand-pick out the seeds and stems in advance. These can get stuck in your grinder and potentially damage it. Once you’ve removed the seeds and stems, pick pebble-sizes nubs off your flower and feed them into your grinder. Place these nubs directly between the grind chamber’s teeth. 

Put the lid on and press down, gently twisting it back and forth. You should feel the teeth working their way through the weed. After a few twists, open the lid and dump out your ground-up herb. Examine your flower one more time after grinding it. It’s possible your grinder missed some seeds or stems, so this is your chance to pick those out before packing your joint. Read more about how to use a grinder. 

3. Prepare the Tip 

Let’s talk about the tip. Technically, you don’t need a tip, but it makes the process of rolling your joint easier and makes smoking more enjoyable. Tips give you something to hold onto other than the paper, protecting your fingers from burning. They also contain filters, so you enjoy a cleaner puff. Finally, tips help give structure to your joints because they can hold one end of your rolled paper in place while you form the rest of it. There are three primary types of tips:

• Pre-rolled: These are made of thick paper, similar to cardstock. You’ll buy these ready-to-use.

• Glass: Glass tips require no preparation and are reusable, making them a sustainable option.

• Perforated: These will come in a booklet, and you’ll need to tear one out each time you want to roll a joint. When inhaling, their perforations promote airflow for a less harsh feeling and create a filter that removes impurities. 

By now, you know that if you have a pre-rolled or glass tip, you don’t need to prepare it. But if you’re using perforated tips, you’ll have to prepare your tip before you can attach it to your joint. 

To start prepping your perforated tip, rip one from your booklet. You’ll notice dotted lines along it. Fold your tip along those dotted lines in a zig-zag motion, almost as if you’re creating a tiny accordion. Then, roll the remainder of the tip around that accordion shape. In the end, you’ll have what looks like a small tube wrapped around the zig-zag filter on the inside. That inner structure is what removes impurities when you’re smoking.

4. Prepare the Rolling Paper

Rip a rolling paper out of its booklet. Locate the glue line, and be sure to keep this inside — in other words, facing you rather than the table or surface you’re rolling on — throughout this process. You should see a crease down the center of the paper, which is where you’ll ultimately place your flower. Hold the paper with both hands, using your thumbs and index fingers to grip the outer edges on either side and your middle fingers to support the center from behind the paper. 

Next, select a side to put your tip on. Place it at the midway point between the top and bottom of the paper, with one of its edges perfectly lined up with the edge of the paper. This will provide a nice structure for you to roll your paper around. It’s a good idea to put the tip on the same side of the joint as your dominant hand because you’ll be manipulating the paper starting at the tip.

5. Add the Flower

Now that your tip is in your paper, you’re ready to add your flower. For many smokers first learning how to roll a joint, we recommend sticking to ½ a gram of weed. Most store-bought joints have a full gram. However, ½ a gram is a manageable amount for first-time joint rollers. Over time, you can build to rolling joints with a full gram of weed. 

Start by adding flower on the tip end of the paper. You want to create a nice line down the center of the joint. A good rule of thumb is to leave about ⅓ an inch of empty paper below the glue line. Add your flower gradually — in tiny amounts. This helps you ensure you’re spreading it evenly as you go. 

Do not spread flower all the way to the end of the paper. You need to leave some empty paper to close your joint. At this point, you should have evenly distributed weed across your paper (leaving some exposed at the end to close it up). Check it to make sure it looks even. You don’t want any empty spots because if your flame has no weed to burn through, it could burn through the paper and ruin your joint.

6. Roll It Up

When you’re happy with the amount of weed you’ve added and how it’s spread out, you can begin rolling your joint. You’ll continue to hold it in the same way — with your thumbs and index fingers pulling the sides taught and your fingers supporting the center. Starting at the tip side, you’ll begin tucking the unglued side of the paper up over the weed, little by little. It’s okay if some flower falls out while you’re rolling. That happens to amateur and experienced joint rollers alike. Your rolling tray can catch it, and you can save it for later. 

7. Seal the Deal

Once you’ve filled the joint far enough (remember to leave some empty paper to twist it off), you can lick the glued side and tack that onto the unglued side.

Once you’re happy with your joint, take the remaining paper at the tail end and twist it up tightly to close it. That’s it! You’ve made it through all of the steps to roll a joint. You’re now ready to light up and enjoy!

Tips For Rolling the Perfect Joint

Keep in mind that cannabis connoisseurs with years of experience still make mistakes when rolling joints. So cut yourself some slack if you don't get it right away. Here are some additional tips for crafting a perfectly-rolled joint:

• Be patient: If you don’t like how your joint looks, just dump out the flower and start again. Cannabis is meant to be enjoyed, and the process of getting your joint ready should be a part of the experience. So relax, and give yourself as many tries as it takes. 

• Use thicker papers: Using thick papers can reduce the chances that your papers will rip while you’re rolling. 

• Watch tutorials: If you’re a visual learner, watch video tutorials on how to roll a joint. Seeing someone else do it can clarify the technique.

• Start small: Start small, both in weed quantity and paper size. The larger your joint, the more opportunity there is to make a mistake and need to start over. Beginning with a small joint can help you make a completed joint faster.

Fast and Easy Weed Delivery in DC

Now that you know how to roll the perfect joint, it’s time to order high-quality weed to put in your papers. At GHouse DC, we offer weed delivery in DC and have a curated selection of top-shelf marijuana, including a variety of strains for both medicinal and recreational purposes. Fresh, carefully-picked cannabis makes all the difference when it comes to rolling consistent, enjoyable joints. We work with vetted growers we trust to deliver you fresh and potent flowers for a clean smoking experience, every time. 

Call us to get flower delivered straight to your door or arrange a meetup. For days when portability and ease are your priority, we also offer edible delivery in DC. Explore our baked goods, gummies, and chocolate bars for a tasty way to consume your cannabis. Find a variety of high-quality cannabis at GHouse DC — no matter how you choose to enjoy.

Perfectly Rolled Joint FAQs

Our goal at GHouse DC is to help you have the exact cannabis experience you crave. So if you still have questions about joints, we’ll gladly answer them. Don’t see your question here? Check out our FAQs.

What's the difference between a joint and a blunt? 

Blunts are typically larger, contain more weed, and burn slower than joints. Blunts are usually rolled with tobacco leaf wrappers, whereas joints are rolled with lighter, thin rolling papers. 

Should I double-wrap my joints? 

While double rolling isn’t always necessary, there are a few benefits to doing it. One is that it can slow the burn, so if your joints are burning too quickly to savor, consider double rolling. If you want to learn how to make a joint that’s ultra durable, a double roll can add structural integrity, preventing thin papers from tearing. However, it might make the joint slightly harder to draw from, which can affect the airflow.

Is using a lighter to light a joint bad? 

Lighting a joint with a lighter can be quick and convenient when you're in a hurry. However, most lighters have something called butane, a form of liquid petroleum that isn’t great for you. Some people are even allergic to butane, and it can cause reactions in the eyes, skin, and lungs. So what about matches? Well, matches also contain toxins like sulfur and phosphorus. Luckily, there are a couple of healthy alternatives:

• Hemp wicks: Hemp wicks are natural and won’t contribute any new flavors to your joint because they come from the same plant as your weed does.

• Plasma lighters: These are flame-free lighters that rely on electricity instead of fuel. They create an arc of heat that can light your joint.

What is the easiest way to smoke cannabis?

There are many ways to enjoy your flower of choice. Some of the easiest accessories for relaxing at home are pipes and bongs because they only require your weed and a lighting mechanism. Blunts and pre-rolls are convenient when you’re on the go because they’re portable and already contain your weed. So, all you need is a lighting mechanism, and you’re ready to puff!