Although there may be many ways to enjoy your cannabis flower these days, there’s a reason the joint has remained a timeless classic. There’s something special about rolling up and smoking in one of the most traditional fashions.
However, there is one small drawback to this method of cannabis consumption — the actual rolling part.
If you don’t know how to properly twist one up, you can have one of the worst smoking sessions of your life, wasting weed and hardly getting a single good hit in the process.
The good news is that it just takes a little know-how and some diligent practice to become a joint rolling artist. To help you get started, look at this comprehensive guide on how to roll a joint.
Getting Started
Before you learn how to roll a joint, you’ll need to make sure you’ve got all of the necessary items, including the following:
- At least a half gram of high-quality cannabis flower
- A pack of quality rolling papers
- Material for your joint filter
- A paper clip or other poking tool
- Grinder
- Lighter
The last essential is a flat rolling surface. It’s always preferable to use a table or desk, but there are times when those are not available, and the show must go on. If that’s the case for you, you can use the classic textbook or magazine, or you can purchase a rolling tray for extra efficiency and some added style points.
How to Roll a Joint — Step 1: Break Up Your Flower
Your joint will always burn better when you have the flower broken down nice and fine. This can be done with your hands, but that can be a tedious process that’s even trickier when the buds you’re working with are extra sticky. For that reason, a grinder is always clutch. Throw about a half gram into one, and grind it up nicely.
Using a half gram is only a suggestion, but for anyone just learning how to roll a joint, you shouldn’t really go any bigger than that, or you’re likely to have a bit of trouble getting it twisted up properly. You may even lose some weed in the process.
Stick to a smaller amount at first and then increase it once you’ve upped your game.
How to Roll a Joint — Step 2: Break Out the Papers
Once you’ve got your flower ready for rolling, the next move is to grab a rolling paper and lay it out flat with the glue side up on your rolling surface.
You’ve got plenty of options when it comes to rolling papers, both in the material they’re made from and the size they are cut. Picking the best ones for you is generally a matter of preference, but when first learning how to roll a joint, it’s best not to go any smaller than the standard 1 ¼, or you may run into trouble.
How to Roll a Joint — Step 3: Add the Filter
Joint filters are hypothetically optional, but you should strongly consider using one when you roll. You can purchase premade filters, or you can grab any piece of thin, malleable cardboard and create one yourself. Some of the best DIY filter sources are magazine subscription cards, index cards, or your rolling paper packaging.
You just want a small piece of this filter material to act as a buffer between your mouth and the weed and offer a little extra structural integrity to the joint. Rip off a piece, roll it into a little circle with space for the pull, and then lay it at one end of the paper.
How to Roll a Joint — Step 4: Add the Weed
Now you’re going to lay out the ground-up weed evenly across the paper and then form a little pile toward the center of it. You want to be able to pick up the paper without weed pouring everywhere, so keep the pile relatively tight but not so tight that it might impact the pull.
How to Roll a Joint — Step 5: Twist It Up
This next step requires a little finesse that most people don’t just naturally have. If you’re finding it awkward at first, that’s totally normal. You’ll become much smoother with it once you’ve got some reps in and you have a feel for how it works.
It’s a lot like tying your shoes or riding a bike — puzzling at first but second nature in due time.
You’re now going to pinch the paper together and then pick it up and begin rolling it into form. Keep the weed from the edges of the paper, or it will start falling out during the process. Once the flower is in proper form, you can roll it up, leaving the glue edge exposed for the sealing process.
How to Roll a Joint — Step 6: The Sealing Process
Now it’s time for the all-important finishing touches. You’re going to lick the glued edge of the paper, making sure not to overdo it with the moisture, and then gently seal the joint together.
You want to be careful to hit that Goldilocks zone on the tightness of the roll here. Too loose and the whole thing will start coming apart when you’re smoking; too tight and you’ll get little to no pull.
This is another aspect of the process that requires a little bit of trial and error, so don’t be too discouraged if you struggle a bit and wind up having to reset with a new paper.
How to Roll a Joint — Step 7: Packing the Joint Up
During the rolling process, some of the weed will get jostled around and loosened up. If you just light the joint up right now, you’ll likely have an uneven burn, which can be a hassle when smoking and even render the J unusable.
To avoid this issue, grab that little poking tool we suggested and pack the weed further into the joint from the non-filter side.
How to Roll a Joint — Step 8: Light It Up
You’ve now rolled your first joint. First of all, congratulations. Now celebrate by lighting it up and taking your first hard-earned puff.
Make sure to light the end of the joint evenly and pull gently while doing so. You don’t want to torch the end and make the joint burn up faster than necessary, so pull first and then hold the flame carefully up to the joint until it pulls inward; then, go ahead and enjoy the fruits of your labor.
Some Extra Joint Rolling Tips
There’s an art to rolling joints, and it’s not something most people will master in their first few tries, but with these pro tips, you should be well on your way to rolling up masterpieces with regularity.
Choose Your Papers Wisely
For beginners, using small or thin papers will make the process of rolling a joint unnecessarily tricky. Pick at least 1 ¼ size, thicker papers at first, and seek out your preferred style once you’ve got the hang of it.
Roll Gently
It can seem like the best way to keep the weed together and get a nice clean roll is to apply a little force, but this can cause issues with the final product. Always roll with a light touch.
Don’t Be Afraid to Reset
When you’re first getting a feel for things and doing a lot of rolling and re-rolling, there can come a point when you’ve worn out the paper, and it’s ready to rip. Instead of seeing things through for your pride’s sake, it can be best to just reset with a fresh rolling paper and go from there.
Get All Your Rolling Supplies from Diamond Tree
We have everything you need to roll the perfect joint at Diamond Tree. Check out our online store today and get started on your journey to becoming the Da Vinci of doobie rolling.