Rolled joint with a twisted tip. - Joint Rolling guide - how to roll a joint

How To Roll A Joint

Materials List: Weed, Rolling Papers, Roach/Filter (Optional), Tobacco (optional).

Learning how to roll a joint is a process. If you are learning to roll a joint for the first time then you have come the right place. However if you already know how to roll a joint then you should visit our rolling guide for more advanced tutorials.

Whether you call it a joint, roach, blunt, or a spliff, we can all agree that if a marijuana cigarette isn’t rolled well then nobody is going to have a good time. To be truly enjoyed and appreciated there are a few key ingredients that go into rolling a good joint:

Weed (Nice Weed)

Glorious green buds should be treated with respect. All the work and dedication that goes into producing cannabis should not be let down at the last moment. There are some products like rosin and shatter that are better consumed with a dab rig, but it is difficult to beat a well-rolled spliff of nice weed.

Tobacco (Optional)

Everyone has their own preferences. Including tobacco can help achieve a consistent burn throughout the joint. The ratios of tobacco to weed can vary from person to person.

Papers

Papers can be made from a wide variety of materials. They also come in a wide range of lengths and thicknesses, with each having it’s own advantages and disadvantages. For example, thicker rolling papers impart more flavour on the joint because there is just more paper to burn. However, thicker papers are easier to roll and stay lit longer than thinner papers. Thicker papers are much better for rolling joints with hash, than with flower. It’s best to try a few different rolling papers from some of the many brands out there. A little experimentation will help you find something you like.

Roach material

Roaches really help get a good toke. If you choose to include a roach then it is really important to select a material with no inks or films that could react to heat. Many rolling paper brands now include roach booklets as part of the product packaging. If you don’t have a roach booklet then find a material that is pliable enough to roll and rigid enough to hold its shape.

Check out our rolling guide to find out how to make a roach.

Grinder/ Patient Picking

Herb grinders just make life easier. If buds are dry enough then it is super simple to just give it a few twists and be done. However, if bud is not dry enough then it may be best to pick with fingers (if you aren’t patient enough to let it dry out). It is possible to force dry weed, but it can be a smelly process. High heat also degrades the terpenes and can ruin the flavour of your bud.

Joint Rolling Technique

Once you have got the materials sorted you’re ready to roll. If you can’t roll then you’re in the right place to learn. If you can roll then you’re in the right place too – there are some interesting things to do with rolling materials.

Beginners tip: the roach is the foundation of a perfect joint. Check out the How2Roll Roach Tutorial Here!

Setting Up Your Rolling Paper

Some people like to flatten the rolling paper, others like to use a rolling mat or a V prop. Whichever way you want to do it just make sure the glue edge of the rolling paper is facing you – there is nothing worse than an unravelling joint. Even experienced joint rollers can be caught out from time to time (if you know, you know). 

A photo showing the a rolling paper with the glue strip at the top and the shiny side facing the observer
Where To Put The Roach 

If you do not know how to make a roach then you should click here to open our guide to making the perfect roach.

People who place the roach on the left side of the rolling paper are said to ‘roll from the left’, whereas people who place the roach on the right hand side of the rolling paper are said to ‘roll from the right’. It doesn’t matter if you’re a lefty or a righty, just do whatever feels comfortable.

Depending on which side you roll from, place the roach at the far end of the rolling paper. Try to leave about 5-10 percent of the roach overhanging the end of the rolling paper – the reason for this will become clear later.

A photo of a joint rolling paper with a roach on the right hand side facing the observer
The Weed Mix 

You can use as much or as little marijuana as you want. Make sure your weed is ground well using a weed grinder. We have some tricks to use household items if you don’t have a weed grinder.

 

Tobacco/mixer material

As with the weed, you can use as much or as little tobacco as you want. If you are using tobacco then there are three options at this stage – you can either: 

  • Spread a layer of tobacco evenly along the length of the rolling paper, then add your weed layer, and then spread an even layer of tobacco on top;
  • Mix ground up weed and tobacco together and spread the mix along the rolling paper;
  • Grind weed and tobacco together and fill the rolling paper (this works best with dry, course tobacco in cigarettes)

 

Spreading Your Weed Mix

Whether you are rolling a spliff or a joint it is time to fill the the rolling paper. Try to get it all in and then spread the contents evenly with the tips of your fingers. This will help the joint toke well all the way down.

If you want to roll a cone then you should taper the mix and spread more mix towards the end of the rolling paper.

It is good to check for any small pieces of stalk in the mix and remove them. These snippets have sharp edges that can pierce the rolling paper.

Photo of rolling paper with roach and weed
Picking Up The Rolling Paper

This is the perilous part. Experienced rollers occasionally spill the contents of the rolling paper so just try to be be careful. Tip: a rolling tray reduces the risk that you will lose weed if the worst happens.

Using a pincer movement with your finger and thumb, pinch the rolling paper at each end. You can use your middle finger as a support if it is comfortable.

Try to keep tension in the rolling paper as you raise your hands. Failing to do this will buckle the rolling paper and you will spill your weed. 

 

Rolling The Weed Sausage

Once your hands are steady it is important that you are holding the top half of the rolling paper.

The main things to do here are: (a) make sure that your hands do the same thing at the same time and (b) ensure your thumbs and fingers have good contact with the rolling paper.

Now, imagine that you are sprinkling salt onto an under-seasoned meal. This is the same movement you should perform with your fingers and thumbs. Providing you have good contact with the rolling paper, the movement of your fingers and thumbs should simultaneously pull one half of the rolling paper upwards, and the other half downwards. This movement will form the contents of the rolling paper into a little weed sausage.

After the first few rolls you need to make sure your weed sausage is evenly compressed and there are no bumps or lumps.

Be careful not to compress the sausage too much as this will make it difficult to get a satisfying hit. Better to be too loose than too tight.

Picture of a half rolled joint
The Tuck 

Notoriously the hardest part for beginners to master. Once you have formed your shapely sausage it is time to tuck the rolling paper.

To do this you need to catch the thumb edge of the rolling paper as you roll upwards. The roach hand should stay pretty much in the same position. Your other hand should roll from the roach end up to the top of the joint. 

You may need to roll and tuck more than once to ensure the rolling paper is tucked evenly all the way up. Ideally you should have something that looks a bit like the crease you get when you iron a garment. Now, the tightness of your tuck will affect the smokability of your joint. Other factors like the weed:tobacco ratio, and roach diameter will also influence how well your joint tokes.

 

Licking

It is best to make sure you have got the tuck secured and the joint pretty much rolled before you think about licking the glue strip. Leave as little distance to glue strip as possible, as this will make the final movement easier. 

You should bring the rolling paper up to your face. Using an outstretched tongue, moisten the top edge of the rolling paper. Once you have activated the glue strip it is important to complete this stage quickly but precisely. You need to get a good contact with the already rolled 

 

Sticking

This part can be tricky because you need to maintain tension in the rolling paper as you complete the final twist. Ensure the contact is even along the length of the rolling paper and apply a little pressure to make it stick.

Photo of perfect joint
The Touch Ups

If there are some irregularities in your weed sausage at this stage then you may be able to tease them out by applying light pressure on the joint and stroking from the roach to the end a few times. We recommend using a poker to flatten the tip of your joint as this makes it easier to light, You can also twist or fold the end to prevent contents falling out if you aren’t planning to smoke right away.

 

 How To Roll A Joint – Advanced Guide

Learning to roll a joint requires patience and dedication. Rolling is an art and everyone has their own methods. It is really whatever works for you. The How2Roll.com team have tested and reviewed some of the leading brands of rolling papers, roach booklets, grinders, as well as a range of other accessories. Check out our Rolling Paper Review Article: Top 5 Rolling Papers As Reviewed By Stoners!

 

Note – Quantities are for illustrative purposes and should not be used as a guide. You should use as little or as much as you are comfortable with. Always be responsible.