Types of Beads: Glass, Seed, Wood, Stone, Metal and More

The main types of beads differ in two ways that matter at the worktable: what they are made of and what shape they are. Material decides weight, shine and how large the hole tends to be. Shape decides how the beads sit against each other on a strand. Once both are familiar, a wall of beads in a craft store becomes much easier to read.

Bead materials at a glance

Material	Look	Weight	Typical hole	Good for
Glass	Shiny, clear or opaque, very wide color range	Medium	About 1 mm	Bracelets, necklaces, earrings
Seed beads	Tiny glass beads, uniform and colorful	Very light	Small	Thin bracelets, rings, bead weaving, spacing
Wood	Matte, warm, natural or dyed	Light	Often 2 mm or more	Chunky necklaces, cord projects
Stone	Natural patterns, polished or matte	Heavy	Small, sometimes uneven	Bracelets, focal beads
Metal spacers	Bright accent between larger beads	Medium to heavy	Varies widely	Framing and separating beads
Acrylic	Bright, sometimes translucent	Very light	Often large	Children’s projects, large earrings
Pearl-style	Soft sheen, smooth surface	Medium	Small	Classic strands, drops

Glass beads

Glass is the everyday material of beaded jewelry. Pressed glass rounds are smooth and regular; faceted glass has flat cut faces that catch light. Round 6 mm glass beads are the usual choice for a first project such as an easy elastic bead bracelet, because they are consistent in size and simple to count.

Seed beads

Seed beads are small glass beads sold by size number: size 11/0 is about 2 mm wide, size 8/0 about 3 mm and size 6/0 about 4 mm. The bigger the number, the smaller the bead. Rounded seed beads have soft edges and suit stringing. Cylinder seed beads have straight sides and large holes, which helps them lock together neatly in woven work.

Wood beads

Wood is light for its size, so even 12 mm beads make a comfortable necklace. The holes are generous, which pairs well with waxed cotton or leather-style cord. Dyed wood can lose color when wet, so take wooden pieces off before swimming or showering.

Stone beads

Stone beads have natural variation: no two are quite the same. They are heavier than glass, and the drilled holes can be narrow or slightly rough at the edge. Check that the cord passes through before planning a design, and choose a sturdier stringing material for a full strand of stone.

Metal spacer beads

Spacers are small metal beads, often 3 to 4 mm, placed between larger beads to frame them and add a little shine. A few go a long way. If you have sensitive skin, check what a finding is made of before you buy, and treat spacers the same way.

Acrylic beads

Acrylic is molded plastic. It is very light, comes in large sizes and bright colors, and usually has a roomy hole. That makes it a practical choice for supervised children’s projects and for large earrings that would be uncomfortable in glass. The trade-off is a surface that scratches more easily and a visible mold seam on some beads.

Pearl-style beads

Most pearl-style beads sold for crafting are glass or acrylic with a pearly coating. Glass versions feel cooler and heavier in the hand. The coating can wear near the hole over time, so avoid dragging them along rough cord.

Bead shapes and how they sit on a strand

• Round: a sphere. Rounds roll smoothly against each other, so the strand curves evenly. The default for bracelets.
• Bicone: two cones joined at the widest point, usually faceted. Bicones touch only at their tips, which gives a sparkling, slightly open line.
• Rondelle: a flattened round, wider than it is long. A 6 mm rondelle may be only 4 mm long along the hole, so more are needed per inch.
• Bugle: a thin glass tube, a relative of the seed bead. Bugles add straight lines and length quickly, but their cut ends can be sharp against thread.
• Cube: a small block. Cubes sit flat against each other and make a strand look solid and geometric.
• Teardrop: narrow at one end and full at the other. Top-drilled drops hang outward like a fringe; drops drilled lengthwise work well on headpins.

Hole size: the detail beginners overlook

A bead is only usable if the stringing material fits through it, sometimes twice. Three quick checks avoid most surprises:

1. Test before buying in quantity. Thread the cord through three or four beads from the batch, not just one, since holes vary.
2. Allow for a second pass. Hiding a knot or passing a wire back through the last few beads needs extra room.
3. Match large holes to thick cord. A wide hole on thin thread lets the bead wobble and the knot slip inside. A knotted bead necklace relies on large-hole beads and a cord thick enough for the knots to stop them.

The guide to stringing materials lists the diameters of elastic, beading wire, thread and cord to compare against a bead’s hole.

Weight and comfort

Weight adds up along a strand. A bracelet of 8 mm stone beads is noticeably heavier than the same bracelet in glass, and far heavier than acrylic or wood. Heavy beads stretch elastic sooner and pull on ear wires, so follow two simple habits: use 1 mm elastic or flexible beading wire for heavy strands, and keep earrings to light materials or small sizes.

Choosing beads for a first project

If the choice still feels wide, narrow it like this:

• First bracelet: round glass beads, 6 mm, in two or three colors, with a few metal spacers.
• First earrings: two or three small glass beads per drop, such as one 8 mm and two 4 mm.
• First cord necklace: wood or large-hole glass beads on 1 mm cord.
• First woven piece: size 8/0 seed beads, which are large enough to see the thread path.

Sizes are covered in full in the bead size guide, including how many beads of each size fill an inch. For a wider view of materials used across history and cultures, the Wikipedia article on the bead is a helpful overview.