How to Make a Water Elevator in Minecraft?

Most of the Minecraft tips I write are pretty 101-level building tips. How to crawl, create the perfect blueprint, create starter buildings, and so on.

Today, I want to talk about a 201-level design tip: making a water elevator in Minecraft. If you’re getting into Minecraft, you might want to file this idea for later – this tip wouldn’t make your stone-walled cube-shaped buildings building any better. But it would surely make your water elevators look a whole lot better.

If you’re at a point where you can create a reasonably neat, clean blueprint that only lacks the pizzazz, this one is for you. But first, let’s brush off with a little bit of an introduction, and then we’ll get right down into the details.

What is Water Elevator in Minecraft?

Simply put, a water elevator in Minecraft uses water as a medium for moving the character vertically from a specific place. It emulates the concept of an elevator in real life, with the only exception being the usage of water as a medium.

What Can You Do with a Water Elevator in Minecraft?

Ideally, a water elevator helps you to move vertically. The reason for using water elevators is simple. Gaining altitude in Minecraft is tedious, and time-consuming work, and water elevators make our lives so much easier.

You can use water elevators to get to mines or your elevated base. Alternately, it allows the player and the mobs to move down safely from steep places or move up to reach higher areas.

What Elements Do You Need to Build a Water Elevator in Minecraft?

There are all kinds of water elevators that you can build, but they all require the same essential elements listed below:

1. Glass
2. Water Buckets
3. Spruce Doors
4. Lots of Kelp
5. 1 Block of Soul Sand (for going upwards)
6. Magma Block (for going downwards)
7. 2 Oak Signs

Different Types of Water Elevators

First of all, I want you to check out an image of a water elevator to see how it looks. Just spend a few seconds to gather some ideas so that you know what I’m talking about.

1. Unbreathable Water Elevator

The single water block elevator is the simplest of all Minecraft elevators. The way you do it is literally by stacking blocks of water on top of each other to create a vertical structure – kind of a laminar water flow if you think of it.

There are some caveats in this structure. One – they are not breathable. And two – the speed is relatively slow.

2. Staggered Water Elevator

Staggering water elevator has many names – Rapid Elevator, Breathable Water Elevator, etc. The way you create these elevators is straightforward.

Place water blocks in every other position as go up top. While you do that, make sure to hold the water blocks in place by placing signs on the back of the elevator walls. You can also set it on the side, which also contains the block in its place.

The most significant upshot of this elevator is – it’s breathable. Besides, it is a lot faster than the only water block elevators.

3. Single Water Block Elevator

If you use only a single block of water to move up and down, that’s when you get a single water block elevator. Just place a water block directly above the level of the pool and fix it there with a sign. This elevator is fast but risky as you may take damage or die falling from the height.

The single block acts as a cushion before the final landing – kind of like a failsafe if you think of it.

4. Soul Sand Block Elevator

Soul sand elevators combine all the elevators that we’ve mentioned before – except this comes with a little more improvement. These elevators have bubbles moving upwards in the stack of water blocks kept on top of each other. And this gives it two advantages. First – it’s faster than the staggered elevator, and second – it’s breathable.

However, there’s only one caveat though. The elevator does not work both ways as the water bubbles move upwards.

5. Magma Block Water Elevator

The magma block water elevator is quite similar to the soul sand elevator except for the magma block at the bottom. The magma block elevator works both ways, but it has a down shot as well.

Placing the magma block at the bottom leaves you open for taking damage. And so, you either have to wear enchanted boots or get off quickly to avoid conceding damage. But it’s as fast as the soul sand elevator.

Laying the Foundation – How to Create a Water Elevator in Minecraft?

Now for the most important topic – how to create a water elevator in Minecraft? Take a minute to read the steps carefully, and I’m sure you’ll find them helpful.

Step 1: Creating the Foundation

Every elevator requires a base to support the entire structure. And for that, you have to find an open space to dig a hole. A 3×3 block hole is perfect for the job. Finally, use your water bucket and start filling the void space with water.

Step 2: Placing the Base Block

Use the 3×3 block and place the base block precisely in the middle. You can use either soul sand or magma block in this step as each block offers different advantages.

Step 3: Creating the Pool Base

Creating the pool base using white tiles gives a fantastic visual output. So, use the white tiles to cover the square blocks except for the space in the middle.

Step 4: Building the Elevator Shaft/Enclosure

The shaft creates the enclosure for the water elevator. You can use any material you want for building the shaft. Typically, players prefer to use glass for the design aesthetics and because they dig the transparent look.

The dimensions of the construct have no limits and so, create a continuous single-block tunnel made of glass up to your desired level and keep repeating until you have the visual output.

Step 5: Filling the Enclosure with Water

After completing the enclosure, use your water bucket to fill the chamber to the brim. Just ensure that there is no flowing water out of the enclosure.

Step 6: Checking the Progress

Most of the work is done, and now it’s time to check the progress. Go down to the ground level and check if bubbles are evolving from the soul sand block or the magma block. The bubbles will be your carrier in these elevators.

Step 7: Creating an Entrance

For an exquisite look, create an entrance that protrudes from the main enclosure itself. In the long run, it will help you to ensure the water doesn’t flow out of the elevator and sweep your base.

And there you have it. Your water elevator is ready!

In Conclusion

In my efforts to walk you through how to make a water elevator in Minecraft, I’ve covered everything I could. It turned out to be longer than I intended – just like the other tips I’ve written. So, we’ll call it here. I believe now you can create a fantastic water elevator and impress your peers.

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