Mastering Water Elevators in Minecraft: Tips for Disabling and Damaging Them

A water elevator might not be one of the first basic upgrades you create in Minecraft, but it becomes incredibly useful once you know how to make one. Its primary function is to allow you to travel vertically over large distances. The main use of a water elevator is to move up and down a mine shaft from your base or navigate to other spots underground. However, these elevators can also be employed to reach high locations above ground.

No matter your purpose for a water elevator, you will find a step-by-step guide for how to build one in Minecraft below.

Before you begin constructing your water elevator, it is crucial to gather all the necessary materials. Below is a list of everything you will need for the water elevator:

• Glass blocks (the quantity depends on how tall you want the elevator)
• More or less redstone (you will need at least two, more if you wish to create both an up and down elevator)
• Bucket of water (two for both elevators)
• Kelp (bring the same amount of kelp as the height of your elevator in blocks)
• Gravel (two for both elevators)
• Soul Sand (for an upward elevator)
• Magma Block (for a downward elevator)

The two most challenging materials to collect are Soul Sand and a Magma Block. Both can be found in the Nether, although the Magma Block can also be mined in the overworld. Additionally, gathering Kelp for a tall elevator can also be tricky. If you need a particularly tall elevator or both an up and down elevator, you will need quite a bit of it.

If you plan to create both an up and down water elevator, then follow the steps below to set it up:

• Place Glass blocks down to the height you desire for the elevator.
• From where your Glass blocks are, skip a block and place the same amount down to the right or left. Repeat this process again, creating three columns of Glass blocks.
• Put the same number of Glass blocks down behind each of the three columns.
• Next, place Glass blocks behind the further back columns. However, do not place them directly behind the columns. Instead, position them behind the columns to the right or left, creating a shaft for the water to flow down.
• You should now have the basic structure of an elevator.
• With all that completed, head to the top of the elevator. Place Glass blocks all the way down the empty columns in the center but stop placing them two blocks from the ground. This prevents water from spilling out the sides of the elevator.
• Finally, use four signs and place them on the inner side of the Glass blocks in the columns. This effectively prevents water from leaking out.

If you only want to create one water elevator, which can go up or down, then simply ignore one of the outer columns.

With your water elevator now looking like ours in the screenshot above, it’s time to let the water flow down. Using your bucket(s) of water, empty the water down the shaft(s). The water will cascade freely all the way to the bottom, being completely halted by the signs and Glass blocks.

If your water is leaking out, either you did not place the Glass blocks correctly, or your signs aren’t properly positioned.