Movement · Build technique · Java & Bedrock
How to Make a Water Elevator
A water elevator is a vertical column of water with a bubble engine at the bottom. Put soul sand down there and the bubbles carry you up; put a magma block and they pull you down. Build both side by side for a no-redstone lift to any height.
Soul sand ↑ UP
Magma ↓ DOWNTwo 1-wide water shafts. Soul sand at the bottom fizzes you up and keeps your air full; magma drags you down.
What you’ll place
No crafting table needed — a water elevator is just these blocks stacked the right way.
Build it step by step
Follow the riser from the bottom up.
1
Dig a 1×1 shaft
Pick how high you want to travel and dig (or wall off) a one-block-wide vertical tube. The taller the shaft, the higher the elevator carries you.
2
Fill it with water — the kelp trick
Stand at the bottom and plant kelp all the way up; kelp turns every block it passes into a water source. Break the kelp afterwards and the whole column stays full of source water. (Or pour water in from the top of a fully enclosed shaft.)
3
Soul sand at the bottom = UP
Place a soul sand block under the water column. It pushes a stream of bubbles upward that carries you to the top fast, and tops your air bar back up so you never drown on the way.
4
Magma block at the bottom = DOWN
Use a magma block instead and the bubbles drag you downward. Magma hurts a little each second, so keep the down shaft for quick trips and step out at the bottom.
5
Two shafts + an exit
For a full elevator, build the up and down shafts side by side. Place a sign, ladder or open trapdoor at each landing so you can step sideways out of the bubble column when you arrive.
Up vs down
SOUL SAND ↑ UP Carries you up fast, keeps your air bar topped up, and does no damage. Perfect for getting out of a mineshaft or up a tower.
MAGMA ↓ DOWN Pulls you straight down. Magma chips about a heart per second, so ride it quickly and step out at the bottom. Pair it with the up shaft for a two-way lift.
The kelp trick
A bubble column only works if every block in the shaft is a water source, not flowing water. The fastest way: plant kelp at the bottom and let it grow to the top, which converts each block to a source as it goes, then break the kelp. The water stays. Now the soul sand or magma at the base can form its column.
Quick answers
Does a water elevator work on Bedrock?
Yes. Soul sand columns push you up and magma columns pull you down on both Java and Bedrock. The build is identical; only small timing details differ.
Do I take damage in a water elevator?
Only on the magma (down) side, and only a little: magma deals about half a heart to a heart per second. Riders pass it quickly, so it is rarely a problem. The soul sand side is completely safe and even refills your air.
How high can a water elevator go?
As high as you build. There is no height limit as long as the shaft is filled with water source blocks the whole way and a soul sand block sits at the very bottom.
Why am I not floating up?
Almost always the water is not all source blocks, or the soul sand is not directly under the column. Use the kelp trick so every block is a source, keep the shaft one block wide, and make sure your head is inside the bubble column.
Do I need kelp to build one?
No, but it is the easiest way to fill a tall shaft. Kelp turns each block into a water source as it grows; break it afterwards. Otherwise you pour water carefully from the top of a sealed shaft.
Can items and mobs ride it too?
Yes. Bubble columns carry dropped items and most mobs as well, which is why soul sand elevators are popular for lifting farm drops up to a collection point.
