How to Build a Water Bubble Elevator in Minecraft
Construct a fast, reliable two-way water bubble elevator in Minecraft using soul sand, magma blocks, and kelp to transport players rapidly between vertical floors.
- Read the tools, materials, safety notes, and steps below for free.
- Tap Start Camera Coach when you want hands-free voice help.
- Allow camera and microphone. Point your phone at the work; the coach watches your progress and tells you the next step.
🧰 Required Tools & Equipment
- ✓ Pickaxe (Iron or Diamond)
- ✓ Water Bucket
- ✓ Shovel
📦 Materials & Supplies
- ✓ Soul Sand (1 block)
- ✓ Magma Block (1 block)
- ✓ Kelp (approx. 1 stack)
- ✓ Building Blocks or Glass Blocks (approx. 2-3 stacks)
- ✓ Oak Doors or Oak Signs (2-4 units)
- ✓ Dirt Block (2 units)
⚠️ Safety Checkpoints & Warnings
- • Verify the presence of signs or closed doors at the bottom before placing water to prevent flooding your base.
- • Crouch (hold Shift) when riding the magma elevator down to prevent taking burn damage on the magma block.
- • Ensure every block in the shaft is a full water source block; bubble columns will not form in flowing water.
📋 Step-by-Step Guide (6 Steps)
Build the Vertical Elevator Shafts
Construct two parallel 1x1 vertical shafts using solid blocks or glass, reaching from your lower floor to your target upper floor. Leave the bottom front block of each shaft open for entry.
- • Two hollow vertical columns standing side-by-side with a 1x1 interior space in each
- • Open doorway spaces visible at ground level for both shafts
- • Leaving gaps in the wall columns where water could spill out into adjacent builds
Install Entrance Water Barriers
Place wooden doors or wall signs across the entrance opening at the bottom of both shafts. This allows player passage while holding the water inside the shaft without spilling.
- • Signs or closed doors flush against the entrance openings
- • Interior floor of the shaft clear and accessible through the barrier
- • Placing signs on the wrong block face, leaving a gap where water leaks
Place Base Dirt and Pour Water
Place a single dirt block at the very bottom base of each shaft. Climb to the top of the shaft and empty one water bucket into the top open block space so water flows down to the bottom.
- • Dirt block resting at the floor level of both shafts
- • Continuous water stream flowing from the top ceiling down to the bottom dirt block without overflowing
- • Pouring water before sealing bottom openings, causing a flood
Plant Kelp to Create Source Blocks
Enter the bottom of the water shaft and plant kelp on the dirt block. Keep placing kelp on top of itself until it reaches the very top water block of the shaft.
- • Kelp column fully extended from the bottom dirt block all the way to the top water level
- • No gaps remaining in the kelp stem
- • Stopping kelp placement one block short of the top, leaving a flowing block that breaks the bubble column
Swap Base Blocks for Elevator Function
Break the bottom-most kelp plant so the entire stalk breaks and floats up. Break the dirt block at the bottom and replace it with Soul Sand for the upward elevator, and a Magma Block for the downward elevator.
- • Soul Sand placed at base with upward-moving white bubble particles throughout the shaft
- • Magma Block placed at base of second shaft with downward-pulling whirlpool bubble particles
- • Placing Soul Sand on top of dirt instead of replacing the floor block, reducing clearance
Test Elevator Operation
Step into the Soul Sand shaft to verify that you are shot upward smoothly to the top floor. Then step into the Magma shaft while holding crouch to test the safe, rapid downward descent.
- • Player rises rapidly to the top without drowning or getting stuck
- • Player descends rapidly in the second shaft without taking impact or burn damage
- • Forgetting to crouch at the bottom of the downward shaft, taking fire ticks
Credit: inspired by an original tutorial by BBlocks — watch the original on YouTube.
Don’t have everything?
- No Oak Signs? Oak Doors, Trapdoors, or Open Fence Gates
- No Glass Blocks? Cobblestone, Stone Bricks, or any solid full block
- No Kelp? Manually placing a full water bucket at every individual height block