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The ultimate guide to creating your own piston or water elevator
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Looking for super easy ways to add an elevator to your Minecraft world? All you need are slime blocks, redstone, sticky pistons, note blocks, and observers, and you can create a speedy method of transportation for your home. If you’d rather not use redstone, you can build a simple bubble elevator that works with any Minecraft edition using water, kelp, magma blocks, and soul sand blocks. Whether you’re playing on Java or Bedrock Edition, we’ll tell you how you can build your own elevator in just a couple of minutes. Let’s dive in!
Steps
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Dig out a cross-shaped area for the foundation of the elevator. On a flat area, carve out a row of 4 blocks across the ground. Dig 1 block on either side of the second block to create the shape of a cross—the longer side is where the entrance to the elevator will be. Remove the 3 blocks inside, and remove 1 more block from the center of the cross. [1] X Research source
- The block in the center of the cross should be 3 blocks deep, the 2 blocks that make up the long part of the cross should be 2 blocks deep, and the three other spaces around the center of the cross should only be 1 block deep.
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Place a note block and redstone dust inside the cross-shaped hole. Place a note block at the bottom of the center of the cross. Place 2 redstone dust next to the note block, along the 2 blocks that make up the long part of the cross. [2] X Research sourceAdvertisement
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Add a decorative block to the end of the cross for the elevator call button. Place any decorative block flush with ground at the end of the cross, above the redstone dust. Place a button on top of the decorative block.
- Decorative blocks can be made of any material you’d like, as long as you can place a button on top or on the side of it. Decorative blocks will be exposed when the elevator is finished.
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Build the top of the elevator using an observer, 4 slime blocks, and 2 sticky pistons. Place an observer on top of the note block facing down and put a slime block on top of the observer. Place sticky pistons face-up inside the short sides of the cross, on both sides of the slime block. Place 2 slime blocks on the top of each sticky piston. [3] X Research source
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Hop down into the hole to place the other observer and sticky piston. Drop down into the hole between the decorative block with the button and the slime block in the middle of the cross. Place a sticky piston facing down on the bottom block between the two columns of slime blocks. Place an observer face-down above the sticky piston. [4] X Research source
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Complete the entrance to the elevator using whatever block you’d like. Dig out of the hole, then place a decorative block over the hole you dropped into. Place another 4 decorative blocks on either side of the hole, in front of the two columns of slime blocks, to complete the entrance to the elevator. [5] X Research source
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Build a top platform using any block and carve a hole for the elevator. Build a platform of any size at the block height where you’d like your elevator to stop. Dig a hole 3 blocks wide and 3 blocks long directly above the elevator, and remove 2 blocks in the middle of either side of the hole. [6] X Research source
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Use a note block and obsidian to act as the stopper for the elevator. To one side of the hole, use temporary blocks to build 4 blocks upwards and out 1 so that the empty space is directly above the observer below. Place an obsidian block in the empty space. Place a note block underneath the obsidian, then remove the temporary blocks. [7] X Research source
- Temporary blocks are any blocks that you don’t mind breaking. You can use dirt, cobblestone, wood, scaffolding, or any block that isn’t difficult to pick back up after you’re done building.
- You can build the elevator however high you’d like—just make sure to put obsidian above the observer so the elevator doesn’t keep going upwards forever.
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Decorate the outside of the elevator. Place obsidian or glazed terracotta blocks against any exposed slime blocks to prevent the slime from moving blocks out of place when the elevator travels up or down. You can cover the rest of the outside of the elevator with any blocks you’d like. [8] X Research source Here are a few other tips you can use to customize your elevator:
- Place sea lanterns or glowstone on top of the two slime blocks on either side of the elevator to add extra lighting.
- On the bottom level, build two pillars diagonal from the decorative blocks on either side of the elevator entrance all the way up to the upper platform to create a box around your elevator.
- Fill the area above the elevator entrance up to the upper platform with glass so you can see outside while you’re traveling up.
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Dig a 4 by 3 by 4 block foundation and replace the middle block with obsidian. On a large flat area, dig out a hole that is 4 blocks wide, 3 blocks long, and 4 blocks deep. While inside the hole, face one of the sides that is 3 blocks wide and replace the block in the middle of the second row with an obsidian block. [9] X Research source
- This 4 by 3 by 4 block area will be where the mechanism for the elevator is.
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Remove 2 blocks between the obsidian block and the wall. Break the block directly between the obsidian block and the wall, creating a 1-block-deep hole in the floor of the foundation. Break the block next to the hole, diagonal from the obsidian block in the corner of the foundation. [10] X Research source
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Remove a 1-block perimeter around the holes at the bottom of the foundation. Remove three 4-block columns from the walls around the 2-block hole at the bottom of the foundation. The goal is to remove any blocks that are touching the area above the 2-block hole. [11] X Research source
- You can replace the floor above this area with any block you’d like after you’re finished building the mechanism of the elevator inside of the foundation hole.
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Add 2 observer blocks to the top of the obsidian and next to the wall. Place an observer block on top of the obsidian, facing the 2-block hole. Add an additional observer block 2 blocks up and 1 to the left, against the side of the foundation hole. [12] X Research source
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Add slime blocks on top of the 2-block hole. Place one slime block directly next to the observer that’s on top of the obsidian block. Add a second slime block next to the first slime block in the corner of the foundation. Both slime blocks should be covering (but not inside) the 2-block hole. [13] X Research source
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Add 2 sticky pistons above the slime blocks and 2 slime blocks on top. Place a sticky piston facing upward on the slime block next to the observer. Use a temporary block to place a downward-facing sticky piston on the other slime block. Place a slime block on top of each of the sticky pistons. [14] X Research source
- You may have to dig a temporary hole next to the slime block in order to get the correct angle needed to place a downward-facing sticky piston.
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Place blocks on top of the slime blocks to create the floor of the elevator. Place a block of your choice on top of each of the slime blocks. This will be the floor of the inside of your elevator. To finish the floor around your elevator, use any block to cap off the top of the holes next to the blocks covering the slime blocks. [15] X Research source
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Place a regular piston diagonal from the observer inside the foundation. Face the 3-block-wide wall so that the bottom observer block is on your right, then place the piston on the floor block immediately in front of you. The piston should be facing you and touching the corner of the observer block, leaving an empty space directly in front of the observer block. [16] X Research source
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Place blocks behind the piston to create a “staircase” and add a floating block. Place any block you’d like directly behind the piston. Place a block one up and one right from behind the piston, then place another block one up and one right from there. You should have a set of three blocks behind the piston in a staircase shape. Add a block 1 block above the top step of the staircase. [17] X Research source
- To create the floating block, place a temporary block on top of the top staircase block. Place another block on top, then break the temporary block. The floating block should be 1 block above ground level.
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Add 3 redstone dusts along the staircase and a button to the floating block. Place redstone dust on top of the 3 staircase blocks. Add a button to the floating block on the side that’s facing your elevator floor. [18] X Research source
- Try not to press the button yet—doing so might cause the elevator floor and base to fly into the sky.
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Build a column on top of the observer and place an obsidian block. Use temporary blocks to build a 1-block-wide column directly on top of the exposed observer to whatever height you’d like the elevator to travel to. Place a block of obsidian at the top, then remove the temporary column. [19] X Research source
- The bottom of the obsidian block is where the top of the elevator will rest—this block will stop the elevator from going upwards forever.
- If you’re in survival mode, build out a floor around the obsidian block before removing the temporary block column. Use a staircase or a ladder to travel up and down while you’re building.
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Activate your elevator so that it stops when it hits the obsidian block. Click the button next to the elevator door so that the elevator travels up until it hits the obsidian block. In the next few steps, you will create the mechanism on the second floor so that your elevator can travel back down. [20] X Research source
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Add a regular piston diagonal from the observer near the top of the elevator. To do this, place a temporary block on the side of the observer block that's below the obsidian. Place a piston on the side of the temporary block so that the piston is facing the front of the observer. Then, remove the temporary block. [21] X Research source
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Place a row of 3 blocks behind the piston along the side of the elevator. Place the first block directly behind the piston, then place 2 additional blocks next to the first block behind the elevator mechanism. [22] X Research source
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Add a floating block above the third block, place redstone, and add a button. Place a temporary block on top of the block furthest from the piston. Place another block on top, then destroy the temporary block. Place 3 redstone dusts along the 3-block row. Add a button on the floating block, on the side facing the elevator floor. [23] X Research source
- You now have a fully functional elevator that will travel up and down with the push of a button.
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Build around 2 blocks with any block as high as you’d like. Choose a large, flat area to build your elevator. Build 4 blocks around 1 block on the ground, creating a small tunnel. Build a second tunnel of the same shape next to it. You can use any block you’d like for this step, as long as it can hold in water. Build the tunnel as high as you’d like the elevator to go. [24] X Research source
- Build the tunnel out of glass if you’d like to see out while you’re traveling up or down.
- One of the tunnels will take you up, while the other one will take you down.
- This elevator should work on both Bedrock and Java Edition.
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Use a bucket to place water inside the top of the tunnels. Once you’ve reached the level you’d like your elevators to stop on, place 1 bucket of water inside both of the tunnels so that water flows all the way down. [25] X Research source
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Drop down the tunnel and place kelp at the bottom. If the ground isn’t made out of dirt or sand, dig out and place 2 blocks of sand or dirt at the bottom of the tunnel so that the kelp can grow. Place kelp on the blocks at the bottom and build the kelp all the way up to the top of the elevator. [26] X Research source
- Kelp will fill the tunnel with water source blocks so you can travel up and down easily.
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Replace the blocks at the bottom of the tunnels with soul sand and magma blocks. At the bottom of one of the tunnels, dig out 1 block and replace it with 1 soul sand block. Inside the other tunnel, replace the bottom block with 1 magma block. The soul sand block will cause you to float upwards, while the magma block will cause you to float downwards. [27] X Research source
- To avoid getting hurt by the magma when you float down, press the “shift” key when you reach the bottom of the tunnel.
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Make an entrance at the bottom of the bubble elevator if you don’t want to hide it. To make an entrance for the bottom floor, remove 2 of the blocks from the side of the elevator where you’d like the entrance to be. Place 2 blocks next to the entrance and 2 signs on the sides of those blocks to hold the water back. [28] X Research source
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Replace the tunnel walls with honey or wall blocks to hide the bubble elevator. If you’d like to hide the bubble elevator from view, replace the 1-block column side of the elevator and one of the columns from the 2-block-long side of the tunnel with honey blocks or walls.
- When you enter the corner between honey blocks or walls, your character’s hitbox will touch the water and the soul sand block or magma block inside, sending you up or down.
- If you use honey blocks, you can press shift to descend back down. You can also place a water block at the bottom of the honey or wall elevator to avoid getting hurt if you fall.
- Do the same process to the other side of the tunnel so that one side of the elevator will shoot you upwards, and the other will pull you back down.
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Community Q&A
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QuestionWhat materials do I need?Community AnswerYou will need: pistons, wood (or any solid block), Redstone torches, Redstone repeaters, and 1 wooden stair block (or any other stair block).
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QuestionWhat do I do if I built the elevator and it works, but I don't know how to go up?Community AnswerWhen you build it, you have to stand on the pressure plate on the bottom left.
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QuestionDose it work for PE?Community AnswerYes, this will work with PE since pistons work the same in PE as in PC or console edition.
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Tips
- It's much easier to build a house around the elevator than it is to try to fit the elevator into a house.Thanks
- If you do build your elevator in Survival mode, make sure that you have a secondary staircase as well just in case your elevator is damaged or you fall off.Thanks
Tips from our Readers
The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
- This helps if you want to stop at seperate floors: if you build a big building with multiple floors, try to make longer ticks when you want to stop.
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References
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- ↑ https://youtu.be/cNbV3-Wf4KA?t=325
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- ↑ https://youtu.be/cNbV3-Wf4KA?t=339
- ↑ https://youtu.be/SjC1nhwScSs?t=33
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- ↑ https://youtu.be/SjC1nhwScSs?t=74
- ↑ https://youtu.be/SjC1nhwScSs?t=39
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