Lift shaft, pit and overhead dimensions: a guide for consultants and contractors
A lift shaft is sized from four inputs: the car size you need, the door width, the travel height and the drive type. Shaft width and depth follow the car plus running clearances and door pocket; pit depth and overhead height follow the car height and speed. Fuji International Elevator confirms every dimension against the chosen car before drawings are frozen, so the civil works are built once and correctly.
The four dimensions to fix early
- Shaft width: car width plus running clearance and door pocket space
- Shaft depth: car depth plus counterweight or rail space at the rear or side
- Pit depth: measured from the lowest finished floor to the pit slab, driven by car height and speed
- Overhead height: from the top finished floor to the underside of the shaft slab, driven by car height, speed and drive type
What changes the numbers
- Car load and number of persons, for example 6 persons / 450 kg versus 8 persons / 630 kg
- Door type and clear opening width, and whether doors are centre or side opening
- Machine-room-less versus machine-room design
- Rated speed and total travel
- Whether the shaft is new construction or an existing opening being reused
Send us this and we will return a layout
- Number of stops and total travel height
- Available shaft width and depth, or the space you can allocate
- Required load or number of passengers
- Required clear door opening
- Architectural or structural drawings, if available
Frequently asked questions
Can you work from the shaft I already have?
Yes. Send the internal shaft width and depth, pit depth and overhead height and we will tell you the largest car and door that fit, or the smallest change to the civil works that gets you the car you want.
Who is responsible for the pit and overhead?
The civil contractor builds the shaft, pit and overhead to the layout we issue. We confirm the layout against the exact car and door being supplied, then inspect the shaft before installation starts.
Do you issue shaft drawings for the consultant?
Yes. We issue a shop layout showing shaft, pit, overhead, door openings, fixing points and power requirements, for the consultant to approve before manufacture.
Planning a lift project?
Send us the building basics and our engineers will come back with a layout and a quotation.