How are Elevator Shafts Constructed?

Every year, there are about 30 fatal accidents and close to 17,000 serious injuries associated with elevators and escalators. To deter these accidents and ensure quality safety for the elevators in your commercial building, you need to start with high-quality elevator shaft construction. Elevator shafts are critical to any multi-story property.

If the structure isn’t sound, you will be at a higher risk of customers, clients, or staff experiencing injuries or even death. As the primary connection point for vertical movement between levels of a building, the bones of the building will need to be up to a certain code.

This doesn’t just consider the initial structure but the building process, general elevator maintenance, and the sustainability of that maintenance over time. To guarantee the proper building of elevators in your facility, continue reading as we explain the process.

What an Elevator Shaft Includes: A Look at the Parts

The equipment used for an elevator will either be electric or hydraulic. The hydraulic equipment used to operate the elevator will be located toward the bottom of the elevator shaft. That segment of the build will house all of the piping, the thrust cylinder, and the pump that’s used. 

The elevator shaft itself will usually consist primarily of four parts.

• Rail wall
• Overhead
• Hoisting beam
• Elevator pit

These elevator shaft parts help to make up the structure of what will hold the elevator and are usually the strongest point of a commercial building. The pit of the elevator is poured to help level the elevator floor with the floor of the building. 

The overhead is the section that separates the upper floor of the elevator and the highest point of the shaft. The reason for this is to provide room for technicians to perform maintenance when needed. The rail wall of the elevator provides parallel guidance. 

Additionally, the hoisting beam will be located at the top of the shaft. This is what’s used to lower different parts of the elevator and is also used as a support mechanism.

How Is an Elevator Shaft Constructed?

A traditional elevator shaft uses one of two methods. This means that the construction process consists of concrete masonry units (CMU), or in other cases, poured concrete is an option. Quality elevator shaft construction will take a large crew to complete. 

The shaft walls will be anywhere between 18 and 33 millimeters thick, and the average length will be around 50 feet, although this depends on the commercial project. The elevator itself is often built with stainless steel, ST37 steel, or galvanized options. The shaft will be formed with concrete, steel, or even geo-panels depending on the build. 

Once the elevator shaft construction starts, an elevator car buffer gets installed toward the bottom, along with a counterweight buffer, frame, and guard rails. The control cabinet and hub for overspeed safeguards will be toward the top of the shaft. 

Elevator Shaft Construction: A Look at Common Problems

The most common elevator issues involve;

• Breakdowns of the bearings
• Failure in the power supply
• Lubrication contamination
• A worn motor drive

There are other common problems with elevators, and that’s the main reason to keep the elevator in your facility in compliance with elevator construction codes. 

High-Quality Full Service Elevator Construction

Quality elevator shaft construction will define the safety of your building. Working with Action Elevator will allow you to have a full-service elevator company implement your project.

By having a team of experienced and bonded builders installing your elevator, you can ensure proper safety and function for your facility. Get in touch with our team today to get started with your project.