How Do Cranes Get On Top Of Buildings?

AMAC Cranes • August 3, 2022

Cranes are easy to spot on city skylines, thanks to their position on top of tall buildings, but getting them there and setting them up requires hard work and heavy lifting. Although getting a crane on top of a building can be tricky, it’s extremely important for many construction projects. So, how do we get them up there and how do operators bring them back down to the ground safely? Here we discuss a few ways that cranes reach the top of buildings.

A Large Building Is Being Built with A Crane on Top of It — AMAC Cranes in Coolum Beach, QLD

Using a second crane

You may not have thought of this, but it's possible to use a second crane to help get another crane onto the top of a building. A great example of this is the crane that was lifted onto the iconic Tiffany & Co building in New York in 2020, which was done to help build a sleeker three-storey glass rooftop.
However, this type of lift should only be carried out by skilled operators as it can be very dangerous to have two cranes in motion at the same time.

The external climbing method

The external climbing method is arguably the most effective and fastest way to get a crane on top of a building and involves the base of the crane being fixed to a concrete slab in the ground whilst the crane tower is put up beside the building.

It then expands upwards along the outside of the building using steel collars and a metallic sheath, which helps it to climb and begin its ascent to the top by gradually raising the crane's base.

This external method also allows the crane to be gradually moved back down to the ground once the job has been carried out.

The internal method

Another way that a crane can make its way to the top of a building is using the internal climbing method, which sees the crane lifted from within the construction site itself.

To put it simply, a corridor is created in which the crane is lifted using a hydraulic cylinder at the base, using a steel beam to make it sturdier. The crane constructs the building around itself, moving from one floor to the next until it gradually reaches the top.

Since this internal method relies on the construction of floors to get the crane to the top of the building, it is often seen as a longer process.

Using a heavy lift helicopter

The most obvious solution to get a crane on top of a building is to come from above and transport it by air. However, this is only really possible using a heavy lift helicopter, which can be an expensive and lengthy process as it must be done piece by piece, so it's rarely used.

For more information about crane hire, AMAC Cranes today or call us on 0400 262 622.