What is waterlogging in Minecraft? Explained

Minecraft might look like a simple game at first glance. All you have to do is mine for resources, get weapons and armor, plant crops and farm animals, and fight hostile mobs to survive the dangerous blocky world. But when you look more closely, you realize the game allows you to do a lot more. From the complicated Redstone mechanics to game rules that can be tweaked for more control, there is a lot more you can delve into.

One such game mechanic in Minecraft is waterlogging, something that many players do not seem to know about. Waterlogging is a simple game mechanic that can be very useful in both building and survival situations. In this article, we will explain everything that is there to know about waterlogging.

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Waterlogging in Minecraft

Waterlogging is an interesting mechanic in Minecraft (Image via Mojang Studios)

As the name suggests, waterlogging is a mechanic that allows some blocks in the game to hold and let water pass through the area surrounding it. Most of the blocks in the game are cubical, but many blocks aren’t. Fences, switches, signboards, doors, and more are all shaped differently from a cube.

However, since the game is procedurally generated, all these non-cubical blocks take up cubical space in the game. Some of these non-cubical blocks allow water to pass through their space and occupy it. This means that these items can be completely covered with water.

A common example of this mechanic's importance in the game is using doors to remove water under the sea. Since it does not allow waterlogging, placing a door creates a pocket of space allowing you to breathe underwater.

Waterlogging in Minecraft (Image via Mojang Studios)

Another use of blocks that allow waterlogging is protection against TNT explosions. The effect of a TNT explosion is completely absorbed by water, preventing the destruction of other blocks around it (it still causes damage to the players and entities). Using blocks that can waterlog creates a barrier of protection.

Waterlogging mechanics are different in the Java and Bedrock Edition. For example, almost all the non-cube blocks in Bedrock edition can be waterlogged, meaning water will flow through the empty space around the block. This means that you cannot use doors underwater to create pockets of empty space.

Some of the blocks that allow waterlogging in Minecraft Java Edition include:

• Activator Rail
• Big dripleaf
• Campfire
• Candle
• Chain
• Chest
• Conduit
• Dead coral
• Glass pane

Some blocks that do not allow water blocking include:

• Fence gate
• Lectern
• Banner
• Anvil
• Doors
• Cake
• Daylight Detector

Many other non-cube blocks pop off and are destroyed by flowing water. The best example of this is Redstone dust. There is no waterproof Redstone in the game. That said, you can test which non-cube blocks can be waterlogged by adding water to them.