Waterlogging

Waterlogging is the mechanic that allows non-cube blocks (that is, blocks that do not completely fill their block volume, such as ladders, fences, and plants) to be filled with a water source block. Both the non-cube block and the water source block occupy the same space. If the non-cube block is destroyed, the water source block remains.

In Bedrock Edition, generally all non-cube blocks can be waterlogged and none can be used to displace water source blocks, although they can still displace flowing water.

In Java Edition, certain blocks have a waterlogged block state that can be true, or false. If a waterlogged block is pushed by a piston or sticky piston, the waterlogged state of the block is typically removed. However, if a sticky piston gets powered by a short pulse so that the sticky piston spits out the block when pulling, the block retains its waterlogged state.

In Bedrock Edition, waterlogging is handled by the game's layers system. Through editing, any block can be waterlogged, as well as other features such as placing multiple slabs into a single block. In normal gameplay, a player cannot displace water source blocks using doors or other non-cube blocks to create breathing spaces underwater, like one can do in Java Edition. Only flowing water can be displaced in Bedrock Edition.

Like water source blocks, all waterlogged blocks are non-flammable and explosion-proof, even if said waterlogged block is flammable. Waterlogged blocks can also interact with lava to produce cobblestone or obsidian, although lava cannot convert waterlogged blocks to stone. Unlike water sources, waterlogged blocks are immune to freezing.

Water can flow from a non-full face, so waterlogged stairs and trapdoors have no water flowing from their solid face. Despite this, interactions between it and lava are still possible.

Blocks have different behavior between Java Edition and Bedrock Edition, as shown by the table below.

• Red background: This block cannot be placed in water. Attempting to do so replaces the space they are in with water, breaking and dropping them or their corresponding item, if any.
• Dark red background: Water cannot be placed in this block at all. When this block is placed in water, it removes water.
• Green background: Water can be placed in this block, and this block does not remove the water source.
• Dark green background: This block can only exist in its waterlogged state.
• Blue background: Water can be placed in this block, this block does not remove the water source, and water can flow through this block.

See MC-125351 for more info on Java Edition.

Issues relating to "Waterlogging" are maintained on the bug tracker. Issues should be reported and viewed there.

• In Java Edition, glass bottles can be filled up with water from waterlogged blocks, even if water is not accessible from the targeted area.^[8] In Bedrock Edition, this is not possible because waterlogged blocks in general cannot be used to fill empty bottles.^[9]
• Waterlogging was the hardest feature to implement on Legacy Console Edition for 4J Studios.^[10]
• In Java Edition, the interaction with sticky pistons can be used to move water sources with "flying machines", since dispensers cannot be pushed by pistons.

• Snowlogging