Glass Lifting
in Melbourne
Vacuum Lifters and Cranes for Glazing Installation
We lift and place glass across Melbourne using vacuum lifters on cranes, from shopfront panels and balustrades to curtain wall units and structural glazing. Indoors, outdoors, at height, and through openings that no other machine gets through.
On glass jobs, the crane is rarely the constraint. The vacuum lifter is, and understanding why is what separates a clean install from a broken panel and a six-week reorder.
Ask What It Holds on Your Panel, Not What It Is Rated To
A vacuum lifter’s rated capacity applies to a specific pad configuration. The same unit rated at 1,000 kg with ten pads might hold only 600 kg with six pads, so removing pads immediately reduces capacity. The panel determines the configuration based on its dimensions, frame or mullion positions, available clear glass area, and whether the surface is flat or curved. A long, narrow fin may need an inline arrangement, while curved glass requires curved cups. This is why the correct question is not what the lifter is rated to carry, but what it can hold in the configuration the panel allows. Panel weight alone is not enough because a large, thin sheet may need widely spread pads, while a smaller insulated unit may be heavy but only provide room for four pads. Send us the panel dimensions, weight, glass type and a photo for glass lifting across Melbourne, Geelong, Bacchus Marsh and Western Victoria.
What Makes a Vacuum Lifter Safe to Use
Glass hangs from suction, which sounds alarming until you understand what is built into a proper unit. These are the features that matter and are worth checking on any glass lift, regardless of who supplies it.
- Dual independent vacuum circuits. Two separate circuits hold the panel, so a failure in one does not release the glass. Single-circuit units have no place on a suspended lift.
- Reserve vacuum chamber. A safety reservoir that maintains hold when the pump stops, rather than the panel depending on continuous pump operation.
- Holding time after power loss. Quality units maintain vacuum well beyond ten minutes with the power off, which is the margin that lets a panel be brought down safely rather than dropped.
- Audible and visual alarms. Warning before suction drops rather than after, so the operator and crew have time to react.
- Vacuum monitoring gauge. Live indication of vacuum and power status, visible to whoever is controlling the lift.
- Rotation and tilt. Full rotation and tilt to vertical, which is what allows a panel to be presented squarely into a frame instead of being manhandled into place.
- Secondary restraint. Straps and glass holders used as a backup measure alongside the vacuum system on higher risk lifts.
What Makes a Vacuum Lifter Safe to Use
Glass hangs from suction, which sounds alarming until you understand what is built into a proper unit. These are the features that matter and are worth checking on any glass lift, regardless of who supplies it.
Dual independent vacuum circuits
Reserve vacuum chamber
Holding time after power loss
Audible and visual alarms
Vacuum monitoring gauge
Rotation and tilt
Secondary restraint
What We Lift
Shopfronts and Retail Glazing
Shopfront panels, entry glazing and display windows installed and replaced in active retail strips, frequently outside trading hours.
Curtain Wall and Facade Panels
Curtain wall units, facade glazing and spandrel panels placed on commercial and multi level residential buildings.
Balustrades and Structural Glass
Glass balustrades, pool fencing, structural fins and frameless panels positioned to fine tolerances.
Skylights and Roof Glazing
Skylights, roof lights and atrium glazing lifted to roof level and placed into prepared openings.
Internal and Atrium Glazing
Partitions, internal walls, lift lobby glazing and atrium panels installed inside occupied and finished buildings.
Replacements and Breakages
Broken or failed panels removed and replaced, including access work in occupied premises where downtime matters.
Call us now at 0457 000 637.
How it Works
How it Works
Four steps, one phone call. Start yours now.
Four steps, one phone call. Start yours now.
Send the panel details
Dimensions, weight, glass type, whether it is flat or curved, where it is picked up from, where it goes, and the access route.
Send the panel details
Dimensions, weight, glass type, whether it is flat or curved, where it is picked up from, where it goes, and the access route.
Lifter and crane confirmed
Pad configuration determined against the panel, capacity confirmed in that configuration, crane selected on access and reach, and a quote issued.
Lifter and crane confirmed
Pad configuration determined against the panel, capacity confirmed in that configuration, crane selected on access and reach, and a quote issued.
Planned with your glaziers
Sequence, timing, and placement agreed, documentation prepared, and site access or permits arranged where the street is involved.
Planned with your glaziers
Sequence, timing, and placement agreed, documentation prepared, and site access or permits arranged where the street is involved.
Lifted and placed
Panel picked up, rotated and tilted as required, brought to the opening, and guided into position by the glazing crew.
Lifted and placed
Panel picked up, rotated and tilted as required, brought to the opening, and guided into position by the glazing crew.
What the Job Includes
Six things covered as part of a glass lift:
- Lifter matched to the panel. Configuration worked out against the panel dimensions, glass type, and available clear area, not just the weight.
- Crane matched to the access. Spider crane for internal and confined work, mobile or city crane for facade work, selected on reach to the opening.
- Lift planning and SWMS. Documentation prepared specifically for glass handling, including the lifter configuration and the placement sequence.
- Equipment inspected before use. Pads, seals, circuits, and alarms checked before the panel is picked up rather than after a problem appears.
- Exclusion zones set. Areas below and around the lift kept clear, with only the installers positioned to receive the panel.
- Coordination with your glaziers. Timing and movement worked out with the installation crew, since the placement is a two-party operation.
Replacing glass in an occupied building or trading shop? Call 0457 000 637 to discuss timing, because after-hours access often costs less overall than working around a business.
What
the
Job Include
Replacing glass in an occupied building or trading shop? Call 0457 000 637 to discuss timing, because after-hours access often costs less overall than working around a business.
Six things covered as part of a glass lift:
What is a glass lifter?
A vacuum lifting attachment that hangs below a crane hook and grips glass using suction pads rather than slings or clamps. It distributes the lifting force across the glass surface, and full rotation and tilt allow the panel to be presented squarely into its opening.
How much glass can a vacuum lifter hold?
It depends on the pad configuration, which is dictated by the panel rather than chosen freely. A unit rated at one tonne in a ten-pad arrangement holds substantially less on six pads. Send us the panel dimensions, and we will confirm capacity in the configuration your glass allows.
Is it safe to lift glass on suction?
Yes, with a properly specified unit. Dual independent vacuum circuits, a reserve vacuum chamber, alarms, and extended holding time after power loss mean a single failure does not release the panel. Secondary restraint is added on higher risk lifts.
What happens if the power fails mid-lift?
A quality lifter maintains vacuum well beyond ten minutes with power off, which allows the panel to be brought down and set on a stillage safely rather than dropped.
What crane do you use for glass?
It depends on access. Internal work, atriums, shopfronts and confined sites usually suit a spider crane that tracks in through existing openings. Facade and curtain wall work from outside is quoted on reach to the opening.
Can you lift glass inside a building?
Yes, and it is common work. Tracked machines pass through standard openings, spread weight across rubber tracks so finished floors are not damaged, and electric models produce no exhaust for occupied premises.
Can you handle curved glass?
Yes, with curved cup and specialized pad configurations. Curved panels need the pad layout worked out carefully, so send photos and the radius along with the dimensions.
Do you lift stone and other materials?
Yes. Vacuum lifters handle stone, composite panels, cladding, and aluminum sheet as well as glass, provided the surface is suitable for suction.
Can wind stop a glass lift?
Yes, and glass is among the most wind-sensitive loads there is. A large panel presents a huge surface with very little weight to steady it, so lifts are postponed rather than attempted in marginal conditions.
Do you work with our glaziers?
Yes. The placement is a two-party operation, so the sequence and timing are planned with your installation crew beforehand rather than sorted out on the day.
Can you work after hours?
Often, and on retail and occupied buildings it is frequently the better option. Working outside trading hours avoids disruption and usually shortens the job.
What does glass lifting cost in Melbourne?
Quoted on the crane required, the lifter configuration, the number of panels and the expected time on site. Multiple panels in one attendance cost far less per panel than separate visits. Call 0457 000 637 with the details.
Which areas do you cover?
All Melbourne metro suburbs, with Maidstone, Werribee and Caroline Springs among the areas we attend most often, extending through Geelong, Bacchus Marsh, Melton and Ballarat, plus regional Victoria.
0457 000 637
Open 24 hours
25 Rowsley Station Rd, Maddingley VIC 3340
Contact Us
Machines reach site from 25 Rowsley Station Rd, Maddingley VIC 3340 on the Western Freeway. Glass work often runs to fixed windows, whether that is a trading hour restriction or a delivery arriving from the manufacturer, so arriving on time matters more here than on most jobs. Maidstone mixes retail strips with newer residential development. Shopfront replacement and balustrade work on infill townhouses are steady, and both are access jobs rather than capacity jobs, which is where tracked machines and vacuum lifters earn their place.