Modern buildings place strong emphasis on interior aesthetics, and lift cabins are increasingly treated as high-value architectural spaces. Consequently, standard factory finishes are rarely used, with designers frequently selecting stone cladding, decorative panels, recessed handrails, and integrated digital displays—often resulting in finish build-ups of 50 to 100 mm per wall. While visually appealing, these enhancements introduce measurable implications for lift engineering that extend beyond appearance. Increased finish thickness and weight alter the effective car area, influencing rated capacity assumptions, accessibility compliance, ISO-recommended car profiles, and the traffic performance.

As EN 81-20 defines rated capacity based on the “bare” cabin envelope, thicker finishes reduce the final internal dimensions, decreasing the usable area assumed in simulation models.

This raises the critical questions:

·         Are traffic analyses based on accurate, real-world cabin conditions?

·         Do the nominal car sizes continue to comply with accessibility standards once interior finishes are applied?

This paper assesses how cabin finishes influence lift design and performance, emphasising early coordination to ensure capacity accuracy, accessibility compliance, and reliable traffic modelling.