A jib crane gives you a fast, simple lift over a single work area: a rotating arm with a hoist that swings a load through an arc. The first decision when specifying one is how it mounts. A wall mounted jib fixes to the building. A floor mounted jib stands on its own base. That one choice changes the floor space you keep, the rotation you get, and the building work involved.

This guide compares the two so you can match the mounting to your workspace.

How each one mounts

Wall mounted jib crane

A wall mounted jib bolts to a structural wall or to a building column. The arm cantilevers out from that fixing and swings across the work area below. Because the support is the building, the jib takes up no floor space of its own.

Floor mounted jib crane

A floor mounted jib, also called a pillar or freestanding jib, stands on a steel column bolted to a foundation in the floor. It needs no wall, so it can go anywhere the foundation can be poured, including the middle of an open floor.

The comparison that matters

Factor	Wall Mounted Jib	Floor Mounted Jib
Floor space	None used. Nothing stands on the floor	The column and its base occupy floor space
Rotation	Up to about 180 degrees, limited by the wall	Up to 360 degrees, a full circle
Location	Only where a suitable wall or column exists	Anywhere a foundation can be poured
Installation	Bolts to existing structure. No foundation	Needs an engineered concrete foundation
Typical capacity	Lighter to medium loads	Light through to heavier loads
Cost	Lower. No foundation work	Higher. Foundation adds cost and time
Best when	A strong wall is next to the work area	The work area is open, away from any wall

A real layout problem, and the solution

A machine shop wants a jib crane to load parts into a CNC machine that sits against the workshop wall. The obvious answer is a wall mounted jib. It bolts to the wall behind the machine, swings across the loading area, and uses no floor space. The forklift and foot traffic keep the floor they had.

Now change one detail. The next machine sits in the middle of the floor, away from any wall, and needs the same loading help. A wall mounted jib cannot reach it, because there is no wall to bolt to. A floor mounted jib solves it: a column on a foundation beside the machine, swinging a full circle to load from any side. It costs more, because of the foundation, but it is the only option that reaches the middle of the room.

This is the choice in one example. Work against a wall favours the wall mounted jib. Work in open floor forces the floor mounted jib.

Rotation is often the deciding factor

The difference in rotation is not a detail. A wall mounted jib swings roughly 180 degrees, a half circle, because the wall blocks the rest. That is enough to serve a bench, a machine or a loading point in front of the wall.

A floor mounted jib can swing a full 360 degrees. That matters when the crane must pick from one side and place on the other: unload a pallet on the left, feed a machine on the right, all in one continuous swing. If your workflow moves a load through more than a half circle, the floor mounted jib is the one that does it.

When to choose a wall mounted jib

• The work area sits against a wall or a strong building column.

• Floor space is tight and must stay clear.

• A half circle of rotation covers the task.

• You want to avoid the cost and time of a foundation.

• The building structure can carry the load the jib puts into it.

When to choose a floor mounted jib

• The work area is in open floor, away from any usable wall.

• You need full 360 degree rotation.

• No wall nearby is strong enough to carry the jib.

• The load is heavier than a wall fixing can safely take.

• You may move the work area later and want the option to relocate the crane to a new foundation.

The building has to carry the load

A wall mounted jib is only as safe as the wall it bolts to. A lifted load creates a large turning force on the fixing, and that force goes into the building. Before choosing a wall mounted jib, the wall or column must be confirmed to carry it. Many walls cannot, and bolting a jib to an inadequate wall is a serious risk.

A floor mounted jib puts its load into an engineered foundation instead. That is why it costs more, and also why it can handle heavier loads and go where no wall would serve. Part of specifying either crane is checking that the structure, whether wall or foundation, is rated for the job.

Both fall under the same safety rules

Wall mounted and floor mounted jib cranes are both covered by the Work Health and Safety Act and Regulations and the AS 2550 series for safe use. In December 2025, AS 2550.3:2025 was updated to cover jib cranes alongside bridge, gantry and monorail systems. Both types need commissioning, a rated data plate, operator competence and periodic inspection by a competent person.

Frequently asked questions

1. How much floor space does a wall mounted jib crane save?

All of it. A wall mounted jib puts nothing on the floor, because the building carries the load. A floor mounted jib uses the space taken by its column and base.

2. Can a wall mounted jib rotate a full circle?

No. The wall blocks part of the swing, so a wall mounted jib rotates up to about 180 degrees. For a full 360 degrees, you need a floor mounted jib.

3. Do I need a foundation for a floor mounted jib crane?

Yes. A floor mounted jib stands on a column bolted to an engineered concrete foundation. The foundation must be designed for the crane capacity and the ground conditions, which adds cost and time compared with a wall mount.

4. Which jib crane is cheaper?

A wall mounted jib is usually cheaper, because it bolts to existing structure and needs no foundation. That saving only applies if a suitable wall exists next to the work area.

Talk to us about your space

HES Cranes designs, manufactures and installs both wall mounted and floor mounted jib cranes from our facilities in Epping, Victoria and Yatala, Queensland. Tell us where the work happens and what you lift, and we will confirm the mounting, the capacity and whether your structure can carry it. Call 1800437272 or request a quote online.