A method for installing a cover of at least one anode in an electrolytic cell used for the production of aluminium, by means of a service machine which is movable relative to the cell, the cell comprising a molten electrolytic bath in which an anode block (9, 9') of the anode is partially immersed, such that an upper surface ( S sup) of the anode block (9, 9') emerges out of the bath, the service machine comprising at least one device for dispensing a product for covering the anode block (9, 9'), the method comprising at least the following steps: /1/ layer deposition of a controlled amount of the covering product by the dispensing device over at least one area (A n) to be covered of the upper surface (S sup) of the anode block (9, 9'); /2/ measurement of the thickness of the covering product layer which is deposited in said area (A n) to be covered by at least one thickness sensor on board the service machine; /3/ comparison between the thickness measured by the sensor and a reference thickness, the reference thickness being predetermined to allow the covering product to cover the upper surface (S sup) of the anode block (9, 9') over a given height in at least said area (A n) to be covered; /4/ calculation of a corrective amount of covering product to reach the reference thickness in said area (A n) to be covered; /5/ rectification of the thickness of the layer of the covering product in said area (A n) to be covered using the corrective amount, a method in which prior to the deposition step /1/, a step of meshing at least one part of the upper portion of the carbon block defining a plurality of areas (A n) to be covered by the covering product, a method in which at least one part of the /1/ deposition, /2/ measurement, /3/ comparison, /4/ calculation and /5/ rectification steps are carried out together in sequence, each step being applied for several of the areas (A n) to be covered before proceeding to the next step. /1/ layer deposition of a controlled amount of the covering product by the dispensing device over at least one area (A n) to be covered of the upper surface (S sup) of the anode block (9, 9'); /2/ measurement of the thickness of the covering product layer which is deposited in said area (A n) to be covered by at least one thickness sensor on board the service machine; /3/ comparison between the thickness measured by the sensor and a reference thickness, the reference thickness being predetermined to allow the covering product to cover the upper surface (S sup) of the anode block (9, 9') over a given height in at least said area (A n) to be covered; /4/ calculation of a corrective amount of covering product to reach the reference thickness in said area (A n) to be covered; /5/ rectification of the thickness of the layer of the covering product in said area (A n) to be covered using the corrective amount, a method in which prior to the deposition step /1/, a step of meshing at least one part of the upper portion of the carbon block defining a plurality of areas (A n) to be covered by the covering product, a method in which at least one part of the /1/ deposition, /2/ measurement, /3/ comparison, /4/ calculation and /5/ rectification steps are carried out together in sequence, each step being applied for several of the areas (A n) to be covered before proceeding to the next step.