Scaffolding is a temporary, and sometimes moveable, fabrication used by workers throughout the construction industry and associated trades. Often referred to as staging, the platforms are typically constructed of wooden planks and metal poles used to raise and support machinery, materials, and workers.
Once consisting primarily of wood construction, modern construction scaffolding utilizes several materials, such as high-quality wooden planks, aluminum and steel, and advanced designs, such as tube and clip and cup lock, to achieve its purpose.
Scaffolding Materials
Wood
Planking is critical for safe conditions on a scaffold to properly support workers and their equipment. Wood, such as fir or pine, is the most common material. High-quality wooden planks, such as Kennison Forest Products solid sawn scaffold planks or SURE-LAM LVL (laminated veneer lumber) scaffold planks, provide durable, safe planking solutions.
Aluminum
Aluminum is a soft, ductile, corrosion-resistant metal with properties that make it suitable for use in scaffolding applications. Aluminum scaffolding is stable and secure, lightweight, and requires minimal maintenance.
Steel
Steel construction scaffolding offers excellent strength and durability while maintaining some elasticity, which helps prevent cracking. Steel can support extremely heavy loads and is a necessity for tall structures, where the weight of the scaffolding itself requires structural strength.
Tube and Clip
Tube and clip is a popular scaffold design because of the ease in assembly and disassembly. To build this type of scaffolding, tubes are connected to make long runs, and then the horizontal and vertical tube runs are clamped together with a specially designed clip.
Cup Lock
Cup lock is a multi-purpose type of scaffolding system for general access and supporting vertical loads. The system uses a circular node point that may fasten up to four components together.
6 Types of Scaffolding Used in Construction
Single Scaffolding
Single scaffolding, or bricklayer’s scaffolding as it is commonly used for that practice, is placed parallel to the wall about 1.2 m away. Standards are set about 2 to 2.5 m apart, while ledgers connect the standards at vertical intervals of 1.2 to 1.5 m. Finally, putlogs emitting from a hole in the wall, are taken to one end of the ledgers. Putlogs are placed at a 1.2 to 1.5 m interval.
Double Scaffolding
Double scaffolding, or masons scaffolding as it is often used for stone masonry, is comprised of two rows of scaffolding for added strength, and thereby support of dense stone materials. The first row is placed about 20 to 30 cm from the wall, while the second is 1 m from that. Putlogs are then set, supported by the two frames. Strong rakers and cross braces provide additional strength.
Cantilever Scaffolding
Cantilever scaffolding, also called needle scaffolding, uses needles made of timber, which are extended out or cantilevered from holes in the walls of the building. These needles then support the entire scaffold structure. Cantilever scaffolding is used when the ground won’t support a conventional scaffold, when a sidewalk or road can’t be blocked, or when construction or maintenance is required at a great height.
Suspended Scaffolding
Suspended scaffolding uses ropes or other types of rigging systems to suspend the scaffold platform from an overhead structure. The rigging system enables workers to raise or lower the platform as needed to reach the desired work level, for example in a high-rise environment.
Trestle Scaffolding
Trestle scaffolding is a versatile system ideal for maintenance projects and simple jobs. The design of a trestle scaffold makes it easy to move and is often used by painters and builders when a flexible and secure platform is required.
Steel Scaffolding
Steel scaffolding is a highly durable scaffolding system constructed with steel tubes coupled together with fittings for ease of assembly and disassembly. It offers the great strength, durability, and high fire resistance; it is widely used when an entire structure is under maintenance.
Scaffolding Options From Kennison Forest Products
At Kennison Forest Products, we offer SURE-LAM LVL scaffold planks and 2200F MSR 1.8E solid sawn scaffold planks. These planks are made in the U.S. and meet or exceed industry and regulatory requirements.
To learn more about scaffolding options and how we can help provide scaffolding solutions for your application, contact us today.