Types of Scaffolding

Scaffolds are temporary structures assembled by scaffolding materials that are used as temporary supports and platforms for workers and materials in construction and concrete shoring, building and bridge maintenance, cleaning, man-made structure inspection, decoration, and cleaning. When people want to describe scaffolding and the types of scaffolding, they need to think about which perspective should talk about scaffolding.

• If you are a scaffolding contractor or construction company talk with a scaffold designer, scaffolding will be divided into support scaffold, building scaffolding, etc according to the application in construction.
• If you consider investing in scaffolding, you can describe which system scaffold you want and what components and parts you want
• If you are a decider of a company, you need to consider the budget and how long time you need for the scaffolding, you need to consider whether to buy steel scaffolding or aluminum scaffolding is better to suit better for your requirement
• If you are going to have a special project in a particular environment, chemical plant, nuclear power plank, power or grid plant, etc, you need to consider which type of scaffolding is more convenient for these special projects. Is Fire-resistant scaffolding or Insulation scaffolding greater and safer?
• If you are working on a very high-load construction project, you need to consider choosing heavy duty scaffold and what types of heavy-duty scaffolding rather than choosing normal or light-duty scaffolding material to ensure the scaffolding takes enough weight and safety for your construction

2 Types and 12 Types of Scaffolding Types In Construction 

Scaffolding is used in construction. According to the construction application. You need to form different types of scaffolds to make the service better for your construction staging, access, and support.

From this perspective, there are two basic scaffolding types: Frame scaffold and supported scaffold.

• Frame scaffolding is the scaffolding that surrounds buildings, structures, and walls
• Supported scaffolds are scaffolds used to support shoring and shuttering in concrete

From this perspective, you can also have 12 specific types of scaffolding

•  Double Scaffolding: scaffolding with double rows and independent
•  Formwork Shoring Scaffolding: support scaffold for shoring and formwork
•  Building Scaffolding: scaffolding surrounds buildings
•  Mobile Scaffolding: scaffolding with castors and movable
•  Putlog Scaffolding: another name is single scaffolding. Not independent. Need support from a wall or structure.
•  Suspended Scaffolding: scaffolding does not stand on the ground but is hung on an overhead structure with a platform
•  Oil Gas Rigged Scaffolding: scaffolding especially for oil gas rig
•  Masonry Scaffolding: scaffolding for mason and bricklayers
•  Trestle Scaffolding: scaffolding supported by trestles
•  Birdcage Scaffolding: independent scaffolding with more than two rows of scaffolding in each direction, connected by ledgers and supported by transoms. With one or several access to the top lift of the work platform.
•  Facade Scaffolding: scaffolding specially designed for facade work
•  Cantilever Scaffolding: scaffolding bracket out from the main structure, anchored from the structure and supported by needles and struts, to reach an area regular/traditional scaffold hard to reach

Scaffolding Types According to Material Made 

Scaffolding materials are made of metal or timber or fiberglass. In the old time, bamboo scaffolding is used as well. You can have the following scaffolding types according to the manufacturing raw materials.

• Steel Scaffolding: scaffoldings made of steel raw material (Like metal decks, steel ladders, etc)
• Aluminum Scaffolding: scaffoldings made of aluminum raw materials (like aluminum tubes, aluminum stairs, aluminum planks)
• Timber(Wood) Scaffolding: scaffolding that are timber type (like H20 timber beams, LVL planks)
• Bamboo Scaffolding: Old scaffolding material used in China, is now less and less used.
• Fiberglass scaffolding: scaffolding made by fiberglass

Scaffolding Types According to History 

In the 1900s, brothers David Henry and Daniel Palmer Jones revolutionized scaffolding and establish “SGB”. Traditional tube clamp scaffold is still used because of the flexibility and cheaper cost. While modern modular scaffolding makes scaffold assembly and setup more convenient.

• Traditional scaffolding: tube and coupler scaffolding (tube & fitting)
•  Modern Modular System Scaffolding

Tube and Coupler (tube&clamp) scaffolds are scaffolding assembled or erected by scaffolding pipes and scaffold fittings. The elements of tube clamp scaffold, including standards, ledgers, braces, transoms, etc, are formed by different lengths of scaffold tubes and fixed by scaffolding clamps.

Types of scaffold tubes

1. Galvanized Scaffold Tubes
2. Painted Scaffold Tubes
3. Black Scaffold Tubes
4. Aluminum Scaffold Tubes

Types of scaffold fittings

1. 90-degree Coupler (Double Coupler)
2. Swivel Coupler
3. Sleeve Coupler(Joint Box)
4. Fixed Beam Girder Coupler
5. Swivel Beam Clamps
6. Putlog Coupler(Single Coupler)
7. Board Retaining Coupler(BRC)
8. Limpet Clamps(Board Clamp)
9. Inner Joint Pins
10. Ladder Clamps (Forged, Pressed Type)
11. Toe Board Clamp

Modular system scaffolding is scaffolding material with prefabricated connectors and joints, with no loose clamps and fittings. Modular scaffold parts are usually in fixed sizes when coming to the project.

Different Types of Modular System Scaffolding

1. Ringlock Scaffolding (Multidirectional Scaffolding)
2. Cuplock Scaffolding
3. Kwikstage Scaffolding (quick stage/star scaffold/speed shore)
4. Crab 60 Scaffolding
5. Crab 25 Scaffolding
6. 60mm Shore Ring System
7. Patent (Frame) Scaffolding: Walk Through Scaffolding, Masonry Ladder Frame, Shoring Frame, H Frame 
8. Quick Lock Scaffold
9. Quick Erect Scaffold
10. Tube Lock Scaffold

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Scaffolding Types According to Weight Bering (Load Capacity) 

For safety construction purposes, you need to choose scaffolding types according to regulations and rules, like scaffold standards and regulations of OSHA, CSA, EN12810, etc.  Scaffolds need to take enough weight for your construction after considering of safety ratio.

According to OSHA regulations, Scaffolding weight includes heavy-duty, medium-duty, and light-duty scaffold

• Heavy Duty Scaffold: 75 lb per square foot uniformly applied over the entire span area
• Medium Duty Scaffold: 50 lb per square foot uniformly applied over the entire span area
• Light Duty Scaffold:75 lb per square foot uniformly applied over the entire span area

Scaffolding Types According to Surface Treatment  

In order to protect scaffolding material in longer life and anti-corrosion. Steel scaffolding needs to have a surface treatment and be finished by galvanizing, painting, or coating. From this perspective, the scaffolding type can be galvanized, painted, coated.

• Galvanized scaffolding: Hot dip galvanized or E-galvanized protected scaffolding material
• Painted scaffolding: scaffolding material painted for anti-corrosion purposes
• Powder-coated scaffolding: scaffold material coated by color powder
• Black scaffold: scaffolding self-finished without any protection

How to Choose the Best Types of Scaffolding for Your Construction

• Check which scaffolding type you and your company are familiar with
• What scaffolding load capacity (bearing weight) is required for your present construction project? You need to choose a heavy-duty shore scaffold for high-load required scaffold construction. If you want mobile scaffolding, aluminum, and lightweight scaffold are better.

• How long time do you want the scaffolding to be recycled used? If you want long-term repeat working scaffolding, the hot dip galvanized type of scaffolding is better in anti-corrosion, thus better than painted or E-galvanized scaffolds.
• Do you want scaffolding for rent or for sale? If you want a scaffold for rent, a long-term hot dip galvanized or aluminum scaffold is better for scaffold recycling.
• What is your budget for this construction project? If you want to save costs for your construction project. Black type or painted type of steel scaffolding is cheap than hot dip galvanized scaffold materials.
• Where is your project located? For example, onshore scaffolding is near the sea, and hot dip galvanized type of scaffolding material is most commonly used.
• Construction Atmosphere. The special purpose construction for chemical plants and nuclear power plants needs a special design and consulting in scaffold requirements.
• What are your Construction Types? For example, masonry scaffolds use patent frame scaffolding a lot. Include walk-through type scaffolding and ladder frame system. Facade scaffolds use a facade frame system.  Birdcage scaffolds use ringlock scaffolding more popular
• How much height of the scaffolding building? Scaffolding of more than 50 meters needs a special design and then decide which type of scaffold to request.
• Do you want to form a regular-shaped or an irregular-shaped scaffold? Special-shaped scaffolding, like curved, tunnel, uneven, or slope scaffold needs a more flexible scaffold. Like tube and clamp systems and modular system scaffolds of ringlock, kwikstage, etc.

Most Common Types of Scaffolding

The most common type of scaffolding is steel scaffolding in construction. Steel scaffolding is cheap in cost. High load and durable by galvanizing protection.

In steel scaffolding, the most common type of scaffolding is tube and coupler scaffolding, ringlock modular system scaffold, kwikstage modular scaffolding, cuplock system scaffold.

Scaffolding Brands Advantages and Comparision