Scaffold Frame & Plank Estimator
Frame scaffold materials for a wall or façade: number of frames, cross braces, planks or decks, base plates, guardrails and toe boards from length, working height and bay size — lifts, weight on the ground, tie-ins, and rental cost per week.
How it works
Bays = ⌈length ÷ bay⌉; frames per lift = bays + 1; lifts = ⌈height ÷ frame height⌉; frames = (bays + 1) × lifts; braces = 2 × bays × lifts; planks = bays × planks per bay × decked lifts; tie at 4:1 height-to-base then every 26 ft × 30 ft
Frame (“fabricated”) scaffold is assembled from repeating units: a pair of frames connected by two cross braces makes a bay, bays run end to end along the wall, and lifts stack until the working platform is at the height needed. Counting is therefore arithmetic — one more frame than bays per lift, two braces per bay per lift, planks for each decked level — plus the hardware that codes require: base plates on mudsills, guardrails and toe boards at every working level above 10 feet, and ties to the building once the scaffold is taller than four times its narrowest base dimension. Loads matter too: OSHA’s light-duty rating is 25 psf, medium 50 and heavy 75, and the legs deliver those loads plus the equipment weight to whatever they stand on. Rental is charged per frame set per week, so estimate erection and dismantling time realistically.
Worked example
A 60 ft wall with a 24 ft working height on 7 ft bays and 6′4″ frames: 9 bays, 10 frames per lift, 4 lifts → 40 frames, 72 braces and, decking only the top lift, 27 aluminium decks, 20 base plates and jacks, about 140 ft of guardrail (top and mid rail) and 70 ft of toe board. Two ties are needed above the 20 ft freestanding limit; the set weighs about 3,600 lb and rents for roughly $1,440 a month.
Frequently asked questions
Wood planks or aluminium decks?
Aluminium/plywood decks hook on, are lighter for their span and rated; 2×10 scaffold-grade planks need 6–12″ overlap on the bearers and are cheaper but heavier and easier to misuse.
Do I need a competent person?
Yes — OSHA requires a competent person to supervise erection and inspect before each shift; scaffolds over 125 ft need an engineer’s design.
Related calculators
Quantities follow common frame-scaffold practice and OSHA 1926 Subpart L rules of thumb; the manufacturer’s load charts and a competent person’s plan govern the actual build.