We make forests with our own hands. The procedure for installing scaffolding from profile pipes and lumber

All photos from the article

When carrying out various works at height - from laying walls to façade cladding or applying plaster, it is necessary to construct structures that will allow the work to be carried out comfortably and at the same time ensure safety.

Professional builders use metal scaffolding, which are prefabricated modular systems that can have very different sizes, but for private use it is easier to build a structure from boards; this is the option we will consider in the article.

What you need for work

Before you build scaffolding from boards with your own hands, you need to prepare all the required materials and tools:

Racks	For them, either a board measuring 50x100 mm or a wooden beam with a cross-section of 100x100 mm is used, these elements will bear the main load and support the entire structure, so you should use only high-quality lumber without large knots, damage from woodworms and rot, this is very important for ensuring safety
Flooring and lintels	For these elements, a board with a thickness of 40-50 mm is used; it is important that the flooring can easily withstand the weight of several people and a small supply of materials (if necessary)
Spacers	Elements that impart rigidity and preserve the geometry of the structure being built are made from boards 30-32 mm thick; it is also used to create fences, which are mandatory to ensure a safe working process, because it is never excluded that someone will slip or trip on the scaffolding
Fasteners	Either nails or self-tapping screws of large thickness are used to ensure maximum reliability and strength of all connections. You can also use a modern option - mounting angles and plates; with their help, the structure can be made even more reliable and durable, moreover, the price of these elements is low

Important!
Don’t forget about the tool, as you will need to cut wood, hammer in nails or tighten screws, as well as take measurements; the easiest way to do this is to use a tape measure, a square and a construction pencil.

The working process

The instructions on how to make scaffolding with your own hands from boards are quite simple, it is important to follow all the recommendations and requirements, this is where we will begin to consider the issue.

Basic design requirements

There are several generally accepted rules, the observance of which guarantees the reliability of the scaffolding you collect and ensures the highest safety:

The distance between the posts should not exceed 2-2.5 meters, since with longer spans the wood will not be able to provide adequate rigidity, especially under high loads;
The width of the decking to ensure comfortable work should be at least 1 meter, but making the structure wider than one and a half meters is also not recommended, since the stability of the system will suffer;
The maximum safe height of the structure is 6 meters, this is due to the fact that the maximum length of lumber is the same, and it is not recommended to build up elements.

Stages of work

The whole process consists of several operations that must be performed in a certain sequence:

First you need to connect the first 4 racks, to do this, first the long side is fastened together, this is done using diagonal struts, the second element is assembled in the same way, after which the end sides are connected using the same spacers, then the resulting structure must be installed and checked for stability, if necessary, reinforcement is made using additional jumpers and perforated corners;

Next you need to secure the jumpers, their location depends on the level at which the work will be carried out. It is important to calculate everything correctly to ensure the convenience of the process; if two rows of flooring are used, two rows of jumpers are made accordingly; they will also serve as elements providing rigidity; to further strengthen the support, it makes sense to attach them to corners with stiffening ribs;
The flooring is arranged along fixed lintels, for its construction, only a reliable board without cracks or damage is taken, it is necessary to cut it into pieces of the required length so that unnecessary parts do not stick out at the edges, these elements are best fastened using self-tapping screws, since they cause the wood to crack much less, and fixation is obtained much better;

Next you need to attach the fencing elements, their location directly depends on the location of the flooring. The general rule is that the elements should not be lower than waist level, sometimes it makes sense to nail two rows of boards for even greater security. Here lumber with a thickness of at least 30 mm is used so that, if necessary, it can withstand a sufficiently large force and not break;
The next stage is the installation of supporting elements, their number and configuration depend on the characteristics of a particular situation, the height of the scaffolding and the reliability of the soil around the house. Here it is important to learn one simple rule - install as many supports as necessary to ensure the best stability of the system you have built. The elements rest well on the soil, after which they are attached to the support posts;

Advice!
If the structure is wooden, then for additional reliability the system is attached to the walls, this will significantly strengthen the structure, everything is very simple: one end of the block is fixed on the stand, and the other on the wall.

During the construction or maintenance of a private house, it is necessary to perform work at heights. Not all work can be done with a stepladder or ladder. In such cases, it is necessary to use scaffolding.
Scaffolding can be made from various materials. The most common are metal and wooden scaffolding.
Metal scaffolding has great advantages. They are distinguished by their stability, safety and durability. But the cost of this design is quite considerable. Yes, and difficulties in assembly and large dimensions of the structure are not the most acceptable option.
An alternative to metal scaffolding is wooden scaffolding, which is easy to assemble and costs several times less. Another advantage of wood scaffolding is that they can be assembled with almost any available materials, using only available equipment. Wooden scaffolding can be transported to any distance independently and stored disassembled for a long time. Due to many advantages, many choose wooden scaffolding for construction and installation work.
Making wooden scaffolding is not difficult. It is enough to choose high-quality and durable wood of the right size. Since the structure of the scaffolding is temporary, it can be made from wood and boards, which are “not in good condition.”

Scaffolding process

1. First of all, you need to make a base. To do this, we take two beams and fasten them together using auxiliary boards. We secure the boards with self-tapping screws.

2. Cut the upper part of the beam at an angle. The bevel on the beam is necessary for further fastening of the remaining parts of the structure.

3. The finished part of the base looks like:

4. Next, we attach a 1 m long board to the cut site.

5. Sequentially attach three more parts of the manufactured beams to the top bar. Thanks to the presence of bevels on the beams, the structure takes on a stable shape.

6. To make the scaffolding structure more reliable and durable, it is necessary to strengthen it with the help of auxiliary strips. We fix the planks in the upper and middle parts of the structure. We do this work on both sides of the stand.

7. Additionally, we secure the stand at the base on several sides.

8. The finished part of the scaffolding looks like:

9. You can also strengthen the structure of the stand in the central part, while placing the fastening boards diagonally.

10. To carry out the work, a wooden flooring is laid out on the stands, which will serve as a place of movement.

11. Scaffolding stands can be made as many as necessary to perform safe work. The stands are easy to move from place to place without disassembling them. In addition, such a design can be used on various terrains and when performing work of any complexity.

12. The height of wooden scaffolding can be adjusted by increasing the height of the wooden deck.

From this article you will learn how to properly assemble wooden scaffolding with your own hands - step-by-step instructions have been prepared for you.

The article will talk about the requirements for individual elements and the design in general. You will also learn about additional devices for working at height.

Scaffolding is a temporary or permanent system of supports and ladders that is used for lifting and working at heights. They are subject to increased requirements for strength, stability and safety, since working at a height of more than 1.5 m is hazardous.

Regardless of the material and design principle, the following general requirements are imposed on scaffolding:

Reliability. The system of elements must be able to withstand the weight of workers and material in motion.
Manufacturability. Implies ease of assembly/disassembly of the entire structure. This job should be handled by a handyman or entry-level specialist.
Economy. The design must contain an acceptable minimum of elements, but at the same time be stable and reliable.
Utility. For inventory scaffolding - the ability to reuse the structure and individual elements as much as possible. For wooden ones, it is possible to reuse the material after disassembly for other purposes without significant loss of quality.

Inventory scaffolding is a professional and expensive product. It is not profitable to purchase them for home use; you can only rent them for a large amount of work (for example, on the facade of a house). As a rule, in private construction it is customary to erect conditionally disposable scaffolding that exactly matches the structure of the building.

Standard wooden scaffolding

The design of these scaffoldings came to us from the Middle Ages. The principle of forming the frame and connecting parts has not changed since then. Only the fasteners themselves have improved. They deserve special attention.

Basic elements of wooden scaffolding

1 - racks; 2 - transverse; 3 - flooring; 4 - braces; 5 - stabilizing slopes

Racks. Vertical supports made of good quality edged boards. They take the normal (according to the gravity vector) load from the entire structure and transfer it to the base (soil). Requirements for racks:

Edged boards of the 1st grade of any species.
The thickness of the board is at least 30 mm, the width is at least 100 mm.
Mechanical integrity of each individual element. The board should not be burst, broken, rotten, crooked, of variable cross-section, with excess wane or holes.
The board should not be affected by insects.

Particular attention must be paid to the vertical splice of the racks. The elements must be connected end-to-end, not overlay, and clamped on both sides.

Cross members. They take the load from the flooring and transfer it to the racks. The requirements for them are similar to those for racks. One additional requirement: the use of spliced cross members without additional support is unacceptable.

Flooring. Cross ladders that transfer the load from people and materials to the cross members. It can be made of edged or unedged boards, and can also be combined - guides made of boards, sheet material on top. Continuous flooring and a run-up are allowed.

Braces. Diagonal links connecting racks of different rows. The use of slats and slabs is allowed. It is advisable to install braces of maximum length in order to connect the largest number of racks.

Slopes. Diagonal stops that support the structure to prevent deviation from the wall. Usually a 25 mm board is used.

Rules for the construction of wooden scaffolding

There is a set of general rules, following which you can assemble a reliable and safe structure. These rules are derived from safety requirements and the work experience of high-altitude masters:

The foundation must be reliable. If there is loose earth or sand under your feet, make wooden platforms to support the racks.
The width of the passage between the racks is at least 500 mm.
For each node there are at least 3 attachment points. For multi-point fastening - a step of 50–70 mm in a checkerboard pattern.
Use powerful screws (at least 4.2 mm). In case of assembly on nails (100 mm), bend them from the reverse side.
Always install handrails on the inside of the rack.
Use a fascia board (fencing near the deck).
The racks at the junction must be trimmed.
The pitch of the posts is from 1 to 2 m, the minimum thickness of the flooring is 25 mm.

Scaffolding assembly

To create a wooden scaffolding structure, you will need a minimum of tools: a saw, a hammer with nails and a tape measure.

Operating procedure:

The length of the working space should be divided by the optimal pitch (1.5 m) and the number of racks should be obtained.
We assemble an “envelope” - a frame of racks and crossbars. To do this, lay out two boards in parallel and measure the height of the tier. We sew them together in this place with a crossbar.

Attention! The angle between the post and the cross member should be 90°. Distortions can deform the frame under load.

We sew the frame with a brace.
We prepare the required number of “envelopes”.
Install two “envelopes” vertically, in the design position. Sew them with a diagonal at maximum height so that they stand without support.
Set the number of envelopes according to the length of the flooring board so that its edges fall on the crossbars.
Place the flooring board onto the crossbars and secure. Strengthen the bracing with braces.
Secure the decking on top with self-tapping screws or nails.
Install the remaining “envelopes” and flooring in the same way.

Attention! Never, under any circumstances, splice decking between supports! The joint of boards or sheets of flooring must be on the crossbar!

Install the handrail and front board.
If possible, tie the structure to the wall.
If the height is more than 2 tiers and it is necessary to build up the racks, you should first install the slopes. To do this, you need to tie the racks at the bottom with a horizontal board of maximum length. Then tie the edge of this board to the top of the rack - you get a reliable triangular stop.

Scaffolding is dismantled in the reverse order - dismantling the flooring, crossbars, extended racks, slopes and envelopes. Disassembly must be carried out by qualified and experienced carpenters.

Devices for constructing wooden scaffolding

Steel cross member - bracket

This element significantly simplifies installation, allowing you to quickly change the level of the flooring. Such a device must correspond to the cross-section of the board.

Triangular bracket

Such a bracket can be wooden or steel. Allows you to attach the scaffold directly to the wall. To construct a flooring based on it, a few boards for the ladder are enough. But at the same time, to rearrange it, you have to dismantle it. Installing anything from the bottom up is impossible. The most dangerous type of high-rise scaffolding. The work requires special skill and caution.

Bricklayer's express scaffolding

They are created from pallets on which bricks are delivered. As a rule, rafter boards are used for flooring. It does not require sawing of the material, and is quite reliable if you do not make spans of more than 1.5 m.

Bricklayer's scaffolding on video

Whatever type of scaffolding or scaffolding you choose, remember that your life and health are in your hands. Saving one board or 10 minutes of time to strengthen can result in unpleasant and sometimes serious consequences.

Vitaly Dolbinov, rmnt.ru

Reading time ≈ 4 minutes

Before you start building scaffolding, you need to decide what material it will be made from, and what type of scaffolding (more precisely, the method of fastening) you actually need.

Today there are two materials from which you can make scaffolding with your own hands. It is either wood or metal. Accordingly, finished structures can be either metal or wood. But if we consider the methods of fastening the elements of these scaffoldings, then there will be more varieties. This:

Frame scaffolding. They are in demand when carrying out plastering work.
Wedge scaffolding is indispensable when working with heavy loads, and they can be easily disassembled.
Clamp scaffolding - used when working on objects with complex configurations.
Pin scaffolding. This variety is especially popular because such scaffolding is quickly assembled and disassembled.

Having decided on the varieties, you can move on to the question of whether it is worth building even the simplest scaffolding with your own hands, or whether you should still entrust this task to masters of their craft. In the case where your decision is definitely economical, you can look at detailed photos and videos of ideas on how to quickly and efficiently assemble scaffolding yourself. By the way, there you will find a hint on how to store them later, or dismantle this structure until the next use.

Scaffolding drawings

In general, you need to understand that when assembling scaffolding with your own hands, drawings can significantly simplify the task. Acting according to the existing scheme, you will quickly complete the installation. The only thing you need to understand is that any forest consists of elements such as:

main racks;
horizontal and diagonal struts necessary for structural strength;
floor lintels;
board flooring (support) on which a person must stand;
reliable stops;
mandatory fencing to avoid falling from a height;
stepladder for lifting to the desired height.

As you can see, it is not so difficult to master and assemble scaffolding with your own hands. But is this really advisable? Indeed, in most cases, these structures are not some kind of trestle-platforms, but serious structures designed to perform heavy work at a certain height.

Scaffolding assembly instructions

In this case, the assembly of scaffolding involves the use of wooden materials, since few people would think of assembling metal scaffolding in their summer cottages, unless they are small-sized elements ready for assembly.

And wooden scaffolding made by yourself can be useful only for work at a level not exceeding the second floor and mainly for carrying out facade repair work. Their use in more difficult conditions and under heavy loads may not only be impossible, but also dangerous. However, so that you do not get confused in the assembly steps, we suggest that you use the assembly instructions for the simplest design.

First of all, you should remember the approximate values. Namely:

The distance between the posts should not exceed two to two and a half meters.
The width of the flooring for work must be at least a meter.
The total height of the structure should be no more than six meters.

And now - let's get to work! In order to begin assembly, you must prepare all the necessary materials in advance. These will be:

Boards with a thickness of at least fifty millimeters and a width of at least one hundred mm. You can replace them with 10x10 timber or round timber for stops and racks.
Boards for fencing and spacers. Their thickness should be at least thirty millimeters.
Boards for flooring and lintels - 50 mm thick.
Nails. But don’t try to replace them with self-tapping screws - they are not reliable comrades in this matter.

1. Observing all the distances that were indicated a little above, fasten the four posts on all four sides using the existing diagonal spacers.

Scaffolding is a specific thing and not always necessary. But what to do if they are so necessary, but there is nowhere to get them? Install it yourself! Before getting down to work, it is important to know that scaffolding is created on the principle of a frame structure assembled from wooden and steel elements. To understand how to make scaffolding with your own hands, the master must decide on its type.

Scaffolding design and types

Based on the material of production, forests are divided into two types:

metal;
wooden.

Another criterion for dividing scaffolding into types is the method of fastening structural elements. According to this method, forests are divided into:

frame - considered especially durable, since their main frame is an all-metal frame;
pin - parts of the structure in these scaffoldings are attached to each other with a pin;
wedge - the structure of such scaffolding is connected using the wedge method;
clamp - vertical and horizontal posts are connected by inserts using the “pipe to pipe” method, secured with rotating and non-rotating clamps.

How to assemble wooden scaffolding

What you will need to install scaffolding

To assemble the scaffolding, which is also called a “goat” or “table”, you will need the following materials:

Nails or screws (any kind, as long as there is enough length, except rusty and bent ones, otherwise the work will turn into sheer torture);
Boards (pallets, fences, old furniture, pieces of chipboard, plywood or wooden boards);
Bars (any sticks, debris, pieces of metal profiles, tree branches).

Frame making

Drawings will be an excellent assistant for those who install scaffolding with their own hands. They are the easiest way to assemble the frame. To do this, wooden stands and shoes are fixed on a pre-prepared site, and if necessary, screw supports are installed. After which the frames are mounted with a certain step. Their number determines the expected length of the structure. Special frames with borders are installed along the edges. To lower and lift workers, ladders are mounted on the frames. The entire structure is held together by horizontal and diagonal ties. There are special locks in the frame to secure them.

Frame assembly

DIY scaffolding

The minimum safe height of scaffolding is 5-6 m, width is 50 cm, and its recommended length is 4 m. Based on these figures, the size of the frame and the required amount of material are calculated, the quality of which deserves special attention.

In particular, to create the frame, a solid beam with a width of at least 10 cm is chosen. The end strips of the structure are mounted at an acute angle. Two six-meter support beams are laid in a horizontal position. The distance between them is the width of the future forests. Two more six-meter beams are laid nearby at the same distance. The upper ends of the beams should converge at a slight angle in the form of a trapezoid, this will give stability to future scaffolding.

Side posts are fixed to these beams - the support of future decking. The racks are secured from the inside, and only three racks are used for the decking, and the last one serves to strengthen the structure. There should be no more than 4 sidewalls in total, since it is not recommended to erect scaffolding higher than “four floors”.

Preparing additional racks

Flooring installation

Before making scaffolding, it is necessary to determine the requirements that it must meet. Height can be considered a determining parameter, because the flooring is necessary specifically for working at a certain height.

Flooring installation

The length of the “goat” depends solely on the size of the available materials. Of course, a table that is too short will be very inconvenient, especially at high altitudes. And you need to remember that there will probably be two people and a bucket of solution standing on the table.

To achieve the desired width of the flooring, use the required number of boards. However, if it is made not from boards, but from chipboard, then increasing it will be difficult. As for scaffolding erected indoors, the so-called “goats,” an important point will be the width of the existing doorways, as well as the presence of other furniture. After all, the “goat” will need to be moved somehow.

The weight factor is one of the most important, because carrying scaffolding is inconvenient, and heavy ones even more so. Moving them by dragging them is once again exposing them to unwanted physical influence. On the other hand, it’s definitely not worth sacrificing height and strength.

Not only the health of the builder, but also the integrity of walls, floors, and equipment depends on the strength of scaffolding. Everything that may be nearby. However, there is no point in loading the structure with unnecessary elements. It is far from certain that they will actually add strength. Properly hammered nails, tightened screws and mounted jumpers are a guarantee of strength.

Properly made lintels are the basis for builder safety

Wooden scaffolding can be considered stable if it does not wobble. And it’s not just that the employee feels uncomfortable if the table is wobbly. Any furniture breaks for this very reason, including scaffolding. Properly placed jumpers are the only way to achieve stability.

For flooring, wide and long boards are used, nailing them to the sides. These three boards need to be distributed along the edges and in the center of the flooring so that it does not sag. By the way, it’s more convenient to cut off the excess when the flooring is already assembled - then you won’t need to measure anything. The gaps between the boards reduce the weight of the product. On the other hand, they make it possible for small objects to constantly fall onto the floor.

When screwing in the screws, you need to make sure that the boards do not crack. And the protruding screws can easily be broken off with a hammer blow. If the nails are long, they should be bent through something round - the handle of pliers, for example. In this case, the sharp end of the nail will enter the wood from the back side, giving additional strength.

Assembly of metal scaffolding

Metal scaffolding is much stronger than wooden scaffolding and has a longer lifespan. However, their production takes more time and labor costs. A scaffolding diagram is usually used to calculate materials and size. Multi-tiered scaffolding is made of aluminum, small structures are made of steel. Steel, unlike aluminum, is more suitable for independent scaffolding. To build metal scaffolding with your own hands, the master will need:

a round pipe with a diameter of 15 mm is the basis for future spacers;
profile pipe with a diameter of 30 mm - necessary for the production of racks;
profile pipe with a diameter of 25 - connecting jumpers are made from it;
fastening materials for metal;
“grinder” - used to grind corners and saw pipes;
drill and drill bits.

Preparing the spacers

Installation of metal scaffolding begins with the preparation of spacers. A 15 mm pipe is cut into two fragments of 2 meters each. Their ends are flattened. At each end, two longitudinal cuts of no more than 2 cm are made with a grinder.

Then the 30 mm pipe is cut into fragments of 1.5 m (the height of one scaffolding span). Then 0.70 m pieces are cut from the same pipe, intended for jumpers between the span posts. The jumpers are installed 35 cm apart. The dimensions of all fragments are carefully rechecked. After all work is completed, the structure is welded into a single unit using a welding machine.

Making adapters

At a further stage, adapters between sections are installed. To do this, a pipe with a diameter of 25 mm is cut into small sections of 25 cm, and a pipe with a diameter of 30 mm is cut into even smaller sections of 5 cm, with their help the jumpers will be fixed. A piece of 25 cm is threaded into a piece of 5 cm to its center. Then it is secured by welding or self-tapping screws.

For further assembly of the scaffolding, holes for bolts are made at the ends of the lintels and in the racks. The jumpers are securely fastened between the section posts crosswise, on both sides. Next, using connecting adapters, the next floor of the structure is created.

Frame assembly

Frame metal scaffolding can withstand pressure of 180-200 kg per sq.m. They are made of racks and frames. Such scaffolding is allowed to be erected to a greater height - up to 45 meters. Before installing the metal frame, the location of tiers, stairs and other structural elements is first determined.

The assembly of the frame begins with the fact that 3 m sections are laid out on a pre-prepared area, on which support boards are laid. Metal supports are fixed on these boards, forming the basis of the initial tier. After the supports are fastened together with iron ties, the next floor is installed. On each floor there are working surfaces made of boards - decking. To climb them, the scaffolding is equipped with ladders on the sides.

Section installation

Before arranging the scaffolding, it is necessary to determine the size and location of the sections. In this case, three conditions must be met:

the width between the posts is no more than 3 m;
the length between the posts is no more than 4 m;
the height between floors is no more than 2 m.

The number of sections depends on the size of the wall. The flooring sheet is secured to the racks with metal screws or clamps. Then horizontal guides (jumpers) are welded to the racks. Pieces of pipe (adapters) are “put on” the upper ends of the racks and welded. If a thin-walled pipe is used, then during assembly its ends and middle are flattened, and holes for fastening are made in these places.

Two diagonal strips are tightened with a bolt in the center, then they are applied to the racks and points for future holes are marked. Diagonal strips are fixed to the racks with bolts. Then thrust bearings - flat metal plates - are welded to the ends of the pipes. After which the structure is installed in its working position.

Making flooring

The flooring for metal scaffolding is made according to the same principle as for wooden scaffolding. Flooring is made from edged boards, 40-50 mm thick, and metal sheets are also used.

Painting scaffolding

When erecting scaffolding with their own hands, not everyone thinks about the need to paint them. This is not a prerequisite for their use. However, a layer of paint will protect the metal from corrosion, and the wood from getting wet and rotting, which will significantly increase the shelf life of the scaffolding.