What is scaffolding?
Scaffolding is a temporary structure used during construction for a person to gain access to a place of work in order to carry building operations. Here we will discuss different parts of scaffolding, their types, advantages, and disadvantages.

The scaffold has to carry the weight of working platforms, the combined load of the workman as well as the structural materials, and the appliances required during construction at a height above 1.5 meters from ground level.
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The scaffold should be such that, it allows the adjustment of the working platform as per the progress of work. Scaffolds are important not only for new construction but for demolition and repair work of building also.
Parts of scaffolding

Standard
These are vertical members of the framework, supported on the ground ordrums, or embedded into the ground.
Ledgers
These are horizontal members, parallel to the wall and right angles to the standards and support the putlog.
Braces
These are inclined members fixed diagonal.lly to the standards.
Putlogs
These are transverse members, placed at the right angle to the walls with one end supported on the ledger and another end on the wall.
Planks/Boarding’st
These are horizontal members serve as a working platform to support workmen and materials and are supported on putlogs.
Rails/Guard board
These members are provided at a safe height above the working platform to guard against workmen, materials, and appliances from falling down.
Volts
Volts are used to bind all the parts of the scaffold to withstand load and make a frame structure.
Types of scaffolding
- Single scaffolding or-brick layer scaffold or putlog scaffold.
2.Double scaffolding or mason’s scaffold or independent scaffold.
Single scaffolding

This type of scaffold is cheap and common for wall construction.
Most of the members used for this type are made of bamboo poles except the working platform.
This type of scaffold is erected by driving into the ground a single row of the standard at 1.5-3.0 meters c/c and 1.2 meters away from the wall. The feet of the standard is also rested on base plates fixed to a soleplate.
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Ledgers are connected to the standards at 1.2-1.5 meter c/c vertically. The junctions are secured by nails/bolts/trope /lashings. Transverse horizontal putlogs (at a right angle to the wall) are tied at one end to the ledgers and the other end inserted securely into the wall.
The putlogs are also generally placed at 1.2-meter c/c. These putlogs support the boarding/planks of the working platform.
Cross braces are also used to improve the strength and stability of the scaffold. These braces are connected as close to the junction of the ledger and standard and are placed on outer Portion.
The scaffold is removed after external work such as pointing: plastering, coloring, etc. are completed. The putlog holes are then filled.properly with brick and mortar.
Double scaffolding

This type of scaffold is normally used where a cheap single type of scaffold cannot be used.
For example in stone masonry work in which it is difficult to leave holes in the walls for inserting putlogs, in this condition it is necessary to provide two rows of standards which in combination with ledgers, braces, and putlogs, etc.
This type of scaffold is called double (as it employs two rows of the standard) independent (as it is independent of the wall) and stonemason (as this type is convenient for a stone mason work).
In this scaffold, standards are placed at a closer distance, 1.8-meter c/c.
The first-row standard is kept at 150-300 mm from the wall.
These two rows are secured by ledgers in which putlogs are placed above. In addition diagonal braces, raking shores are used to prevent slippage of the scaffold.
Advantages of scaffold
It allow to complete external fiishing like painting, pointing, plastering the wall.
It gives way to go up and down, where it is not possible from inner side of large building.
It is safe way other than working by hanging on rope.
Disadvantages of scaffold
- It create extra cost of the building.
- It is time consuming to construct, and so it increases the time of construction of building.
- It required skilled human resources, as one mistake could take life of many workers.
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