Major Types of Scaffolding in Construction

Scaffolding is an indispensable part of almost all construction projects, and scaffolding has been used since the construction of the first structures. Scaffolding is usually necessary for access to high-altitude structures during construction, and it can be used for many different purposes.

Sometimes scaffolding is used to support workers and their tools, and sometimes it is necessary to use scaffolding to support a large load of building materials (such as bricks, blocks, stucco or cast-in-place concrete). This is called "support" rather than "scaffolding."

Even though there are many different types of scaffolding, new variants often appear. The most popular types of scaffolding around the world include:

Wooden bamboo scaffolding

Pipe clamp scaffolding

System scaffolding

Cup lock scaffold

Kwikstage scaffolding

Haki Scaffolding

Stair tower scaffolding

Frame and supporting scaffolding

Hanging/rotating scaffolding

Mast climbing scaffolding

support

Why are there so many different types of scaffolding?

Sometimes, a specific type of scaffolding is common because the equipment is easy to use and many people know the system. You may already be familiar with these regional differences, such as Kwikstage in Australia and Scotland, and pipe clamps in England and Wales. The complexity of each system has a lot of local expertise, and the local code written for these systems is also very rich.

Depending on your workplaces around the world, different types of scaffolding systems will become more common. In Scandinavia and Northern Europe, where labor is very expensive, aluminum scaffolding is becoming more and more common. Since aluminum is lighter than steel, and most scaffolding must be manually lifted to be placed in place, lighter scaffolding means that scaffolding can be erected faster, thereby reducing labor costs.

In some countries/regions, aluminum is expensive and labor is affordable, so wooden poles and bamboo are quite common. As a designer, make sure you choose the scaffolding system that best suits your project and complies with local regulations.

System scaffolding

System or modular scaffolding structure

Sometimes called modular scaffolding, system scaffolding is mainly composed of vertical and horizontal pre-designed components that are connected together in a systematic manner.

System scaffolding is probably the most widely used type of scaffolding in the world, and there are hundreds of manufacturers, each with a specific efficiency. Some perform well under very high load conditions, while others are more suitable for smaller repetitive scaffolding structures.