Scaffold Facts for Kids

A typical modern scaffold.

A sign marking where executions used to happen at Tower Hill.

A scaffold is a temporary structure that helps people work on tall buildings or other projects. It's like a temporary platform or support system. Long ago, scaffolds were usually made from wood. In many parts of the world, especially in Asia, you can still see scaffolds made from strong bamboo. However, in Western countries, most scaffolds today are made from metal.

The main reason people use scaffolds is to build or repair buildings. They allow workers to reach high places safely. The word "scaffold" was also once used for the wooden platforms where executions happened. But this use of the word is very rare now.

More important people were executed at the Tower of London.

What is a Scaffold?
- How Scaffolds are Built
  - Materials Used for Scaffolds
Why We Use Scaffolds
- Scaffolds in Building Projects
  - Repairing and Cleaning Buildings
Different Types of Scaffolds
Images for kids
See also

What is a Scaffold?

A scaffold is a temporary structure. It provides a safe place for workers to stand. It also helps them reach different parts of a building. Scaffolds are used during construction, repair, or cleaning of tall structures.

How Scaffolds are Built

Scaffolds are put together piece by piece. They usually have vertical poles called standards. Horizontal pieces called ledgers connect the standards. Then, workers place planks or platforms on top. These platforms are where the workers stand.

Materials Used for Scaffolds

Historically, scaffolds were made from wood. In some places, like Hong Kong, bamboo is still a popular material. Bamboo is strong, light, and grows quickly. Modern scaffolds are mostly made from steel or aluminum. These metals are very strong and can be reused many times.

Why We Use Scaffolds

Scaffolds are super important for safety. They give workers a stable place to stand. This is much safer than using ladders for big jobs. Scaffolds also help workers move tools and materials easily. They make it possible to work on large areas at once.

Scaffolds in Building Projects

When a new building is being constructed, scaffolds go up as the building gets taller. They allow bricklayers, painters, and other workers to do their jobs. For example, when the Tokyo Sky Tree was being built, it used a lot of scaffolding. This helped workers build the very tall tower safely.

Repairing and Cleaning Buildings

Old buildings often need repairs or cleaning. Scaffolds are set up around them for this. This lets workers fix walls, clean windows, or paint high sections. For instance, Buckingham Palace used scaffolding during its reconstruction in 1913.

Different Types of Scaffolds

There are many kinds of scaffolds, each designed for different jobs.

Supported Scaffolds

Most scaffolds are supported from the ground up. These are the most common type you see. They use poles and frames to create a stable structure.

Tube and Clamp Scaffolds

This type uses steel tubes connected by special clamps. Workers can build them in many shapes. This makes them very flexible for different building designs.

Frame Scaffolds

Frame scaffolds use pre-made frames that stack on top of each other. They are quick to set up and take down. They are often used for simpler, straight-up-and-down jobs.

Suspended Scaffolds

Some scaffolds hang from the top of a building. These are often called "swing stages." They are used for cleaning windows on skyscrapers. They can be moved up and down the side of the building.

Special Scaffolds

There are also scaffolds for specific tasks.

Stilts are like tall shoes that workers wear. They are used indoors for jobs like taping drywall on ceilings.
Ladder brackets attach to ladders and hold planks. This creates a small platform.
Trestle ladder scaffolds use two ladders with a platform between them.

Images for kids

Scaffolding for rehabilitation in Madrid.
Reconstruction of Buckingham Palace in 1913, under the scaffolding of Patent Rapid.
A condominium in Japan being repaired. The building is covered by steel scaffolding and mesh for safety.
Scaffolding, 10 months after Tokyo Skytree construction started.
Extensive scaffolding on a building in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio. This is called pipe staging.
Assembly of bamboo scaffolding hanging over a Hong Kong street.
A short section of steel scaffold tube.
Scaffolding in Tretyakovsky Proyezd, Moscow.
Basic scaffold parts.
Scaffolding showing how a working platform is protected.
The Holy Trinity Church in Vladimir, with scaffolding wrapped in safety mesh.
Scaffolding during refurbishment of the Waverley Station roof, Edinburgh 2011.
Bamboo scaffolding on an under-construction water tower in Hainan, China.
Bamboo scaffolding in Hong Kong, taken apart.
Workers on bamboo scaffolding.
A support for bamboo scaffolding in Hong Kong.
Bamboo scaffolds and bun towers in Cheung Chau.
Stilts are considered a type of scaffold by OSHA in the USA. Stilts are used by drywall workers.
A medieval putlog hole in the wall of Reading Abbey in Berkshire, southern England.
A scaffolding ready to be assembled.
A detail of a tube and clamp scaffold.
A type of metal pole scaffold in France.
Wooden pole scaffold.
Pipe staging is common in the U.S. Welded sections stack and are braced.
Bamboo scaffold with nylon knots.
The putlog is the horizontal piece that holds the platform. The upright pole is a standard.
A type of putlog scaffold where the putlogs go through the wall.
Carpenters' bracket scaffolding or wall brackets bolt through a wall.
Tall horse scaffold.
A swing stage.
Ladder brackets mount to ladder rungs and hold planks.
Trestle ladder scaffold.