Is anyone here familiar with scaffolding?

[KilroyJC]

Have you considered ladders & ladder jacks?

Amazon.com : ladder jacks

Not really. I mean, they would probably work For the house, but then I would still need something for when I build my sawmill shed (post&beam), lumber shed (ditto) and other projects. The ladder jacks are kinda “unitasker” whereas I could even set up a Scaffold on either side of the truck and finally Simoniz and wax the roof!

 

[KilroyJC]

I needed to reside my barn in 2006. It is 2 story with the roof peak at 25'. I knew it was going to take awhile to do the whole thing so I looked at both man lifts and scaffolds. The siding was 12' long hardie planks so 1 person wasn't going to be able to do it. Thus 2 man lifts would be needed, or lots of scaffolding. It was going to be cheaper to buy and resell than to rent. I ended up with commercial grade scaffolding. I expected the job to be about 6 months, but took a year due to "life events happening". Instead of selling it, I held onto it and still have it to this day. I use it instead of ladders. It is much more stable than a ladder and sways less than a man lift so I feel more comfortable on scaffolding than any thing else.

I have both 5' tall and 3' tall legs. I have the cross braces for each (5' cross braces don't work on 3' legs). I have the safety posts and guard rails. I have both the pad feet with the adjustable screw that has an 18" adjustable range and a set of wheels. The scaffolding planks are important! There are 3 types that I'm aware of a) 2x12 planks that are scaffold rated (not the 2x12s from the lumber yard) b) an aluminum frame with hooks on the end and a plywood center and c) all aluminum planks with hooks on the ends - these are extruded with ridges the length of the plank to keep things from sliding or rolling off and they do that very very well. I went with the latter since they were going to be out in the weather for a long time. Each piece of scaffolding weighs less than 40 pounds. I am 73 and still set up and take down scaffolding by myself and I do 2 or 3 levels at times. I do not tie into the building, but that is preferred if you can do it. Instead I have 2 poles 24' long that I tie into the scaffolding at 10' height and run out to a ground anchor. You can probably get away with no anchors at 10', but I don't like things I stand on to wiggle. It is very important that the first level be plumb and square. If you go more than 1 level, be sure you use the pigtails to tie the levels together (I have had them come apart when climbing up and down if you don't use the pigtails).

My vote is for purchase of the better grade of scaffolding. I've had it longer than I anticipated and has come in handy for more things than I ever imagined. I have a burned out light in my barn that is 15' up so I'll be using 3' legs on top of 5' legs to reach it and I can do it when I get a round-2-it.

May I ask what brand/ model you bought?

and this would be perfect for fixing the ceiling fan with our vaulted ceiling 16” up!

 

[KilroyJC]

Go to your local scaffolding rental company, and ask what they have that they are getting rid of. You will need to sign a waiver.
I rented way too long before I outright purchased my set.
How ever i recouped a bit loaning out my set to other people. And of couse they had to sign a waiver.

That is a good idea - I am on reasonable good terms with our local tool rental guy…

 

[KilroyJC]

MANLIFT IS NOT A VIABLE OPTION:

 

[2manyrocks]

One thing to consider is how much weight per leg is going to be resting on your deck and how to distribute the load properly. It also looks like you'd have to do some figuring to determine where you could place scaffolds and issues of adjusting for relative height of the decking versus the ground as well as railing height on the deck. I suggest doing a drawing of the work area and then placing the scaffold measurements on the drawing to start with.

Someone is going to suggest that an articulating lift with a boom would be easier. Are there some obstacles on the ground that prevent reaching over your deck with an articulating lift?

 

[Diggin It]

Ladders, with or without jacks, straps, stabilizers or other supports.

You have that 18-24" in front, above and below you. Nothing to either side or behind. No place to set something down short of a bag or two on a chain or rope. Not easy to look though that to find a small tool. No place to step if you legs get tired and the rungs can be a bear on the knees.

Scaffolding.

You have room to move, crouch, kneel, sit or lean to the side. You also have room to set tools, parts and fasteners down and arrange them so you can see to make selections as needed. You can take a step or two, maybe three, but not too many.

I think you're supposed to be able to climb up the ends and step onto the platform, but I never do that. I can't climb straight up. I set a ladder next to it at a comfortable angle and strap it to the scaffold.

Someone is going to suggest that an articulating lift with a boom would be easier. Are there some obstacles on the ground that prevent reaching over your deck with an articulating lift?

Several have and it's been answered. Check the post directly above yours.

 

[KilroyJC]

One thing to consider is how much weight per leg is going to be resting on your deck and how to distribute the load properly. It also looks like you'd have to do some figuring to determine where you could place scaffolds and issues of adjusting for relative height of the decking versus the ground as well as railing height on the deck. I suggest doing a drawing of the work area and then placing the scaffold measurements on the drawing to start with.

Someone is going to suggest that an articulating lift with a boom would be easier. Are there some obstacles on the ground that prevent reaching over your deck with an articulating lift?

There is no practical way to drive a boom to that side of the house. Between trees, steps, sewerlines, trees, grade angle, septic, trees, and trees, it won’t work.

not to mention that surrounding on three sides of the house the ground is gravelled - and my wife is the one who carried the gravel two buckets at a time, over the course of three years, totaling somewhere between 18-22 cubic yards of gravel.

notwithstanding all the other obstacles, if you think I would drive something that big and heavy over MrsKilroyJC’s landscaping, you gotta be higher than Hunter!

 

[KilroyJC]

Ladders, with or without jacks, straps, stabilizers or other supports.

You have that 18-24" in front, above and below you. Nothing to either side or behind. No place to set something down short of a bag or two on a chain or rope. Not easy to look though that to find a small tool. No place to step if you legs get tired and the rungs can be a bear on the knees.

Scaffolding.

You have room to move, crouch, kneel, sit or lean to the side. You also have room to set tools, parts and fasteners down and arrange them so you can see to make selections as needed. You can take a step or two, maybe three, but not too many.

I think you're supposed to be able to climb up the ends and step onto the platform, but I never do that. I can't climb straight up. I set a ladder next to it at a comfortable angle and strap it to the scaffold.





Several have and it's been answered. Check the post directly above yours.

I like the idea of using the ladder to climb the scaffold - THANKS,!!!

 

[koshari]

I like the idea of using the ladder to climb the scaffold - THANKS,!!!

i work in a power station, 22 stories high, and the scaffolders here pretty well exclusively use ladders to access the scaffolds. they lash then with flexable wire rope.

 

[2manyrocks]

Rather drive over landscaping than become part of it after a fall.