How much may a scaffold deck carry, and how wide must it be? This is determined by two things from the standard DS/EN 12811-1: the load class, which sets the permitted weight per m², and the width class, which sets the deck's width. Here are both tables — and how to choose correctly for the task.
Introduction
A scaffold must be able to carry what is done on it — no more, no less. The European standard DS/EN 12811-1 divides working decks into six load classes according to how much weight they may carry per square metre. Choose too low a class and you overload the scaffold; choose too high and you pay for a heavier and more expensive scaffold than necessary.
The six load classes
The load class specifies the evenly distributed load (weight spread across the whole platform) in kN/m². Rule of thumb: 1 kN corresponds to approx. 102 kg.
| Class | Uniformly distributed load | ≈ kg/m² | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0,75 kN/m² | ~76 | Inspection and examination — no storage |
| 2 | 1,5 kN/m² | ~153 | Painting, light cleaning, lighter work |
| 3 | 2,0 kN/m² | ~204 | Light facade work without heavy material storage |
| 4 | 3.0 kN/m² | ~306 | Bricklaying and plastering work with material storage |
| 5 | 4.5 kN/m² | ~459 | Heavy material storage |
| 6 | 6.0 kN/m² | ~612 | Very heavy storage (e.g. natural stone, concrete) |
Point loads and partial-area load
In addition to the uniformly distributed load, the platform must also be able to carry concentrated loads: a point load F1 on an area of 500 × 500 mm (1.5 kN for classes 1–3, 3.0 kN for classes 4–6) and a smaller point load F2 on 200 × 200 mm (1.0 kN). For the heavy classes 4–6 there is also an increased load on a partial area of the platform. The individual loads are verified separately — not on top of one another. The exact values are given in EN 12811-1, Table 3.
| Point load | Site area | Load class 1–3 | Load class 4–6 |
|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | 500 × 500 mm | 1,5 kN | 3,0 kN |
| F2 | 200 × 200 mm | 1,0 kN | 1,0 kN |
Width classes (W06–W24)
Where the load class is about weight, the width class is about space: how wide the working platform is. The standard divides the width into seven classes in steps of 0.3 metres. The wider the platform, the more room for both people and materials — but also the heavier the scaffold.
| Width class | Tread width w |
|---|---|
| W06 | 0,6 ≤ w < 0,9 m |
| W09 | 0,9 ≤ w < 1,2 m |
| W12 | 1,2 ≤ w < 1,5 m |
| W15 | 1,5 ≤ w < 1,8 m |
| W18 | 1,8 ≤ w < 2,1 m |
| W21 | 2,1 ≤ w < 2,4 m |
| W24 | w ≥ 2.4 m |
The load class and width class are chosen independently and combined freely to suit the task. The class is shown on the scaffold's signage and in the system's standard sheets. If you want to calculate it specifically, use the calculator "Load class → permitted load", which translates the class into kg per m² and per bay.
Several load classes in one continuous scaffold
On a large construction site, different parts of the scaffolding may be designed for different work — perhaps class 4 there, where the bricklayer has a material store, and class 2 there, where only painting is done. But if it stands as one continuous scaffolding, one cannot automatically count on each section being used for its class. In practice, the lowest design basis is governing, unless the sections are physically separated and signed separately, so it is clear what may be loaded where.
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