There isn't one scaffold, but a handful of systems, each solving its own task. The choice depends on the shape of the building, how high you need to go, how much has to be carried, and how quickly it has to happen. Here are the types you'll meet in practice — and when to choose which.
Introduction
"Scaffold" is an umbrella term. On an ordinary façade you erect something quite different from what you'd build inside a tank at an industrial plant, and a quick painting job in a stairwell calls for something else again. Most scaffolds are built from system components that clip together to fixed dimensions — but when the geometry gets irregular, you switch to tube and fittings, where everything can be adapted.
Façade scaffold (frame scaffold)
The classic building scaffold along a wall. It is built from prefabricated steel frames stacked in levels (lifts), with boards, guardrails and toe boards in between. It is quick to erect, cheap and ideal for straight façades — the kind of job where most tradespeople meet scaffolding. Typically falls under the standard EN 12810 for façade scaffolds made of prefabricated components.
The strength of frame scaffolding is precisely the speed: the frame is one complete unit that stacks vertically, and the bay length is determined by the frames and decking the system is supplied with. The limitation is that it's designed for straight facades. As soon as there are many corners, curves, steps or a need to carry heavy loads, frame scaffolding becomes cumbersome — and then modular scaffolding or tube and coupler is the right choice.
Modular/system scaffolding
More flexible systems, where the vertical standards have nodes at fixed intervals, so ledgers and diagonals can be connected in many directions and angles. Well-known systems are Layher Allround and HAKI. Modular scaffolding is used when the geometry is more complicated than a flat façade — around corners, around columns, on stairs and in industry — and when more load has to be carried. It takes a little longer to erect than frame scaffolding, but can do almost anything.
The modular system is based on a node (a rosette, pin, or lock) on the vertical with fixed intervals. Because beams can be coupled on in many directions from the same node, you can follow almost any geometry and build cantilevers, brackets, and bracing where they are needed. This is why industry and large renovation projects run on modular scaffolding.
Pipes and couplings
Loose steel tubes joined with couplers (clamps). There are no fixed dimensions here — you build freely and can adapt to any shape. It's used for custom structures, bracing and places where system scaffolding doesn't fit. In return it requires more time, more experience and careful inspection of every single coupler.
Because tube and clamp do not have fixed, tested standard dimensions, the bearing capacity rests on each individual connection and on the fitter's skill. This makes the system unmatched in flexibility, but also more demanding to document — and as a rule a tube and clamp setup falls outside the standard setup and requires a separate assessment (see the section on calculation below).
Mobile scaffold (mobile tower)
A light, freestanding tower on wheels, which can be moved around by one or two people. Perfect for short-term tasks where you need to move frequently — assembly, electrical work, indoor painting. Mobile tower scaffolding is regulated by its own standard, EN 1004, and there are clear limits on how high a tower may be built indoors and outdoors. The exact height limits are covered in the calculator and the dedicated article 'Mobile tower scaffolding and moveable work towers'.
Trestle scaffold
The simplest solution: boards laid across folding trestles. Only for low heights and short jobs, typically indoors. Quick and cheap, but with tight limits on height and load.
Height limits — how high can this type be built?
How high a type can be built depends on how it derives its stability. An anchored façade or modular scaffold has in principle no fixed upper limit — it is dimensioned for the task. A freestanding mobile scaffold, on the other hand, is sensitive to wind and has clear limits that depend on whether it stands indoors or outdoors, and on the system's width, outriggers, and ballast.
| Type | Typical height limit | Base |
|---|---|---|
| Rolling scaffolding, indoor | up to approx. 12 m working height | DS/EN 1004 + manufacturer's instructions |
| Rolling scaffolding, outdoor | up to approx. 8 m working height | Supplier's instructions for use / industry guidance |
| Trestle scaffold | low — typically low deck height, short-term | Industry guidance (BFA) |
| Facade-/modulstillads | no fixed limit — dimensioned | DS/EN 12811-1 + supplier/standard sheet |
Facade permit classes (DS/EN 12810)
Facade scaffolding made of prefabricated components is described according to DS/EN 12810 with an overall system designation that combines several classes: load class (1–6 according to DS/EN 12811-1), width class (W06–W24), a height/clearance class for the free space between decks (typically indicated H1/H2) and an access class for ascent (typically LA/LB). The designation thus tells at once how much load the scaffold can bear, how wide the deck is, how much clear height there is to work in, and how to climb up. The class is stated in the system's standard sheet and on the scaffold sign.
Members only
The rest of the article is locked
Create a free user account to unlock all articles, calculators, templates and range — and get access to quizzes and classes. It takes less than a minute: name, email and a password. No payment card.
Want to try something first? See what you can use without an account — the junior zone, the encyclopedia, the videos and more.