Estimate scaffold tube, board and coupler quantities from an elevation

Elevation details

Approximate quantities from standard bay/lift spacing assumptions, based on an independent-style scaffold with two rows of standards - not a scaffold design or a substitute for a TG20/bespoke design check. Always have scaffolding designed, erected and inspected by a competent, qualified scaffolder.
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Bays
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Lifts
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Standards

Front elevation, to scale

Dashed lines show alternating cross-bracing in the end bay

Bill of quantities

ComponentQuantity
A rough materials guide, not an ordering list - always confirm final quantities with your scaffold supplier, who will also allow for wastage, spares and site-specific access needs.

Scaffold components, at a glance

ComponentRole
A general glossary of common tube-and-fitting scaffold components - exact naming and practice varies by scaffold system and region.

Scaffolding quantity calculator

This scaffolding quantity calculator turns an elevation into a materials estimate. Enter the run length and height, the bay length and lift height, boards wide per lift and how many lifts are boarded out. It works out bays, lifts, standards, ledgers, transoms, base plates, boards, brace tubes, couplers, wall ties, guardrails and toe boards.

It's free, works in the browser with no sign-up, and there's a free Windows app. It gives a quantity estimate, not a scaffold design - that needs a TG20 check or competent scaffold designer.

Worked example: scaffold to a 12.5 m house front

A house front 12.5 m long and 7.5 m high: 2.1 m bays, 2 m lifts, five boards wide, two lifts boarded out.

  1. Bays: 12.5 / 2.1 = 5.95, so 6. Lifts: 7.5 / 2 = 3.75, so 4.
  2. Standards: (6 + 1) x 2 rows = 14, with 14 base plates.
  3. Ledgers: 6 x 4 x 2 = 48. Transoms: 7 x 4 = 28.
  4. Boards (one 2.4 m board spans each bay): 1 x 5 wide x 6 bays x 2 lifts = 60.
  5. Guardrails: (6 x 2 + 4 at the ends) x 2 lifts = 32. Toe boards: (6 + 2) x 2 = 16.
  6. Brace tubes: 1 per lift in the end bay = 4, plus 8 swivel couplers.
  7. Right-angle couplers: (48 + 28 + 32) x 2 = 216.
  8. Wall ties: 12.5 / 4 m = 4 across x 2 up = 8.

Questions

How do you estimate scaffolding?

Measure the run length and the height of each elevation, divide the length by the bay length and the height by the lift height, and round both up to get the number of bays and lifts. The tube, board and fitting counts all follow from those two numbers, which is exactly what this calculator does.

What bay length and lift height should I use for a scaffold estimate?

On UK tube and fitting scaffolds, lifts are usually about 2 m and bays commonly somewhere around 1.8 to 2.4 m, depending on the duty and the design. The calculator starts at a 2.1 m bay and 2 m lift, and you can change both.

How is a scaffolding quantity calculation worked out?

The calculator assumes an independent scaffold with two rows of standards: (bays + 1) x 2 standards, 2 ledgers per bay per lift, one transom per pair of standards per lift, and one brace per lift in the end bay. Ledgers, transoms and guardrails each take 2 right-angle couplers and each brace takes 2 swivel couplers, while wall ties are set at roughly 4 m across and every second lift.

How many scaffold boards do I need?

Work out how many boards it takes to span one bay, multiply by the number of boards wide (five is a common working platform) and the number of bays, then by the number of lifts you are boarding out. The calculator uses 2.4 m boards and only counts boards on the lifts you mark as boarded out.

Can the calculator work out scaffolding weight or cubic metres?

No - it gives piece counts for each component, not weight, volume or tube lengths. Your scaffold supplier can convert the counts to weight from their own component data, and many contractors price scaffold by the elevation area instead (length x height in m2).

Is the scaffolding estimate accurate enough to order from?

Treat it as a rough materials guide for estimating and budgeting rather than an ordering list. Confirm final quantities with your scaffold supplier, who will allow for any extra bracing, wastage, spares and site-specific access.

Scaffolding Quantity Calculator for Windows · More free construction calculators