Scaffolding Area and Quantity Calculator

How is scaffolding measured?

Facade scaffolding is usually hired and measured by the square metre. The face area is the facade surface the scaffold covers: area = facade length × scaffold height. Some contracts add an allowance to the height for the guardrail of the top working lift, so confirm the measurement rule in your contract.

Bays and lifts

Scaffolds are built from modules of fixed size. The number of bays is the facade length divided by the bay length, and the number of lifts is the height divided by the lift height, both rounded up. So the erected scaffold is often a little longer and higher than the facade. The calculator shows both.

Frames and platforms

In a frame scaffold there is one frame at each bay line on each lift: frames = (bays + 1) × lifts. Platforms are laid either on every lift or only on the working lift.

Example

A facade 20 m long and 9 m high gives 180 m². With 2.5 m bays and 2 m lifts you need 8 bays and 5 lifts. The frame count is 9 × 5 = 45, and with every lift decked there are 40 decked bays.

Limits

This is a quantity estimate, not a design tool. Ties, bracing and guardrail layout, ground conditions and load class are set in the scaffold design. Scaffolds are erected by competent persons and inspected before use.