Guide · 6 min
How many scaffold frames do I need? How to count and assemble them
Also called: scaffold frame, frame scaffold
By the SIMAQ technical team · Grupo ConstruMarket ·
Short answer
Multiply the bays you need along the front by the levels you need in height: that's your frame-set count. Each set takes its two cross-braces; the base takes screw jacks to level (or locking casters if the scaffold is mobile) and each working level, platforms covering the full width. With the front length and the height you need to work at, an advisor builds the exact list with the SIMAQ system's dimensions.
braces per frame set
cm A004 platform
gaps in the deck
What a scaffold frame set is
A frame set is the scaffold module: frames with their two cross-braces, forming a rigid box. Sets stack to gain height and join one after another to cover the length of the front. At SIMAQ the frame is code A001 and the cross-brace A002; the system is galvanized, modular and reusable.
The height of each set depends on the system and frame model, so there's no universal number. Your advisor confirms the SIMAQ frame height in the quote, and the level count follows from it.
The count: bays × levels
Bays: how many sets fit one after another along the front you'll work. Levels: how many sets you stack so the platform sits at a comfortable working height. Frame sets = bays × levels.
Example: if your front needs 4 bays and 3 levels, that's 12 frame sets and 24 cross-braces. If the bays are joined, they share frames between them: the advisor adjusts the list so you don't buy extra parts.
What gets left off the list
Shoring props (P001, 2.20 to 4.00 m) are not scaffolding: they hold formwork and temporary loads. If you're pouring a slab, count them separately.
| Part | What for | How many |
|---|---|---|
| Screw jack A003 | Level the base on uneven ground | One per leg on the first level |
| Caster A005 (locking) | Move the assembled scaffold without taking it apart | One per leg, if mobile |
| Platform A004 (25 cm × 3.00 m) | Non-slip working deck | Enough to cover the full width at each working level |
| Guardrail and access | Keep people from falling and climb inside | At each working level at height |
How to assemble it safely
- Firm, level base: screw jacks on compacted ground, never loose bricks or wedges.
- Raise the frames and lock both cross-braces of each set before going up a level.
- Cover the full width with locked platforms, no gaps.
- Perimeter guardrail at height and access by the internal ladder, never up the braces.
- If mobile, casters locked while working; at height, tie the scaffold to the structure.
Before you ask for a quote, have this ready
With this, an advisor in your country can recommend the right machine in a single conversation:
- Length of the front you'll work.
- The height you need to stand at to work.
- Floor type: firm, uneven, or whether the scaffold has to move.
- How many working levels you'll use at once.
- Whether you also need shoring props for formwork.
Common mistakes
- Going up a level before the braces below are locked.
- Leveling with bricks or boards instead of screw jacks.
- Makeshift decks of loose boards or with gaps.
- Moving a mobile scaffold with people or material on it.
- Leaving jacks, casters and platforms off the quote and ending up with frames you can't use.
Takeaway
Frame sets = bays × levels, two braces per set, jacks or casters at the base and gap-free platforms at each working level. Send us the front length and working height in the quote and we'll send back the full list.
Keep going
Frequently asked
How tall is a scaffold frame?
It depends on the system and frame model; they're not all the same. Your advisor confirms the SIMAQ A001 frame height and we work out the levels from it.
How many cross-braces does a frame set take?
Two per set. Without both braces locked, the scaffold has no rigidity.
How many platforms per level?
As many as it takes to cover the full width with no gaps. The SIMAQ A004 platform is 25 cm wide and 3.00 m long.
Shoring prop or scaffold?
Scaffolding lifts people; a prop holds formwork and temporary loads. The SIMAQ P001 prop adjusts from 2.20 to 4.00 m.
Is SIMAQ scaffolding galvanized?
Yes: a galvanized modular system, made to assemble, dismantle and reuse job after job.
Can I move the scaffold once it's assembled?
Yes, if it's on locking casters (A005). Always move it with no people or material on it, and lock the casters again before climbing.
What is a scaffold screw jack for?
To level the scaffold on uneven ground with fine height adjustment. One goes under each leg at the base; never level with bricks or wedges.
