Scaffold Plank Calculator
Plank count and grade from platform area and loading.
Inputs
%
Results
Base planks needed
56
Total planks (with spares)
62
Planks per bay7
Spare planks6
Total platform area (sq ft)320
Total plank weight (lbs)1,736
Gap Per Joint0.79
How to Use This Calculator
- Enter number of bays and platform width (inches).
- Set the number of decked levels, select plank type (wood or aluminum), and enter spare allowance (%).
- Review planks per bay, total planks needed, spare planks, and grand total with spares.
- Inspect all planks for damage before each use -- cracked or rotted planks must be removed from service.
How the result changes with Platform width (inches)
| Platform width (inches) | Base planks needed | Total planks (with spares) |
|---|---|---|
| 23 | 24 | 27 |
| 37 | 32 | 36 |
| 53 | 48 | 53 |
| 67 | 64 | 71 |
What each input means
- Number of bays
- Total scaffold bays that need decking.
- Platform width (inches)
- Width of the scaffold platform in inches (typically 60 in for 5 ft frames).
- Decked levels
- Number of vertical levels that need full decking (working platforms).
- Plank Type
- Select plank material type
- Spare allowance (%)
- Extra planks for damage, defects, and replacement (10% is standard).
What each result means
- Planks per bay
- Number of planks side-by-side to fill the platform width.
- Base planks needed
- Planks required for all bays and decked levels.
- Spare planks
- Additional planks for the spare allowance.
- Total planks (with spares)
- Total planks to order including spares.
- Total platform area (sq ft)
- Combined decked area across all bays and levels.
- Total plank weight (lbs)
- Estimated total weight of all planks for transport planning.
How this is calculated
Worked example, using the default values
- Identify Input Parameters4 parametersNumber of bays = 8, Platform width (inches) = 60, Decked levels = 1, Plank Type = 0 = 5 input(s) provided
- Calculate Base planks neededBase planks needed = planksPerBay * numberOfBays * deckedLevels56 = 56
- Calculate Total planksTotal planks = basePlanks + spareCount62 = 62
- Calculate Planks per bayPlanks per bay = ceil(platformWidth / plankWidth)7 = 7
- Calculate Spare planksSpare planks = ceil(basePlanks * sparePct / 100)6 = 6
Engine last updated .
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