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Material for DIY scaffold platform

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Material for DIY scaffold platform

Postby RogerS » 17 Jun 2022, 17:54

This is the very old and rapidly deteriorating platform from my very elderly scaffold tower platform. Should be easy enough to replace but ...

..what does anyone know what the material called, please ?

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Re: Material for DIY scaffold platform

Postby greeno » 17 Jun 2022, 17:59

Buffaload board is the brand name.
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Re: Material for DIY scaffold platform

Postby Trevanion » 17 Jun 2022, 18:00

Buffalo Board/Phenolic Ply.

Personally, I don't rate the stuff, I did a trailer bed with it once and it rotted out within a year or so, I put a sheet of regular shuttering ply in its place and that's still going strong and that must be 5 years ago now.
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Re: Material for DIY scaffold platform

Postby Cncpaul » 17 Jun 2022, 18:00

You need PHENOLIC FILM FACED PANELS

Hanson Plywood sell it in 12 and 18mm but I’m sure there are other suppliers
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Re: Material for DIY scaffold platform

Postby greeno » 17 Jun 2022, 18:01

If you search for that it will come up. It's phenolic ply really.
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Re: Material for DIY scaffold platform

Postby RogerS » 17 Jun 2022, 18:06

Thanks, chaps.
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Re: Material for DIY scaffold platform

Postby Cabinetman » 17 Jun 2022, 22:31

Exactly the same as Trevanian said - didn’t last the year, replaced with scaffolding boards but they might be too heavy. Suppose you could seal the cut edges with bitumen or similar. Ian
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Re: Material for DIY scaffold platform

Postby AJB Temple » 18 Jun 2022, 08:56

I think there is Buffalo board (real deal) and Buffalo board (pretend) perhaps. My scaffold tower must be 5 years old now and stays outside (not assembled in winter usually) year round. On platform has rotted in that time and the other is fine. Branded board (Buffalo). But it's expensive for basically a coated Marine ply.
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Re: Material for DIY scaffold platform

Postby John Brown » 18 Jun 2022, 09:11

I have used Buffalo board to replace the jaws on a cheap workmate type thing. It lives outside, and the board looks as good as it did almost three years ago, when I.did it.
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Re: Material for DIY scaffold platform

Postby Andyp » 18 Jun 2022, 10:09

Why is timber of any sort used on these towers. Would aluminium treaded flooring not be more suitable?
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https://www.metals4u.co.uk/materials/al ... t/101389-p
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Re: Material for DIY scaffold platform

Postby Dr.Al » 18 Jun 2022, 13:14

Andyp wrote:Why is timber of any sort used on these towers. Would aluminium treaded flooring not be more suitable?


I imagine timber is a lot cheaper.
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Re: Material for DIY scaffold platform

Postby Andyp » 18 Jun 2022, 17:17

Dr.Al wrote:
Andyp wrote:Why is timber of any sort used on these towers. Would aluminium treaded flooring not be more suitable?


I imagine timber is a lot cheaper.


Maybe, depends how often it needs replacing.
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Re: Material for DIY scaffold platform

Postby flying haggis » 18 Jun 2022, 18:51

surely ali plate that thin would need some sort of timber backing board or ali struts across it else it will just bend
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Re: Material for DIY scaffold platform

Postby Lons » 18 Jun 2022, 19:55

I have an ancient 5m staging board which had rotted, I don't think phenolic ply is worth the money either, I cut the board in half to give me 2 more manageable 2.5m lengths and used decent 12mm external ply instead, varnished it and so far it's lasted a good 10 years though I store it upright under an open canopy.
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Re: Material for DIY scaffold platform

Postby Eric the Viking » 22 Jun 2022, 15:26

Word to the wise: find a supplier that will work to a cutting list.

Not only is buffalo board heavier than the equivalent ornery ply, it's got very sharp edges, and the melamine dulls cutters and sawblades faster than you can imagine.

I re-decked a scaffold about five years ago, and added kickboards, all in buffalo board. I am extremely glad I got the basic shapes ready-cut from an 8x4 sheet.

My improved design required 8mm pronged Tee nuts to be sunk-in under the deck, so that the brackets for the kickboards could be bolted to the top. From memory the Tees are 20mm diameter. and as a precaution I bought three new Forstners from Axminster to do the recesses. I got through two of them - blunt as John Prescott - after about only 8 holes done with a drilling jig to keep them neat. The drill for the 9.5mm holes fared better for some reason. The plunge saw blade did better, but it's TCT.

I sealed the edges of the decking and boards. The proper Buffalo stuff is thoroughly impregnated, but the board I used wasn't, although it seems to be pretty waterproof all the same.

I've used the offcuts as aux fences on the router table - one side is smooth the other side rough. It also made a handy sliding carriage for mitre lock joint cutting (the awkward bit with the workpiece up on edge). Bit annoyed that I stored it on edge this winter and it warped.

E.

PS: an old friend who used to manage a theatrical technical hire company used the same board as I did for all their rostra (same supplier too). He says it _is_ pretty waterproof, despite my pessimism. They used to re-deck them every couple of years or so - the edges would wear and the fixings break, but the boards didn't disintegrate, despite regular soakings outdoors. They also used it for flooring of audience grandstands, etc. Our supplier was Avon Plywood (Keynsham), now Sydenhams (https://www.sydenhams.co.uk/branches/sp ... -products/). Bigger firm, so they might deliver up near you...

PPS: the grade used was 1/2" replacing similar board. But it's heavy: I have to install it with block and tackle, as now I can't lift the finished deck high enough on my own. The kick boards were designed to go on afterwards.
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