How many scaffold bays do I need?

Divide each elevation by your bay length and round up, then add any ladder access bays. A 12 m wall in 2.4 m bays is 5 bays, or 6 with a ladder bay.

How many lifts does a scaffold need?

Divide the height of the top working platform by the lift height and round up. Modular platforms sit nominally 2 m apart, and tube and coupler lifts are at most 2.0 m (1.8 to 2.1 m in the New Zealand guideline). A 6 m platform is 3 lifts.

Do I need a licence to put up a scaffold?

In Australia, scaffolding work where a person or object could fall more than 4 m needs a scaffolding high risk work licence. In New Zealand, scaffolding 5 m or more above the ground needs a certificate of competence and is notifiable work. In the UK, build to TG20 or a design, with competent scaffolders.

How far apart are scaffold ties?

It depends on the system and the design. SafeWork NSW's pattern for modular scaffold ties every second standard at 4 m vertical intervals. The New Zealand guideline for tube and coupler puts ties at most 4.8 m apart across and 4.2 m up. Follow your scaffold design.

How many scaffold bays need bracing?

For Kwikstage-style modular scaffold, Waco Kwikform's guidelines (written under AS/NZS 1576.3 and AS/NZS 4576) say that unless it is designed otherwise, diagonal braces go on the outside face in each end bay and every third bay, and laterally at each end. A 6 bay run is braced in bays 1, 4 and 6. Follow your own system's guide or design if it differs.

Does a scaffold need screw jacks?

Modular system guides put an adjustable base jack (screw jack) under every standard, centred on a sole plate, and use them to level the scaffold. The calculator counts one per standard; switch to fixed base plates if you use those instead.

Can I change the quantities in the component list?

Yes. Type over any quantity, for example to match the lengths in your yard. The row is marked as edited, the calculated number stays beside it, and you can reset one row or all of them. Edits go into the copied list, job sheet, print, share link and email.

How high should scaffold guardrails be?

900 to 1100 mm above the platform with a midrail halfway, plus toe boards, in Australia and New Zealand. In the UK the top guardrail is at least 950 mm, with no gap over 470 mm.

Does MetreMate design the scaffold?

No. This free calculator counts the gear for a straight scaffold so you can price it. MetreMate, the app, measures the elevation lengths and heights off your PDF plans. The design, ties and bracing are for a competent person or engineer.

Free calculator

Scaffold calculator

Bays = each elevation length ÷ the bay length, rounded up. Lifts = platform height ÷ 2 m, rounded up. Standards = 2 × (bays + 1) per run. Modular face braces go in each end bay and every third bay. A 12 m run at 6 m in 2.4 m modular bays is 5 bays plus a ladder bay, 3 lifts and 14 standards.

Your job

System

Kwikstage-style modular scaffold: standards, ledgers and transoms that lock together, with steel planks.

Elevations

Run length

Each run is counted as its own straight scaffold, with ends at both sides.

Top working platform height

Bays and platform

Face brace every … bays

Default from Waco Kwikform's Kwikstage guidelines (written under AS/NZS 1576.3 and AS/NZS 4576): unless the scaffold is designed otherwise, a diagonal face brace in each end bay and every third bay, at every lift, and a lateral brace at each end.

Base

One under every standard, each sitting centrally on a sole board. Adjustable base jacks (screw jacks) level the scaffold on uneven ground; start at the highest point with the least extension.

Platforms, edges and access

Guardrails and toe boards on the inner face too (the gap to the wall is over 225 mm, or 300 mm in New Zealand)

Ladder access bays

Top rail height

Guardrails sit 900 to 1100 mm above the platform with a midrail halfway (at least 950 mm in the UK). Ladder bays get a landing at every lift, and each ladder reaches at least 900 mm above the platform it serves.

New Zealand: at 5 m or more the scaffolder needs a certificate of competence, and erecting or dismantling it is notifiable work: give WorkSafe 24 hours' notice.

Estimate only. The scaffold design, ties, bracing and loads are for a competent person or engineer, following the system's instructions.

The first run in elevation: standards, lifts, the decked platform with its guardrails, braces and ties, and the ladder bay.

Bays

6bays

3 lifts high, 1 ladder bay included

Lifts

2.0 m apart, top lift decked

Standards

14posts

7 m each to the top rail

Planks

5 across, 1.2 m wide bays

Ties

Every second standard, 4 m up

Braces

Face braces in bays 1, 4, 6 of run 1, plus lateral braces at the ends

Component list. Type over any quantity to change it; the calculated number stays alongside.
Component	Size	Qty
Standards	3 m	Quantity of Standards, 3 m
Standards	1 m	Quantity of Standards, 1 m
Ledgers (each lift, both faces)	2.4 m	Quantity of Ledgers (each lift, both faces), 2.4 m
Guardrail and midrail ledgers	2.4 m	Quantity of Guardrail and midrail ledgers, 2.4 m
Transoms	1.2 m	Quantity of Transoms, 1.2 m
End guardrail and midrail transoms	1.2 m	Quantity of End guardrail and midrail transoms, 1.2 m
Steel planks	2.4 m	Quantity of Steel planks, 2.4 m
Toe boards	2.4 m	Quantity of Toe boards, 2.4 m
End toe boards	1.2 m	Quantity of End toe boards, 1.2 m
Face braces (one per lift in each braced bay)	2.4 m bay	Quantity of Face braces (one per lift in each braced bay), 2.4 m bay
Lateral braces (both ends, every lift)	1.2 m wide bay	Quantity of Lateral braces (both ends, every lift), 1.2 m wide bay
Adjustable base jacks (screw jacks)	one per standard	Quantity of Adjustable base jacks (screw jacks), one per standard
Sole boards		Quantity of Sole boards
Ladders (one per lift in each access bay)	at least 2.9 m long	Quantity of Ladders (one per lift in each access bay), at least 2.9 m long
Ties	every second standard	Quantity of Ties, every second standard

Type over any quantity to match your yard or system. Edits go into the copied list, job sheet, print, share link and email.

The working, with your numbers

1. Bays12.00 ÷ 2.40 ↑ + 1 ladder= 6
2. Lifts6.00 ÷ 2.0, rounded up= 3
3. Standards2 × (bays + 1) per run, each 6.00 + 1.00 m= 14
4. Planksbays × 5 × decked lifts, plus ladder landings= 40
5. Bracesface: end bays and every 3rd bay × 3 lifts; lateral: 2 ends × lifts, per run= 15
6. Tiesevery second standard × levels at 4 m= 4

Typed those measurements in by hand?MetreMate measures them straight off your PDF plans. Free to start.

The formula, in plain words

1Bays per run = run length ÷ bay length, rounded up, plus any ladder access bays.
2Lifts = top platform height ÷ the lift height (2 m), rounded up. Standards = 2 × (bays + 1) per run, each as long as the platform height plus the top rail.
3Modular: ledgers on both faces at every lift, transoms at every pair of standards and lift, planks across every decked bay, guardrail and midrail ledgers and toe boards on the open face and ends.
4Tube and coupler: tube for standards, ledgers and guardrails in stock lengths, putlogs at the board span, boards that span whole bays, couplers by type, and a brace in the end bays with at most four unbraced bays between.
5Modular bracing, from Kwikstage guidelines written under AS/NZS 1576.3 and AS/NZS 4576: a diagonal face brace in each end bay and every third bay at every lift, and a lateral brace at each end of every lift.
6Ties: modular at every second standard every 4 m up; tube and coupler at most 4.8 m (and two bays) apart and 4.2 m up. An adjustable base jack (screw jack) or a base plate on a sole board under every standard.
7Every quantity in the component list can be typed over; the calculated number stays alongside, and your edits go into the copied list, job sheet, print, share link and email.

Worked example

A 12 m elevation with the top platform at 6 m, in Kwikstage-style modular scaffold with 2.4 m bays, 5-plank (1200 mm) transoms, the top lift decked and one ladder access bay.

1.Bays: 12 ÷ 2.4 = 5, plus 1 ladder bay = 6. Lifts: 6 ÷ 2 = 3.
2.Standards: 2 × (6 + 1) = 14, each 6 + 1.0 m = 7 m (two 3 m and one 1 m).
3.Ledgers: 2 faces × 6 bays × 3 lifts = 36, plus 12 guardrail and midrail ledgers on the top lift. Transoms: 7 × 3 = 21.
4.Planks: 6 bays × 5 planks on the top lift = 30, plus 10 for the ladder bay landings = 40.
5.Ties: every second standard (4 columns) at the 4 m level = 4.
6.Braces: the end bays and every third bay are bays 1, 4 and 6, so 3 × 3 lifts = 9 face braces, plus a lateral brace at both ends of each lift = 6. 15 braces in all.
7.Screw jacks: one under each standard = 14, each on a sole board (14).

Answer: 6 bays, 3 lifts, 14 standards, 36 ledgers, 40 planks, 15 braces, 14 screw jacks and 4 ties.

How to measure it

Measure each elevation along the building face off the floor or site plan, including returns and set-backs.
Measure the height from the ground to where the top working platform needs to be, off the elevations.
Check the gap between the scaffold and the wall: over 225 mm (300 mm in New Zealand) the inner face needs guardrails too.
Take the bay length, lift height, tie and brace pattern from the system's instructions or the scaffold design, and change the defaults to match.

Where the numbers come from

Every default in the calculator is a number a supplier or manufacturer publishes. We list the source next to it so you can check.

What	Value	Source
Unless designed otherwise, diagonal braces on the outside face at each end bay and every third bay, and laterally at each end of the scaffold; bracing is installed at each new lift	3 bays (brace every third bay)	Waco Kwikform, Guidelines for safe use of scaffold: Wedgelok / Kwikstage scaffold (given under AS/NZS 1576.3 clause 1.6 and AS/NZS 4576 clause 10.3.3) (checked 2026-10-07)
Adjustable baseplates (jacks) under all standards, placed centrally on soleplates; a set is 2 jacks for 2 standards	1 per standard	Waco Kwikform, Guidelines for safe use of scaffold: Wedgelok / Kwikstage scaffold (given under AS/NZS 1576.3 clause 1.6 and AS/NZS 4576 clause 10.3.3) (checked 2026-10-07)
Modular ledgers (bay lengths) sold: 700, 1200, 1800 and 2400 mm	2.4 m longest	Skelscaff (Australian scaffold supplier), product pages (checked 2026-10-07)
Modular transoms: 480 mm (2 boards), 700 mm (3 boards), 1200 mm (5 boards)	1.2 m (5 boards)	Skelscaff (Australian scaffold supplier), product pages (checked 2026-10-07)
Modular standards sold in 3, 2.5, 2, 1.5, 1 and 0.5 m lengths	3 m longest	Skelscaff (Australian scaffold supplier), product pages (checked 2026-10-07)
Steel planks 225 mm wide, in 0.7, 1.2, 1.8 and 2.4 m lengths to match the bays	225 mm wide	Skelscaff (Australian scaffold supplier), product pages (checked 2026-10-07)
Fully planked platforms nominally 2 m apart vertically	2 m	SafeWork NSW, Erecting, altering and dismantling scaffolding Part 1: Prefabricated steel modular scaffolding (checked 2026-10-07)
Tie every second standard at 4 m (maximum) vertical intervals; first row no more than 4 m above the ground	4 m max	SafeWork NSW, Erecting, altering and dismantling scaffolding Part 1: Prefabricated steel modular scaffolding (checked 2026-10-07)
That tie pattern assumes at most 20 m high, bays up to about 2.4 × 1.3 m and 10 planked levels; beyond it, an engineer's analysis	20 m max height	SafeWork NSW, Erecting, altering and dismantling scaffolding Part 1: Prefabricated steel modular scaffolding (checked 2026-10-07)
Ladders in a separate ladder access bay wherever space permits	1 separate ladder access bay	Safe Work Australia, General guide for scaffolds and scaffolding work (checked 2026-10-07)
Ladder top at least 900 mm above the highest platform it serves	900 mm	SafeWork NSW, Erecting, altering and dismantling scaffolding Part 1: Prefabricated steel modular scaffolding (checked 2026-10-07)
Guardrail 900 to 1100 mm above the working surface, with mid-rails and toe-boards	900 to 1100 mm	SafeWork NSW, Code of Practice: Managing the risk of falls at workplaces (2019) (checked 2026-10-07)
Guardrails 900 to 1100 mm high, midrail halfway; edge protection on open sides and ends; toeboards on all platforms	900 to 1100 mm	WorkSafe New Zealand, Good Practice Guidelines: Scaffolding in New Zealand (2016) (checked 2026-10-07)
Top guard-rail at least 950 mm; no unprotected gap over 470 mm; suitable toe-boards	950 mm minimum	Work at Height Regulations 2005 (UK), Schedule 2 (checked 2026-10-07)
Guardrails on the inner face where the scaffold is more than 225 mm from the working face	225 mm	SafeWork NSW, Erecting, altering and dismantling scaffolding Part 1: Prefabricated steel modular scaffolding (checked 2026-10-07)
Full edge protection where the gap to the working face exceeds 300 mm	300 mm	WorkSafe New Zealand, Good Practice Guidelines: Scaffolding in New Zealand (2016) (checked 2026-10-07)
Duty classes: light 225 kg per bay, about 450 mm wide; medium 450 kg, about 900 mm; heavy 675 kg, at least 1000 mm	450 mm (light)	Safe Work Australia, General guide for scaffolds and scaffolding work (checked 2026-10-07)
Baseplate under every standard; soleboards at least 38 mm thick and 200 × 500 mm on soft ground	500 × 200 × 38 mm	WorkSafe New Zealand, Good Practice Guidelines: Scaffolding in New Zealand (2016) (checked 2026-10-07)
Scaffold tube 48.3 mm outside diameter, 4 mm wall (BS EN 39)	48.3 mm	Scaffolding Direct, galvanised scaffold tube 48.3 mm x 4 mm (BS EN 39) (checked 2026-10-07)
Tube stock lengths 21, 18, 16, 13, 10, 8, 6, 5 and 4 ft	21 ft longest	George Roberts (scaffold tube, board and fittings supplier), product listing (checked 2026-10-07)
Timber scaffold boards 225 mm wide, 38 mm thick	225 mm × 38 mm	BSI, BS 2482 Specification for timber scaffold boards (checked 2026-10-07)
Boards stocked in 3.9, 3.0, 2.5, 1.8, 1.5, 1.2 and 0.9 m lengths	3.9 m longest	George Roberts (scaffold tube, board and fittings supplier), product listing (checked 2026-10-07)
38 mm boards supported at centres up to 1.2 m, or 1.5 m for the machine-graded grade	1.2 m (1.5 m machine graded)	BSI, BS 2482 Specification for timber scaffold boards (checked 2026-10-07)
Boards overhang their support by at least 50 mm and no more than four times their thickness	50 mm min, 4 × thickness max	HSE (UK), Scaffolding: general information (checked 2026-10-07)
Tube and coupler: max bay length 2.4 / 2.4 / 1.8 m, bay width 1.575 / 1.275 / 1.275 m, putlogs for timber planks 1.4 / 1.2 / 0.9 m (light / medium / heavy)	2.4 m bay (light, medium)	WorkSafe New Zealand, Good Practice Guidelines: Scaffolding in New Zealand (2016) (checked 2026-10-07)
Maximum lift height 2.0 m (2.5 m allowed at the first lift)	2 m max	NASC TG20 operational guide slides (2024), published on Sell2Wales (checked 2026-10-07)
Lift spacing between working lifts 1.8 to 2.1 m	1.8 to 2.1 m	WorkSafe New Zealand, Good Practice Guidelines: Scaffolding in New Zealand (2016) (checked 2026-10-07)
Longitudinal bracing at about 45°: brace end bays of every run, at most four unbraced bays; swivel couplers to standards	4 unbraced bays max	WorkSafe New Zealand, Good Practice Guidelines: Scaffolding in New Zealand (2016) (checked 2026-10-07)
Ties at most 4.8 m apart horizontally (and two bays) and 4.2 m vertically, on two standards or ledgers with right-angle couplers; first level no higher than three times the base width or 4.2 m	4.2 m vertical	WorkSafe New Zealand, Good Practice Guidelines: Scaffolding in New Zealand (2016) (checked 2026-10-07)
Ledgers to standards with right-angle couplers, putlogs to ledgers with single couplers, sleeve joiners end to end, a putlog within 300 mm of each pair of standards	300 mm (putlog from each pair of standards)	WorkSafe New Zealand, Good Practice Guidelines: Scaffolding in New Zealand (2016) (checked 2026-10-07)
Max working platforms in one bay: light 4 / medium 2 / heavy 2 up to 13.5 m; 2 / 1 / 1 up to 33 m	4 light duty working platforms (to 13.5 m)	WorkSafe New Zealand, Good Practice Guidelines: Scaffolding in New Zealand (2016) (checked 2026-10-07)
Scaffolding work from which a person or object could fall more than 4 m needs a scaffolding high risk work licence (basic class covers modular scaffolds)	4 m	Safe Work Australia, General guide for scaffolds and scaffolding work (checked 2026-10-07)
Erecting scaffolding any part of which is 5 m or more above the ground needs a certificate of competence; erecting or dismantling scaffolding a person may fall 5 m or more from is notifiable work	5 m	Health and Safety in Employment Regulations 1995 (NZ), regulations 2 and 53 (checked 2026-10-07)
Give WorkSafe 24 hours' notice of particular hazardous work	24 hours	WorkSafe New Zealand, Particular hazardous work (notifications) (checked 2026-10-07)
Unless built to a recognised standard configuration (such as a TG20 compliance sheet), a scaffold must be designed by calculation by a competent person	2 routes: TG20 configuration or a design	HSE (UK), Scaffolding: general information (checked 2026-10-07)
Tube and coupler scaffolds over 33 m high must be designed by a chartered professional engineer (CPEng)	33 m	WorkSafe New Zealand, Good Practice Guidelines: Scaffolding in New Zealand (2016) (checked 2026-10-07)

Manufacturers named here are the source of the number, not a recommendation. Confirm quantities with your supplier.

Frequently asked questions

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