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What Can You Make With a Scaffold Board?

How to build furniture from scaffold boards.

Have you ever thought how a scaffold board has a large variety of uses other than being used as a working platform for scaffolding? Well-read on as in this post we will discuss all of the different ways in which scaffold boards can be used to build furniture.

If you are good with power tools and love making things or fancy a creative challenge and are looking to make a standard piece of furniture a little quirkier then using scaffold boards either new or reclaimed are the perfect option.

You will get great satisfaction in seeing the finished product you have created, Yes, you do need time and enthusiasm but in the long run it would be worth it as you can save yourself lots of money.

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What tools do you need to begin?

Here is a very basic list of what you may require, depending on what you are creating with your boards. You may find that the tools, paint and varnish may differ from the list below for each individual product as this is just a guide of the basics:

  • Hand saw or an electric saw whatever you have or find easy to use.
  • An electric sander.
  • Wax or vanish if required.

Where can you source the boards from?

If you are up for a bit of skip snooping to find your materials and happen to find the odd redundant scaffold board then you have been very lucky indeed or you could go direct to a company like ourselves Sussex Scaffolding Supplies who stock scaffold boards and have a huge selection of timber used/reclaimed and brand-new boards which are FSC approved and are responsibly sourced. You can purchase them in 13ft, 10ft and 8ft lengths and the standard width of a scaffold board is 225mm and the thickness is 38mm, so you would need to ensure you work out the correct quantities you require for your project as you don’t want to find you are short.

Reclaimed boards are better if you want to have the shabby chic, weathered look and you may find that with these particular boards because they  have primarily been used for scaffolding that there may be some paint, splits and notches on the timber but you can easily sand down any markings, however sometimes the splits or notches enhance the character of the boards and the item you are making with a rustic look .

New boards are perfect if you are not so fussed on the worn and weathered look as they are in pristine condition and very rarely have splits and markings. In general, most boards are not treated which is an advantage if you are sanding and treating them or varnishing them yourselves.

Below is our list of items that can easily be made using scaffold boards…

In the garden

Scaffolding boards are such a useful material to use in your garden and can be used for just about anything so let’s have a look at what we can do with a board in the garden:

Garden borders and raised beds

You can create a simple border around your garden or build a raised bed for your plants. It is recommended that you use wooden stakes when making these and depending on the size and length you can either fix them in the corners of each border and raised bed or if you have a long run then it is worth fixing a stake every half a metre.

Some people use treated timber stakes and stainless-steel wood screws to secure the boards in place ensuring that the stake is at the very least a third into the ground.

Treating the boards can be done but this is optional and very much your preference, it has also been known that scaffold boards can last 10+ years in the ground. There is also no particular preference in relation to new or used as they both will work effectively.

Borders and raised beds make a good place for not only planting flowers, shrubs and plants but for growing fruit and veggies from carrots, broccoli, cabbage, tomatoes, beetroot, raspberries, onions and garlic.

if you are a keen gardener you can enjoy pottering around tending to your much loved plants and home grown food in long lasting borders that look fantastic and that are very natural.

 

Childs Sandpit

Building a box sandpit for your kids is another great option as the width of a board is 9 inches and stood on its side it is just about enough height for a child to step in and out of and also fill up with sand. Depending on the size of your garden you can make the sandpit as big or small as you like. To make a square you would preferably need 8 lengths of scaffold board so you can double up the border to make it thicker. For this type of project new boards would be preferred but they would need sanding down to ensure there are no rough edges that your child could get splinters from. All you need to do is dig down into the soil in the box area you are creating but making sure it is level and flat and free from stones and sharp objects, then lay your weed fabric down, attach it to the boards and add the sand to the pit and sit back and watch your kids have hours of fun in the sand.

Decking

Another very popular option is decking. Either new or reclaimed boards are suitable for this and you can create an amazing looking decked area that will last a long time. You can either create a low decked area or a raised area with steps. You can even use scaffolding boards to create the framework and once the frame has been made to size you will need to prepare your boards by sanding them down. Once this is done you can either screw each board in place or nail them using a nail gun. You must then treat them with decking stain or anti slip decking stain as when the boards are wet it can be fairly easy to slip. You can build many different shapes and sizes of decking and improve the look of your garden area using a scaffold board!

Seating and furniture

The choice for outside seating and furniture is endless and you can easily make seats and tables without too much fuss and spending hundreds of pounds on brand new manufactured furniture. Building out of recycled wood or even the new European white wood timber gives your garden a more natural look and feel and is also eco-friendlier.

Keeping in trend, one of the popular styles for garden furniture that budding enthusiasts are creating is the large box seating or corner sofas, they are so simple to construct and look amazing once complete and you can either leave them plain or purchase a set of cushions to add that finishing touch. Ensure any seating is completely sanded smooth so there are no splits or splinters, you can then varnish, paint or leave it in its raw state, whatever you feel compliments your garden area best.

Everyone loves a picnic table and again these are so simple to make and can be any size to compliment the size of your garden plus using scaffold boards creates a sturdy robust table that can be used year after year. It is always recommended that if it is a piece of furniture that will remain in the elements all year round that you use a good treatment like Cupranol wood protector to increase its longevity.

After picnic tables have you ever thought about a large garden table along with chairs or even a long bench? You can use timber scaffolding boards to make the table top and to add a quirky finish to it, you could use scaffold tube as the frame for the table top to rest on. Again, these can be made to fit around your garden unlike the furniture you buy already made. To make these is super simple and all you need are the boards, a good sander, jigsaw, screws and fixings and in no time, you have created an excellent piece of garden furniture where you can entertain and enjoy eating good food.

Another very simple piece that can be made from a scaffold board are garden planters and pots. I am sure many of you have seen the prices of these to buy online and they can be pretty expensive, so it is far more cost effective to make these yourself or if you know someone that will build them for you! The end product is remarkable and all you need is weed fabric, screws, stakes and of course the boards and depending on the size of the planters just buying a single 13ft board could make up quite a few small planters. To give them that finishing touch you can add a drop of paint then add your plants and you are all done.

In the home

Scaffolding boards are such a hidden gem that you will use them for a project once and then you will find yourself planning your next creation straightaway, they are so versatile and easy to work with and if you purchase them at the right price they are extremely excellent value for money.

So, what can you possibly use scaffold boards for inside your home? Anything is possible and below is a quick overview of the possibilities. If you have a super creative mind and imagination you can make all sorts of furniture and fixings in your home.

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Shelves (box shelves, single shelf)

Depending on what type of look and feel you want, most people tend to opt for reclaimed or used boards for this type of project but new can also be suitable. If you are wanting that rustic country or urban type look then we would definitely recommend you go for the reclaimed. You can make single row shelving which is simply a board cut to your required size, sanded and stained or varnished (depending on the look you are going for) then fixed to the wall with brackets either side, some people use black cast iron ones or a steel shelf bracket where the board sits on the bracket and then it is securely held in place with a lip at the front. You will find many different types of bracket styles and colours to use for your décor. A lot of people like to use these types of shelves in the kitchen, but they would look equally as good in any other room in your house plus you can adjust the look to suit each room.

What about box shelving? You can really use your imagination with this type of shelving and examples of what you can build include single box shelves in various sizes to fix to your wall and then you can stagger them across your wall or you could make larger boxes in various sizes (rectangles and squares) which are fixed together and then put on your wall or you could even make free standing floor to ceiling shelf units. Whatever you decide to go with, they will look great in any home and they will change the look of a room in an instant. If you are after a more urban look and feel, then why not try using scaffold poles and fixings to hold your box shelving together as these two combined can give an industrial look and feel. Why not have a browse online at the multitude of different styles and ways to have shelves in your home.

Kitchen worktops

Kitchen side boards I hear you say? YES! And they look amazing too! So, if you have a shaker style kitchen and want to achieve the rustic farmhouse cottage look, then using reclaimed scaffold boards as your worktops are a must. These worktops are extremely hard to buy “off the shelf” so why not make them yourself? Always make sure you slightly over calculate the amount you need to purchase just to ensure you have enough for your project. Also make sure you ask if you can have a selection of boards that do not have notches in them as some used boards have pieces cut out of them when they were originally being used for scaffolding. When working out your work top size please remember that all scaffold boards have a standard width of 225mm and a thickness of 38mm so depending on how deep your worktops are going to be you may need to cut some to size. Ensure you give the boards a good sanding over on all four sides and round off the edges and corners but try not to over sand them as you will take away some of the character of the board. Once sanded down you should fix the boards to the cabinets using fittings and then use wood glue to fill in any cracks or small holes in the timber, then it’s worth giving the boards another sand over and then treat them with wood oil and clear varnish. The finished product will be nothing more that superb!

Tables (dining office table or coffee tables)

Tables are one of the easiest items you can make from a scaffold board and there are a large variety of different styles you can build, and this includes the following: large dining room tables, hallway tables, office workstation desks and coffee tables. The design options are endless which can include chunky boxed style tables with or without wooden legs, elegant rustic cottage style tables with iron legs with benches as seating or you can even have urban style workstations with galvanised steel scaffolding tubes as the framework and legs. If you have the time and inclination to build these amazing items, you will be so happy with the final product.

Here are details of some other items that can be made using scaffold boards in and around the house:

Chunky sideboard units, storage boxes, a shoe rack, a toy box, a television stand or unit. If you are feeling really adventurous why not try building a bedframe purely out of scaffolding boards, creating a super solid and sturdy frame for a mattress to be placed on. Get the best night’s sleep with no creaking wood or metal just pure solid quiet wood.

How about using a scaffolding board for flooring? If you are looking for a cheaper alternative to normal wooden floorboards, then why not use a scaffold board which will create a firm floor area. You can treat them and varnish them or just simply have them as the base for a carpet to be laid over the top, but personally I think they would look too good to hide under a carpet.

So, there you have it our list of ideas for what you can make with a scaffold board. I hope you have found it interesting, inspirational and helpful. Once you have your first masterpiece under your belt you will be building everything from scaffold boards. These are a superb option for recycling, helping the environment and remaining eco-friendly plus saving you some money at the same time. We hope you enjoy your next scaffold board project!

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