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How to set up a scaffold trestle

Updated: October 2026

You already have trestles and you are about to put boards on them. The useful check is two supports, a load line you can read, level ground, and boards whose own grade sets the span. This is how to set up a scaffold trestle without treating a saw-horse bullet as a platform rating. The amazon.co.uk frames in the [scaffold trestle comparison](/hub/workshop/scaffold-trestle) do not list stabilisers or handrail posts. The Work at Height Regulations 2005 still apply wherever a fall could injure someone, including in Northern Ireland. Listings were read on 19 October 2026. A purchase through those links can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

You already have trestles and you are about to put boards on them. The useful check is two supports, a load line you can read, level ground, and boards whose own grade sets the span.

Our top picks

Brennenstuhl Brennenstuhl MB 110

Best overall

Brennenstuhl Brennenstuhl MB 110
8.3/10about £16.78
View offer
Draper Draper 54051

Alternative

Draper Draper 54051
7.8/10about £20.99
View offer
HOMCOM HOMCOM B40-015 pair

Rank 3

HOMCOM HOMCOM B40-015 pair
8.6/10about £32.99
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On this page
  1. 1.Two supports, then the load line you actually have
  2. 2.Ground, pins and braces
  3. 3.Span and overhang belong to the board
  4. 4.Width, rails, and when to stop

Two supports, then the load line you actually have

A board needs a trestle at each end. Write the load as printed: 110 kg, 250 kg, or HOMCOM's 100 kg bullet and a separate 200 kg field. Do not add the HOMCOM lines. A 460 kg line at 1.2 m centres does not transfer to a 110 kg bullet. None of these listings claim BS 1139-4. Which box you should have bought is on the scaffold trestle buying guide.

Ground, pins and braces

Put the feet on ground that will not sink. Brennenstuhl reviews say the feet may not sit flat. Do not pack a leg with a loose offcut. Lock the brace fully. On a pin-and-hole bandstand the pin goes through both legs and must not back out. HOMCOM and Draper slide. If a lock or a pin is not fully home, do not put a board on.
Brennenstuhl Brennenstuhl MB 110

Testsieger

Brennenstuhl Brennenstuhl MB 110
8.3/10about £16.78
View offer

Span and overhang belong to the board

BS 2482:2009 is the board specification: 225 mm wide, 38 mm boards at 1.2 m between supports on a visual grade or 1.5 m on a machine grade, and 63 mm boards up to 2.5 m. These listings do not claim those boards. 1.2 m centres belongs to a seller's 460 kg line, not every frame. HSE's overhang example is about four times the thickness, roughly 150 mm on a 38 mm board. If paint hides the timber, stop.

Width, rails, and when to stop

HSE's usual access platform is at least 600 mm wide. HOMCOM opens to 58 cm. For construction work, a top guard-rail of at least 950 mm, a gap of no more than 470 mm, and a toe board still apply. The 2 m line in CIS47 is an inspection trigger. These frames do not list rail posts. Stop for a tower or a fitter when a fall could be serious and edge protection will not fit, or when the boards are cracked or painted. Painting from the frame is on scaffold trestle for decorating. A deck in one place is the fork on scaffold trestle or hop-up.

Common questions

How do I pin a trestle at the height I want?
On a pin-and-hole bandstand, the pin passes through the hole on both legs at the same height, and the brace is locked. On the telescopic frames here, raise the sliding section and engage the lock the listing describes. HOMCOM prints 80–130 cm and Draper prints 810–1,300 mm. The MB 110 prints no range. If the pin or lock is not fully in, lower the frame and start again.
How far apart can two trestles be?
The gap belongs to the board. BS 2482 grades put 38 mm boards at 1.2 m between supports on a visual grade or 1.5 m on a machine grade, and 63 mm boards up to 2.5 m. A merchant who states about 460 kg at 1.2 m centres is stating the condition on that rating. Do not paste 1.2 m onto a 110 kg bullet.
How wide should the boards be?
A usual HSE access platform is at least 600 mm, and merchant trestles are often sized for four 225 mm boards. HOMCOM's open width is 58 cm, and the generic listing states 68 cm. If you will stand, a narrow top is a reason to use a hop-up or a hired bandstand.
How much can a board overhang?
HSE's scaffold page uses an example of about four times the board thickness. On a 38 mm board that is about 150 mm. Hire sheets sometimes cite 50–150 mm. Keep the overhang similar at both ends so the board cannot seesaw. A longer tail is not extra standing room.
Do I need a guard-rail below 2 m?
For construction work the regulations ask for a top guard-rail of at least 950 mm, a gap of no more than 470 mm, and a suitable toe board. The 2 m line is an inspection trigger where a fall could be more than 2 m. It does not switch the rules off below that height. These frames do not list rail posts.
Can I use floorboards or a worktop instead of scaffold boards?
Use boards of one thickness and length that you can inspect. One HOMCOM review calls the pair adequate for a light worktop and small hand tools, not as a place to stand. Floorboards and painted timber hide damage and are not BS 2482 boards. If you cannot see sound timber, do not span them.
When should I stop and get a tower or a fitter?
Stop when a fall could be serious and edge protection will not fit, when the job needs a tower or a tied size 3, when a site needs the seven-day inspection, or when the boards are cracked or painted. Also stop if the listing says the bracket is not for supporting individuals. A fitter or a hired tower is the next step.

Related pages

Best scaffold trestle

Scaffold trestle

Scaffold trestle buying guide: load, height and pack

Scaffold trestle for decorating: load before you climb

Scaffold trestle or hop-up: when the deck is yours

Sources

Public UK sources and the amazon.co.uk listings compared on this page. Updated October 2026.

  1. Work at Height Regulations 2005 (retrieved October 2026)
  2. HSE: Work at height FAQs (retrieved October 2026)
  3. HSE: Scaffolding (retrieved October 2026)
  4. HSE: CIS47 Inspections and reports (retrieved October 2026)
  5. BS 1139-4:1982 catalogue entry (retrieved October 2026)
  6. HBF: Trestles and hop-ups, June 2018 (retrieved October 2026)
  7. Brennenstuhl: Steel work trestle MB 110 (retrieved October 2026)
  8. Cobrook: Steel builders trestles (retrieved October 2026)