What is scaffold board timber?
Scaffold board timber is used wood from construction scaffolding that gets a second life as DIY material for furniture, wall and facade cladding. The characteristic weathered appearance — grey, rough, with signs of use — makes it popular for an industrial or rustic style. “New scaffold board timber” is unused wood with the same dimensions but without weathering.
Types
Old (used) scaffold board timber
- Sourced from decommissioned construction scaffolding
- Weathered, grey, with nail holes and stains
- Every board is unique
- Note: may be contaminated with cement, paint or chemicals
New scaffold board timber
- Freshly sawn spruce in scaffold board dimensions
- Rough (unplaned), light yellow in colour
- Can be artificially “greyed” with grey wash or stain
- Cheaper and cleaner than old scaffold board timber
Standard dimensions
| Dimension (mm) | Application |
|---|---|
| 32 x 200 | Tabletops, benches, wall cladding |
| 38 x 200 | Heavier furniture, fences |
| 50 x 200 | Sturdy constructions, outdoor furniture |
| 63 x 200 | Structural timber, beams |
Applications
- Furniture — Dining tables, coffee tables, benches, bed frames
- Wall cladding — Feature wall indoors
- Fences — Robust, rustic appearance
- Garden furniture — Lounge sofas, planters
- Retail decor — Shelves, displays, counters
Working with scaffold board timber
Sanding
- Always lightly sand old scaffold board timber to remove splinters
- Do not over-sand — you lose the weathered character
- Use grit 80-120
Treating (indoors)
- Wax — Protects and preserves the rough look
- Matt varnish — Protects without gloss
- Oil (hardwax oil) — Penetrates the wood, natural protection
Treating (outdoors)
- Scaffold board timber is untreated spruce and rots quickly outdoors
- Outdoors always stain or oil with an exterior product
- Or accept that it will continue to weather and will need replacing after 5-10 years
Disadvantages
- Not durable outdoors — Untreated spruce, rots quickly
- Splinters — Rough wood causes splinters. Sanding helps, but makes it less rough.
- Unpredictable quality — Old scaffold board timber may be warped, cracked or contaminated
- Heavy — Due to the thick dimensions, scaffold board furniture is quite heavy
Related terms
- Spruce wood
- Softwood
- Douglas fir wood