Scaffolding has been utilised for decades in the world of construction, forming safe and flexible platforms from which workers have navigated and built countless towering constructs. However, once the build its complete and everyone has been sent home, what happens to the leftovers? Commercial scaffolding can generally be reused in a variety of applications, but one part of the build that generally cannot be reused is the wooden boards that are mounted between the scaffolding, creating the walkways and paths that make modern construction possible.
However, wood is a dependably reusable material, so once the project is finished there are several ways these planks can, and have, been reused. Below, we’ll examine some of the more obvious options, which might hopefully ignite some inspiration within anyone looking to repurpose reclaimed scaffold board wood that might otherwise end up on the scrap heap.
Shelving - Reclaimed scaffold board is the perfect width for more substantial shelving and as it’s been manufactured to withstand burly construction workers it is more than capable of handling your plates, cooking equipment and assorted gods. With a little makeover (sanding and varnishing can give any old piece of wood a stunning new lease of life) you’ll be left with a useable and unique piece of wood that can comfortably hold just about anything. It can also help bring that rustic ‘cottage’ look to any modern home with minimal effort and make a genuine ‘statement’ for a very minor initial cost.
Gardening - Wood is naturally at home in the garden and scaffolding boards are made from a particularly strong and sturdy wood that can be used in all manner of gardening projects. As it’s boarding that was designed to be walked over, it makes ideal and affordable decking. Scaffold boards are also wider than conventional decking so you’ll need less of them to fill the space and the results will be far more subtle and natural-looking than generic decking bought from a local hardware store. With a little creative flair, you could also use scaffold board to build some rustic garden planters and bring new life out of something that would otherwise have been thrown away.
Furniture - Upcycled furniture is all the rage right now amongst the kind of people who like to share every minute facet of their lives on Instagram. However, just because it’s a current hipster trend that doesn’t necessarily make it a bad idea. After all, hipsters also love craft beer and street food. Once again due to its strength and natural character, scaffolding board is ideally suited as a building material for boutique furniture. Coffee tables and benches are an obvious fit, but with enough ambition, you could quite feasibly use it to build anything from a door to a bathroom cabinet. Some enterprising carpenters have even been known to build dining room tables out of scaffold boards. It’s also wonderful as a work surface when used in the kitchen. It will take a lot of sanding and staining to get the desired effect, but the results might just astound you.
Where to buy used scaffolding boards
Reclaimed scaffold boards can often be purchased directly from your local scaffolding supplier. Simply give them a call and ask if they have any used boards that they’re looking to get rid of. You might be able to get a cracking deal. Indeed, if they are particularly wealthy with boards they might even decide to give you them free of charge! Failing that, you could always check out online auction sites like eBay and sites like Gumtree or even Freecycle. You can also, of course, buy scaffold boards brand new from most major hardware stores, but why buy new for an inflated price when you can bring fresh life to an old board instead?