Bamboo vs. Steel Scaffolding Towers: Pros and Cons of These Two Staging Methods

November 8, 2021

If steel scaffolding towers and bamboo constructs were to be compared, which staging solution would come out on top? Ferrous alloy wins by some margin. However, this isn't a document that's about to make unilateral judgments. We want to see concrete reasons why steel scaffolding is better than bamboo scaffolding. In service of this goal, let's start this comparative study with a non-biased look at material relevancy.

Pros of Bamboo Scaffolding Towers

Rods of wood-like bamboo has been supporting workers in many Asian nations for thousands of years. Curiously, the strong organic shoots are still in use today in some backwater areas of the southern hemisphere. Even stranger, this organic material is still used in one technologically advanced region. We're referring to Hong Kong, a modern metropolis that employs bamboo as a support lattice. There's even a document that regulates Bamboo scaffolding safety in the Chinese territory (www.labour.gov.hk)

Cons of Bamboo Scaffolding Towers

Steel scaffolding is imbued with rigid strength. That means this raw material isn't designed for this kind of work. How can it be when it was grown in some forest? Granted, it's sturdy, cheap to manufacture, and locally available, but it's also an inherently unquantifiable material. Imagine a tool bouncing harmlessly off a steel-reinforced brace. That same heavy, possibly sharp-edged tool, would damage a bamboo cross-member, perhaps even break it and dangerously weaken the tower.

Pros of Steel Scaffolding Towers

Again, it's because this industry-standard alloy is so robust, so adaptable, that it's employed in so many applications. That durability factor creates a strong scaffolding backbone. Perhaps bamboo is a sustainable material, so the Asian market considers it a practical erection material, but it's a tough resource to regulate. Picture steel frames with reliable fasteners and tough anchoring clamps, parts that guarantee stability. Well, the bamboo scaffolding solution uses nylon ties, not safety-rated fasteners. Then there's the age limit question to consider. That's right, organic scaffolding ages and weakens, which is something that doesn't happen to steel, not if it's properly maintained.

Essentially, steel scaffolding parts are engineered to safely support a rated load. Bamboo scaffolding grows from the ground. It is sustainable, but that single advantage won't provide much comfort if the grown stuff cracks and weakens the tower. Always stick with steel scaffolding, even if the project is in the southern hemisphere, for this load-certified alloy is certain to safely support a legion of workers, tools, and materials, whereas the bamboo solution relies purely on the quality of a farmed support medium.

C & N Scaffolding Hire services all of Melbourne and many Regional Areas. We will help you plan your next scaffold project with the most cost-efficient and time-saving solution without compromising the highest level of safety. Providing scaffold hire, labour and transport. Should you have your equipment we can provide all your labour needs and transportation. We provide a scaffold for new residential projects and also for extensions and renovation projects.

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