Bracing
What is a ledger brace?
A ledger brace is a diagonal across the width of a scaffold, between the inner and outer standards. It stops the scaffold folding sideways, towards or away from the building.
Use this diagram+
Free to use on your own site, in training material or in a course handout, as long as the credit link stays on it. Paste this where you want the diagram to appear.
<figure>
<img src="https://scaffoldoptix.co.uk/glossary/ledger-brace/diagram.svg" alt="ledger brace — scaffold diagram from ScaffoldOptix" width="880" height="620" loading="lazy">
<figcaption>
<a href="https://scaffoldoptix.co.uk/glossary/ledger-brace">What is a ledger brace?</a> — diagram by
<a href="https://scaffoldoptix.co.uk">ScaffoldOptix</a>
</figcaption>
</figure>Where a facade brace holds the scaffold square along its length, a ledger brace holds it square across its width. The two resist movement in different directions and neither substitutes for the other.
Ledger braces are fitted in the transom plane, between the inner and outer rows, and are typically repeated at intervals along the run rather than in every bay.
On a system scaffold the equivalent member is often a purpose-made component that clips into the same rosettes as everything else, which is one of the reasons system scaffolds go up faster.
What goes wrong on site
- Omitted on the assumption that ties do the same job — ties hold the scaffold to the building, bracing holds the scaffold square.
- Fitted to the wrong members so the diagonal does not triangulate the frame.
- Removed to get material through the scaffold and not replaced.