Frequently Asked Questions
What do I need for a complete trestle and plank setup?
Two trestles and at least one plank, with a second plank giving you a wider deck to work and stack material on. Match the trestle height to your working height band and the plank length to the run between them.
What length plank should I buy?
As long as the run you want to cover. A 6m plank covers a bedroom wall in one go. The thing to check is the span, the gap between the trestles holding the plank up, because the longer the span the more support the plank needs.
A 2.4m or 3.0m plank works on its own across two trestles. For a 4m, 5m or 6m run, either lock two planks together with a plank lock set or add a third trestle in the middle. The load ratings for each setup are listed below under "How much weight can the setup hold?"
Trestles and planks or a mobile scaffold?
Trestles win for speed, price and low-level runs along a wall: brickwork, render, cladding and paint. A
mobile scaffold wins when you need guardrails, a bigger deck, tools at height or you're working higher than trestle range.
How much weight can the setup hold?
The plank is the limit, not the trestle. Every Total Aluminium trestle carries a 265kg safe working load, so the plank rating is the number to work to:
- Total Aluminium, single plank: 205kg over a span of up to 3.0m between trestles.
- Total Aluminium, two planks locked together: 225kg over a span of up to 5.4m. The 225kg rating only applies with a plank lock set fitted. The Trestle Handrail Kit and Link-Up Kit already include one.
- Indalex Industrial planks (3m-6m): 225kg per 4m span.
Add up the people, tools and material that will be on the platform at once, then keep the total under the rating with margin in hand. Not sure for your setup? Call us on 1800 953 996.
How much is freight on trestles and planks?
Enter your postcode at checkout and the freight price shows live before you pay. We can sometimes get a better freight price than the one shown at checkout, so call us on
1800 953 996 or email
sales@sitegeardirect.com.au for a freight quote before you order. Long planks are bulky freight but ship Australia-wide transit-insured. Free warehouse pickup is also available. Total Aluminium trestles and planks can be collected from Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane, not Perth.
