Inside bracket

A short cantilever fixed to the inner standards that carries one extra deck towards the wall and closes the gap between scaffold and facade.

Also called: inner bracket, wall-side bracket, one-board bracket, hop-up bracket

A facade scaffold rarely stands tight against the wall. Plinths, window sills, downpipes or insulation boards still to be fixed all need space, and a gap opens between deck and facade into which tools, material or a foot can slip. The inside bracket closes it. Mounted on the wall-side standard, it carries an additional deck so the tradesperson works closer to the wall instead of leaning across the gap. The platform also becomes a little wider, which renderers and painters appreciate.

For roofers, an inside bracket on the top lift has a second use: it gains room under a wide eaves overhang, so that the roof edge protection screen on the outside can keep its required distance from the eaves.

Design and sizes

An inside bracket is a short galvanised steel arm, occasionally aluminium. Typical projections are 0.30–0.39 m, for example 0.32, 0.36 or 0.39 m depending on the system, just enough for one narrow deck. On frame scaffolds it hooks onto the node plate or the leg below the deck support, or clamps on with a welded half coupler. On modular scaffolds it sits on the rosette with a wedge head and is wedged tight. Many models include a deck lock under which the bracket deck engages. Because the arm stays inside and carries only one deck, it can usually be used on every lift without additional support.

Fitting

1. Work from a fully protected lift with the outer side protection already in place.
2. Hook, slide or clamp the bracket onto the inner standard at main deck level.
3. Tighten couplers to 50 Nm or drive the wedge home with a hammer.
4. Lay the deck so that its claw sits under the lock, and cover the gap to the main deck if needed.
5. Check the distance to the wall: above 0.30 m, side protection is also needed on the inner side.

Bracket or wider scaffold?

Scaffolds of 0.70–0.73 m with two decks are the usual choice for painters and renderers. Bricklayers who need space for blocks and mortar tubs work on 1.00–1.09 m scaffolds with three decks. An inside bracket does not turn a narrow scaffold into a bricklaying scaffold; it closes the gap and adds comfort. For more width on the outside there is the outside bracket, and our guide to widening the scaffold covers both.

Points to watch

• Brackets change the forces in standards, jacks and ties. The instructions show configurations with inside brackets, often with a different tie pattern.
• No ladder access on bracket decks; hatch decks belong in the main bays.
• Do not forget the deck lock, or the narrow deck can lift.
• Bent arms and cracked welds rule a bracket out. When buying used, match projection and connection type to your scaffold and check hooks and couplers.

Used inside brackets are listed under bracket frames.