Transport stillage and mesh box

Steel racks, pallets and mesh boxes that keep scaffold parts sorted, stackable and liftable by forklift or crane in the yard, on the truck and on site.

Also called: scaffold pallet, stacking rack, frame pallet, tube rack, mesh box, cage pallet

An average facade scaffold consists of hundreds of individual parts, from two-metre frames and decks in several lengths down to couplers and pins that fit in a pocket. Thrown loose onto a truck, material bends, small parts vanish and unloading takes forever. Stillages and mesh boxes bring order: every component has its place, loads can be moved by forklift or crane, and the material arrives undamaged.

On site they are also a safety matter. Manufacturers' instructions ask for scaffold material to be stored in an orderly way on level ground, secured against slipping, and for only crane-rated transport aids to be lifted by crane.

Variants

Frame pallets: racks with spigots or slots onto which frames are stacked. A full pallet often equals a fixed scaffold area, which makes planning easier.
Stacking racks: open racks with four corner posts for decks, guard rails and ledgers, often on a 1.20 × 0.80 m footprint or in longer versions.
Tube racks with arms: for tubes, guard rails, braces and other long parts.
Mesh boxes: closed steel mesh containers, mostly euro size, for couplers, base jacks, ties, pins and small items.
Accessories: trolleys for moving by hand, locking bars and four-leg crane slings.

Racks are made of galvanised or painted steel, and many are system-specific: a rack built for 0.73 m frames will not take the 1.09 m frames of a bricklaying scaffold.

Loading and lifting

Stand the stillage on firm, level ground, load one type of part per rack, heavy items at the bottom, then close the bar and secure it with the pins provided. For crane lifts, attach a suitable sling to the designated lifting points and never to the load. Stack only as many stillages as the maker permits, and only on the stacking corners. On the truck, strap everything down according to load-securing rules; see transporting scaffolding. Sorted stillages also make it far easier to load a 20 or 40-foot container for overseas shipment, as described under delivery and payment.

Checks and mistakes

Overloading: every stillage has a rated payload, and a mesh box full of base jacks is heavier than it looks.
Never lift or move a stillage with its gate open, and never stack anything on an open one.
Bent corner posts, cracked welds or worn stacking spigots make a rack unstable, especially in a stack.
The rating plate should be legible, above all on stillages used with a crane.

Used mesh boxes and pallets are a sound buy if base, feet and gates are intact and the rack suits your material. Browse pallets and containers.

Frequently asked questions

What fits into a euro mesh box?

A mesh box with a footprint of about 1.20 × 0.80 m suits small parts such as couplers, base jacks, ties and pins. What limits it is the rated payload, not the volume.

Can scaffold pallets be lifted by crane?

Yes, if they are rated for crane use, closed and secured, and slung at the designated lifting points.

How many scaffold stillages can be stacked?

The manufacturer sets the limit for each type. Stack only on the stacking corners and on level, firm ground.