Scaffolding and Formwork and Their Use in Construction

While the type of scaffolding and formwork now used by modern construction companies may be far more sophisticated, the concepts upon which these are based were both known and applied by the builders of ancient Rome and Egypt, many centuries ago. In fact, archaeological evidence in the form of holes found in caves in the south-west of France, indicates that the former may have been used as a platform from which to create wall paintings more than 17 000 years ago.

Other findings made by archaeologists clearly indicate that the pharaohs of Egypt made use of wooden scaffolding to erect buildings in the vicinity of their pyramids and that Roman engineers used formwork to mould the concrete arches used in the construction of the Pantheon in 126 AD. For centuries, similar temporary support structures, sometimes referred collectively as “falsework”, were also employed by masons to assist them in the shaping and placement of brick and stone.

Since those early days, the entire nature of construction has changed quite dramatically. In addition to the many benefits of new methodologies today’s builders now enjoy, the new field of materials science has given them the means to replace timber with steel, aluminium, and a host of other materials that have since become invaluable to the advanced construction methods in use today. This, however, has changed the nature of scaffolding, but not its importance and the invention of Portland cement has only increased the demand for formwork.

As a consequence, the manufacture of formwork has grown to become a thriving business in its own right. Among the organisations best known in Southern Africa for the manufacture and supply of these products is the Gauteng-based company, Disc-O-Scaff. Using only SABS-approved materials, its factory in Elandsfontein is responsible for supplying many of the region’s leading construction companies with its range of world-class scaffolding and formwork products.

In the former range, the company offers a choice of two products, Kwikstage and Selflock. In addition to their robust construction, it is the ease with which their component parts can be assembled and dismantled that has made them such as popular choice. The Selflock product is favoured by smaller companies because it can be erected even by inexperienced workers while the versatility and transportability of Kwikstage is a major benefit.

Designed by a company with more than 10 years of experience and with the needs of the end user foremost in mind, quality, versatility, and durability have become the hallmarks of both the sacaffolding and formwork products manufactured and supplied by Disc-O-Scaff.