A work platform or scaffolding can be good for any type of jobsite and can also be handy to have at home if you do your own exterior home repairs. They can also be used indoors if your home has a cathedral ceiling and will otherwise need such a platform to reach elevated heights for repairs, painting, and the like. These platforms come in a wide range of sizes and types, from a platform that elevates you just enough to reach that vaulted ceiling to ones that extend several stories off the ground, so you want to ensure you choose one that will work for your jobsite or your home in particular. Note a few simple tips for choosing a work platform, no matter the use.

1. Always check weight limits

Work platforms will always have recommended weight limits, as some frames are more lightweight than others and only meant for one worker with small tools and not several workers and heavy-duty equipment. When figuring on the weight limits for a work platform, be sure you include the weight of workers and also all the tools and equipment that will be used. Heavy-duty concrete cutters and other such tools can be very heavy, as can commercial-sized buckets of paint, caulk, bags of sand, roofing tiles, or other materials. Don't skimp on the weight limits of a work platform but always invest in something that is as strong as you need.

2. Consider planks versus decks

A platform will usually be a deck or a set of planks. A deck is one solid piece that creates the platform, whereas planks are several pieces lined up next to each other. A deck platform can be more cumbersome to assemble and disassemble, but it can offer added protection to anyone under the work platform. There is less risk of someone being hit by dropped tools or screws or dripping paint when you choose a deck versus planks. On the other hand, if you need a work platform for a small jobsite or at home and safety isn't as much of a concern, the planks can make the platform easier to set up and tear down.

3. Mobility

Don't assume that a work platform can be easily moved from one spot to another. Some may be very lightweight and come with casters or wheels so that they are easier to relocate, but some are meant to be anchored in one spot and not moved without actually being disassembled. If you will be using your work platform in various locations during the same day, you'll want something that is specifically meant to be mobile so ensure you check on the casters, if you can easily adjust the height so that you can slide it through doorways without actually taking it apart, and the like.