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What is the Difference between a Ledger and a Transom in Scaffolding Time:2023-10-12


Ledgers are horizontal beams that support scaffolding. They provide a stable platform for workers to stand on and work. Ledgers also help to distribute the weight of the scaffolding evenly. Ledgers are tubes that run horizontally along the length of the scaffold.

 

Ledgers connect with and support the standards. Ledgers also act as supports for transoms. Ledgers are available in various lengths to provide the desired grid dimension for scaffolding or formwork. Available sizes for Scaffolding Ledger include: 2.50m, 1.80m, 1.60m, 1.30m, 1.20m.

 

Ledgers are secured using couplers, which are specialized clamps designed to hold the scaffolding structure firmly together.

 

The placement of ledgers determines the height at which the working planks (decks, boards) are staged. The vertical spaces or distances between the ledgers are determined by the intended use of the scaffold.

 

The main difference between ledgers and transoms is that ledgers are the horizontal tubes connecting standards whereas transoms are placed next to the standards and they hold them in place and ensure that the boards have adequate support. Ledgers and transoms both are crucial in ensuring the sturdiness and stability of the scaffold structure. Here are more differences between the two terms as used in scaffolding.

 

The word ledger in scaffolding refers to a horizontal beam supported on standards that ensures the scaffold structure be stable and the weight is evenly distributed. They are helpful when it comes to maintaining the correct bay width and they can also be used as a guard rail or handrail support. An unstable scaffold is dangerous but the ledger ensures that the workers get a stable and sturdy working platform.

 

A Scaffold transom is a horizontal tube placed across ledger to provide stability or strength to the structure. You can get transoms that are made from either steel or aluminium. They can be found in different lengths depending on the type or size of your scaffolding. To ensure the stability of the scaffolding structure, the transoms should be levelled and spaced evenly.

 

In scaffolding, the transom is located horizontally across the ledgers and next to the standards. They are placed at a right angle to the face of the building. Scaffold boards are placed on the transoms to ensure that there’s a safe working platform. The transoms are joined to each other using couplers and to the ledgers using bolts or clamps. You should ensure that the transoms are safely fitted to avoid any accidents or an unstable scaffold structure.

 

Both the transom and ledger are scaffolding components that are crucial when it comes to ensuring the stability and strength of the structure. Some of the distinctive differences between the two include the following:

 

A ledger is a horizontal scaffolding component that’s fixed at a right angle to the standards for adequate support to the scaffold structure whereas the transom is a horizontal tube placed on the ledgers to create a sturdy working platform.

 

Ledgers are horizontal components that run between standards and installed parallel to the building while transoms are fixed on the ledgers at a right angle.

 

Transoms ensure that the working platform is stable enough to support the weight whereas ledgers support the transoms and provide horizontal bracing for the scaffold structure.

 

Ledgers and standards are connected by couplers while transoms and ledgers are connected by bolts or clamps.

 

The length of the ledger corresponds to the distance between two standards, whereas the transom length determines the width of the working platform.