Going to be using a new set of pump jack scaffolding this week but one aspect of setting up still has us scratching our heads, what’s anybody done for this situation?
How to brace uprights when working on a finished product, ie. siding?
We’ve seen a couple solutions;
1: Brace at the roof line through roof decking, but what to do on a gable end?
2: Position uprights in line with open windows, place horizontal 2X4’s on the interior side spanning past both jambs, attach pump jack brace through window.
But this also doesn’t answer for bracing the bottom other than to the foundation maybe, and any other desired mid height bracing. Which I know plenty will say “Don’t need either of em'”. I’d rather hear from those that are a bit more safety minded, I’ve got far to many years until retirement.
What ideas are out there?
Replies
Screw tight. Patch then touch up paint.
And just how do you patch vinyl?
Aluminum poles or wood? Aluminum poles need less bracing than wood.
On the gable end, you would still brace to the roof. Taller pole in the center at the ridge.
When you get high enough that you need bracing below the platform, either brace back to the finished siding and repair the screw holes with aluminum poles or "X" brace wood poles to each other.
copper p0rn
Using wood poles, and I don't know that just leaving a screw hole even with color matched caulk would be all that acceptable. Just doesn't seem right, like roofers face nailing roof jacks on. They might better just leave the nail in place as a marker for the leak later on.
Edited 11/17/2009 8:33 pm ET by ncproperties
You can brace to the roof deck on the gable end as well. Or attach to the rake trim. The braces can be angled.
For vinyl, just pop off a course or two of siding and attach to the sheathing.
We brace back to the house every 8' or so, again, pop off some vinyl and find some solid nailing through the sheathing.
Once the plank is 10-12 feet off the ground, run diagonal 2x4s across the poles to really stiffen things up.
That's just it, we're installing the siding so we'd prefer to snap the lip in and nail off every course as we work up. Or are you saying it's possible to unzip a course below 1 or 2 upper courses firmly in place and brace at the unzipped course. Than "re-zipp" that course back in place on the way down after the job is done and the brace from that elevation can be removed?
Can you brace your poles off to the neighbor's house?
New subdivisions around here ("Homes now starting for just under $200,000, move in ready, models open") ya, not so funny. There may not even be enough room to use the back work platform between the houses. In this case is no, next closest house is a country mile.
If you REALLY have to have the intermediate brace, and it sounds like you are convinced. Drive a stake or "holey pin" in the ground behind you, and diag a 2x down to that. You don't need to brace off the house.
I've X ed mid way, but up to and including 28' ( my last poles are that) I don't tie off to anything in the middle.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
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I am with you Duane. Never braced to the house in the middle.
Definitly X brace as you go up!!!!
It's a little tricky with vinyl, but yeah, you get the idea. I'd just leave the course completely out, snap lines for your layout and proceed upwards. You won't be able to do it "on the way down" since the braces need to stay until you are down. Button up the courses that you leave out using ladders.
I skip a piece of siding also, but if ladder access is difficult, I just leave out a 4' or so long section. makes it easier to put in from a ladder and the one additional joint blends in fine.