attaching scaffold tower to a wall

my house has wooden windows and barge boards which need painting and am trying to avoid the cost of full scaffolding.

Building height is about 7.5m and so was thinking of hiring or buying a 7m scaffold tower to do the job myself.

Problem is that there isn’t sufficient space at the base of the wall to attach the appropriate outriggers, so was thinking of putting some heavy duty expansion eye bolts into the concrete block work of the wall and attaching the tower to these. I can then just leave these in place for when I need access again in the future.

Is this a reasonable idea or a health and safety no no?!

If you don’t know what you are doing, get someone in as falling (up to) 7 metres isn’t something I’d fancy…

Get someone in to do it – and the cost to hire will be more for you than someone who hires regularly too.

How about using a ladder?

Shouldn’t be a problem if it’s only painting. If you plan on doing any heavy work you may want to get a reputable scaffolder in to install the tie bolts.

Not enough space at the base to get a decent ladder angle.

ill get a quote for someone to do it but I can hire a mobile 7.8m tower for a week for 98+vat plus I’ll need to move it a few times to get access to the whole wall so can’t see getting someone in to erect it and move it will be that cheap.

I’m pretty confident at heights and ropework as been a climber for over 20 years just wondered if scaffolding can be attached this way . How is the proper heavy duty full wall scaffolding attached?

3rd option is abseiling out the velux windows which I’ve done in previous houses!

Attaching the scaffold to a wall is fine. Quite normal for a scaffold to be tied in with eye bolts.

Hilti do a scaffold eyelet tie that you can simply screw out after jobs complete leaving the threaded sleeve in the wall in case you need to reuse them, I have some in my shed floor to chain down bikes n stiff

why not hire a gennie elevating platform or cherry picker

That’s a not unreasonable way of doing it. The tower should come with full instructions. Assembling it shouldn’t take long if you’re halfway competent at height (although an assistant is useful). Level it when you’ve just built the first rise and got the first platform in, and I’d also consider tying it off to something at mid height, so you’re not constructing the top of it with the equivalent of no outriggers (normally you’d fit these when constructing the second rise).

In terms of tying it off – eyebolts would be fine. Be wary how you clamp to the tower itself though as the ally tubing is VERY thin – don’t use scaff clamps as they’ll just crimp the tube. Something like a 1/2T ratchet strap or even climbing rope would be fine – you’re not putting any sideways load on the tower when painting.

Brakes on when in use, don’t move it with someone up it, relevel it each time you move it. (technically you should reduce it to the first rise only before moving…!)

12mm eye bolts and ratchet straps on each side of the tower and one at the top if your nervous. Fill the holes with no nails and blow brick dust over the holes before it drys to hide your holes

only access us via steps so can’t get an elevating platform in.

Just found a copy of the national access and scaffolding confederation document about wall ties which seems to give me all the info I need.

Thanks for all the advice guys, last two posts v useful

I’ve done similar with a tall tower to get at a dormer. Didn’t screw into wall though, but was able to get clamps and strapping on/through window frames at top and intermediate heights. Used fall arrest harnesses and never work alone on the tower, but still not as stable as a big full scaffold with heavy boards, so made for a nervous few hours work. I’m not really cut out for heights though.

Plank inside window and a rachet strap

Tower scaffolds do tend to sway about and they’re prone to catching the wind just to add to the excitement

I’d be spending extra on properly erected scaffolding, you’ll still save money by doing the painting yourself

Climbing for 20 years? You’ll be a nipper then so used to bunging in a bolt or two