What thickness of plywood should be used for the scaffolding platform in place of wooden planks?

Using 3/4" plywood for scaffolding platforms is considered the standard thickness because it offers a balance of strength and weight capacity, making it appropriate for supporting loads typically encountered during construction activities. This thickness provides sufficient rigidity to prevent bending or sagging while also being manageable for assembly and disassembly.

The 3/4" plywood can handle the required load without compromising safety. It is thick enough to endure the stresses imposed by workers and materials on the platform while still being light enough for easy handling. It also fits well with typical construction practices, ensuring compatibility with standard scaffolding components.

In contrast, options that are thinner, like 1/2", may not offer sufficient support or safety factors, especially under heavy loads, while thicker plywood options, such as 1" or 1.5", while potentially stronger, could be unnecessarily heavy and cumbersome to work with, making them less practical for scaffolding use. Thus, 3/4" plywood strikes the optimal balance for scaffolding applications.