At present, there are three kinds of scaffolding steel tubes used in China: Q235, Q215, and Q195. There are many kinds of scaffolds made of these materials. The most common ones are cuplock scaffolding, frame scaffolding, tubular scaffolding, ringlock scaffolding, cantilever scaffolding.etc.

In terms of production materials and structure, the materials can also be subdivided in the following ways.

1. Classification according to the material of rod piece

1) A scaffold made of a variety of steel pipes, usually consisting of two or more steel pipes, such as a portal mobile scaffolding.

2) Only one kind of specifications of the scaffolding tube, it USES only Ф 48 x 3.5 electrical welded steel pipe, such as tubular scaffolding.

3) Scaffolding with a steel pipe as the main part and other shaped steel as the auxiliary. Scaffolding made up of steel pipe and other steel rods pieces, such as cantilever scaffolding.

2. Classification according to the way transferring vertical forces through ledger or standard.

1) Force is transmitted by welding line. Most scaffolding ledger connected with the standard by the way of welding line. The frame scaffolding is the typical representative.

2) Force is transmitted by means of contact face friction. This steel tube scaffold mainly supports the load by the friction reaction force generated by pressing contact surface at the joints. Tubular scaffolding is the typical representative.

3) Force is transmitted by means of shear resistance of the pin bar. This method mainly uses a pin bar to pass through the hole of the ledger and standard, so as to achieve the pin bar connection under the action of shear on both sides. This method is relatively rarely used.

4) Force is transmitted by means of direct pressure. Ledger is put on the top of the standard, such as indoors scaffolding.

As there are many kinds of scaffolding tubes, and different types of scaffolds will have different characteristics. So it is necessary to choose the scaffolding system according to the characteristics and purposes of scaffold tubes during construction. The right choice will make construction  more convenient and safe.