Scope of Works
A scaffolding contractor needed a floating platform to support a freestanding scaffold structure for building works at Stowe Pool, where the working area sat directly over water with no suitable ground-based access. The scaffold itself weighed just over two tonnes and the solution needed to safely support this load, account for rising and falling water levels throughout the works, and provide reliable anchoring to keep the platform secure.
Solution
Floating Pontoon Hire proposed a 112m² single-stack pontoon arrangement, engineered against the scaffolder’s loading data to confirm it was more than capable of the job. Working to a recommended loading of 175kg per square metre the pontoon’s overall working capacity came to around 19.6 tonnes.
To manage changing water levels, the scaffold was tied back into the building using rings and guides, allowing it to act like a pile guide restraining the pontoon horizontally while letting it rise and fall naturally with the water. The arrangement was further secured using ground anchors and ratchet straps back from the pontoon, giving a stable, fully engineered platform for the duration of the works. A double-stacked configuration and independent marine architect sign-off were also offered as options, giving the client additional reassurance where needed.
