Temporary Scaffold Roof and Side Sheeting at Orchard Farm, Knapp, Somerset

Temporary Roof · Scaffold Sheeting

Temporary Scaffold Roof and Side Sheeting at Orchard Farm, Knapp, Somerset

Key Facts

• Client: Wellington Scaffolding Ltd, Wellington, Somerset
• Project: Temporary scaffold roof and side sheeting, period stone farm building
• Scope: Sides and temporary pitched roof, approximately 1,086m²
• Material: Rhino Shrink Wrap 300 micron, flame retardant to EN13501
• Roll specification: 7m × 15m, 12 rolls
• Duration: 2-3 days
• Location: Orchard Farm, Knapp, Somerset

The Problem

Wellington Scaffolding Ltd erected a proprietary scaffold roof structure over a period stone farm building at Orchard Farm in Knapp, Somerset, to allow re-roofing works to proceed under full weather protection. The job required shrink wrap sheeting across both the vertical scaffold elevations and the pitched temporary roof structure, approximately 1,086m² in total. Flame retardant film certified to EN13501 was specified throughout.

For the roof sheeting, the standard recommendation is to use the widest and longest rolls available. A 12m × 25m roll minimises the number of joins across a roof span: fewer joins means less welding time, a faster install, and a cleaner finished result. But Orchard Farm is a rural site with restricted access, and the practicality of getting large heavy rolls of 300 micron film up onto a scaffold roof safely introduced a different set of considerations.

A 12m × 25m roll is bulky and difficult to handle at height without additional equipment. On a site like this, attempting to position and unroll large rolls on the roof would have created more problems than the reduction in joints was worth.

The Solution

Twelve rolls of Rhino Shrink Wrap 7m × 15m, 300 micron flame retardant film were supplied for the project. The 7m × 15m format is meaningfully lighter and more manageable than a 12m × 25m roll. It can be carried up to the roof by two operatives without mechanical assistance, positioned across the scaffold deck without needing a long clear run, and handled safely within the tighter conditions of a rural site.

The trade-off is more joins across the roof surface, each requiring heat welding and tape reinforcement. On a project of this scale, that additional welding time was the right compromise.

Side sheeting was completed first, with drops hung from the scaffold and heat welded at the horizontal joining tubes, creating a weathertight enclosure at the elevations and a windbreak that made roof installation significantly easier. The roof sheets were then unrolled across the boarded scaffold deck, heat welded at the joins, battened down at two-metre intervals with roofing foam strip beneath the battens to prevent wind uplift, and heat shrunk drum-tight across the full span.

Two zipper doors were installed to maintain safe pedestrian access during the works.

The Result

The side and roof sheeting was completed within the planned 2-3 days, providing full weather protection across the 1,086m² structure throughout the re-roofing programme. The finished temporary roof, visible drum-tight in the photographs, performed as required for the duration of the project.

The roll specification decision on this job is a good illustration of a broader principle: the technically optimal roll size for a roof is not always the most practical one. Site access, handling conditions, and the available team all affect which specification actually delivers the best result. Wider rolls reduce joins; smaller rolls reduce handling risk. On an open urban scaffold the calculation often favours the larger roll. On a rural site with restricted access, it does not.

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