Trestle buying guide

At one stage a trestle had to be assembled from four or five pieces of timber or several welded tubes. This structure serves an important function in building and renovation work since it can support a work surface formed of planks or boards.A trestle is essentially a support in the form of an inverted V. Its strength depends on the material used and its height varies according to use.

Today, engineers and designers have transformed this basic accessory into a formidable workshop aid by combining functionality with comfort and aesthetics. Trestles can now be had in virtually any shape and material. Whether it's for a table, a desk, a workstation or to hold machine tools, a highly innovative market now offers an exceptional choice of trestles.

Trestles can be used for various purposes:

• In furnishing - to create a desk or side table;

• To create a work surface, along with a robust top board;

• For work access, supporting small scaffolding structures.

They can also be classified according to their materials:

• Wood is the most traditional, and can easily be repainted;

• Steel or aluminum combine lightness and robustness;

• Synthetic materials such as resin or polypropylene.

A variety of options are viable for each use, provided you bear in mind the following: your trestle(s) must be appropriate to the weight you want them tosupport and sufficiently stable.

Depending on the sturdiness you require, choose between:

• Woodentrestles, with pine legs and galvanized metal joints - relatively inexpensive;

• Single U-shaped trestle to optimize floor space - limited in size;

• Metal X-shaped trestles - adjustable and robust;

• Height-adjustable aluminium trestles for taller users;

• MDF trestles for a more stylish appearance.

Trestles are useful for working at a comfortable height in any capacity - carpentry, metalwork, upholstery etc.

It's easy and affordable to have more than one pair of trestles in different materials, if you plan to do a variety of tabletop work.

For woodwork, wooden or resin trestles are recommended; for painting work, wood, resin or lightmetal models can work well.

For heavier metalwork (dismantling, assembling and welding bulky components), two or more metaltrestles are recommended on account of their robustness.You might also want to consider adjustable stands with rollers or ball bearings - useful for feeding angle irons or tubes into a bench-mounted metal saw, for instance. In any case, height-adjustabletrestles are to be preferred.

Although full-scale conventional scaffolding is essential for safe work at a great height, vertically adjustable reinforced telescopic metal trestles can make an excellent alternative for smaller jobs up to two metres above ground level.

It's highly recommended that you choose scaffolding trestles equipped with guardrails, sometimes called builder's trestles.

If you plan to use breezeblocks or mix cement on your scaffolding platform, make sure the permissible load of your equipment is sufficient to allow you to work safely. For hanging wallpaper on a staircase, modular feet work well since they can be adjusted to differing heights; lightweight, sturdy foldable trestles are also essential for this type of application.

Another useful accessory related to the trestle is the workshop stand.

Often consisting of a three-way foot or two parallel bars for optimum stability, a stand of this kind can have rollers or ball bearings in its top surface to facilitate the lateral movement of loads placed on top.

A folding workshop stand can be a really useful adjunct if you have limited space on your fixed workbench.

And we mustn't forget to mention the essential companion to a log-saw: the sawing stand. How many times have you got smacked in the foot by a falling log because you don't have the right equipment, or got your chainsaw snared up in a fat tree trunk? With a 

It's up to you whether you go for wood or metal - but either way, don't deprive yourself of this hugely practical workshop accessory, especially if you work alone.

To find out more about DIY equipment, follow our editors' advice and check out their other guides:

• How to choose your upholstering tools?

• How to choose your metal saw?

• How to choose your ladders and scaffolding?

• How to choose your hand tools for woodwork?

• How to choose your sander?

• How to choose your wall and ceiling paint?

• How to choose your kitchen and bathroom paint?

• How to choose your respiratory protective gear?

• How to choose your paintbrushes?

• How to choose your paint rollers?