I'm so damn impractical. Still, I manage quite well with construction projects. But now I'm unsure: I need to build a shelf outside a window to reach up to the eaves for prep work and painting. (No worries, it's not a height worth mentioning.) I thought I would screw a beam horizontally on the wall that one long side of the shelf rests on. The other long side is supported by two posts that go in at a 45-degree angle and brace against the wall. But how do I prevent the posts from shearing sideways? Is just one crossbeam between them enough? Two? Or does it need to be diagonal as well? Or do there need to be two, in a cross? Yes, you see – I’m not practical. But I’m good at following instructions 🙂
When I was bracing a cheap scaffold from Jula, I placed two substantial ratchet straps in a cross. At the top, I secured the scaffold to the wall with two springs that are used for mooring boats. Since they are a bit stiff, they also function as shock absorbers. Together, it became sturdy.