---
title: "Adding a Buttress to a Scaffold"
slug: "adding-a-buttress-to-a-scaffold"
updated: 2026-04-24T08:57:55Z
published: 2026-04-24T08:57:55Z
canonical: "docs.avontus.com/adding-a-buttress-to-a-scaffold"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.avontus.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Adding a Buttress to a Scaffold

Buttresses provide support against lateral (sideways) forces. Avontus Designer enables you to create a buttress by adding vertical bracing to the top level of adjacent Bays.

Besides the procedures for adding a buttress to a Scaffold, this page contains the following:

To add a buttress to a Scaffold:

1. Click the **Scaffold** tab.
2. Click the **New Bay** button and drag the new Bay onto the Drawing Page.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/ae69c864-58f0-4711-91e1-d1c2f7dff95f/Images/Documentation/add%20bay(1).gif)
3. Click the new Bay (to select it), then click the **Add Level**.
4. Unplank level 1 ![](https://cdn.document360.io/ae69c864-58f0-4711-91e1-d1c2f7dff95f/Images/Documentation/add%20level%20and%20unplank.gif)
5. Click the **Scaffold** tab. Click the **New Bay** button, drag a second Bay onto the Drawing Page
6. Connect it to the first Bay.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/ae69c864-58f0-4711-91e1-d1c2f7dff95f/Images/Documentation/click%20and%20drag%20bay.gif)

The results look like this: ![](https://cdn.document360.io/ae69c864-58f0-4711-91e1-d1c2f7dff95f/Images/Documentation/image-OWC6XI3F.png)
7. Click the new Bay to select it.
8. In the Bay Level Editor, click the Planked checkbox in the Level 1 row (to remove its check). This is optional. (Avontus Designer removes guardrails and toeboards automatically ).
9. In the **Bay Level Editor**, click **More** for the top level
10. Click the **Sides** tab.
11. Click the L and R **Vertical Brace** checkboxes to add vertical braces to the sides of the top level of the adjacent Bay
12. Click **Apply**

![](https://cdn.document360.io/ae69c864-58f0-4711-91e1-d1c2f7dff95f/Images/Documentation/vertical%20braces(1).gif)
13. In the 3D view, click the **Model** tab to see the top vertical bracing. **Note: You may need to enable the 3D View on the View tab.** ![](https://cdn.document360.io/ae69c864-58f0-4711-91e1-d1c2f7dff95f/Images/Documentation/image-IDGXJ8G4.png) Notice that only one of the top vertical braces appears because the two sides of a bay use opposite bracing directions by default. To display the other brace, change the brace direction for that side of the bay.
14. Click the bracing Bay to select it.
15. Click the **Bay Details** dropdown
16. Click the **Sides** tab.
17. Click the appropriate **Brace Direction** dropdown and select the **Backwards** (or **Forwards**, as appropriate).
18. Click **Apply**.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/ae69c864-58f0-4711-91e1-d1c2f7dff95f/Images/Documentation/brace%20direction(1).gif)

The results look like this:

![](https://cdn.document360.io/ae69c864-58f0-4711-91e1-d1c2f7dff95f/Images/Documentation/image-YHSYCMLD.png)