Trench Prop Hire in Crowborough, East Sussex
Need trench prop hire in Crowborough? Coppard supplies adjustable steel trench props from our Crowborough depot for temporary excavation-support systems used with trench sheets and other suitable face-support arrangements. Call 01892 662 777 with the required sizes, quantities and programme and we’ll confirm availability.
Trench props are adjustable steel struts used as part of a temporary works system to provide lateral support between opposing trench sheets or other suitable excavation-support panels.
Coppard supplies No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 trench props alongside trench sheets from our Crowborough depot. The required prop size, number, spacing and arrangement should be determined by the temporary works design before excavation begins. Once the specification is known, our team can supply the required equipment.
Trench Prop Hire – Sizes and Rates
Coppard supplies three sizes of adjustable steel trench prop from our Crowborough depot.
The current range comprises No. 1 props adjusting from approximately 0.47m to 0.69m, No. 2 props from approximately 0.69m to 1.09m and No. 3 props from approximately 1.02m to 1.68m.
Trench props are normally used with trench sheets or another suitable face-support system as part of a designed temporary works arrangement. The required size cannot be selected from trench width alone because loads, ground conditions, groundwater, excavation depth and the overall support system also need to be considered.
All three sizes are currently listed at £3.00 per prop per week. Prices exclude VAT and non-account customers add 10%.
Call Crowborough on 01892 662 777 with the specified prop sizes and quantities and we can confirm availability.
For full specifications and current pricing, browse our complete trench prop range.
When Do You Need Trench Props?
Trench props form part of temporary excavation-support systems where opposing sheets or panels require lateral restraint. They help maintain the designed spacing between the excavation faces and transfer loads through the support arrangement.
Whether trench props are required, and how many should be used, depends on the temporary works design and the conditions on site. Factors can include excavation dimensions, ground conditions, groundwater, nearby structures and additional loads from spoil heaps, vehicles and plant.
The required prop sizes, quantities and spacing should therefore be established as part of the temporary works specification before excavation begins.
Once the prop sizes and quantities have been specified, call our Crowborough team on 01892 662 777 to confirm availability.
Trench Props and Trench Sheets -- The Complete Shoring System
Trench props and trench sheets can form complementary parts of a temporary excavation-support system. The sheets provide support to the excavation faces while the props provide lateral restraint between opposing sides.
The number and position of the props should not be determined using a standard spacing rule. Prop spacing, sheet specification and installation sequence depend on the temporary works design, taking account of the excavation dimensions, expected loads, soil conditions and groundwater.
Ground around Crowborough and the High Weald can vary considerably, and clay-rich soils can soften after prolonged rainfall. Conditions should therefore be assessed for the individual excavation rather than assuming that apparently firm ground will remain stable throughout the work.
Temporary support should be installed, altered and removed in accordance with the specified temporary works arrangement and site procedures.
Coppard can supply trench sheets and props from the same Crowborough depot once the required specifications and quantities have been established.
From Crowborough we regularly support projects in surrounding areas including Tunbridge Wells, Uckfield, Heathfield, Wadhurst and Forest Row, as well as the wider East Sussex area.
Call 01892 662 777 to discuss stock and delivery.
Trench Props for Contractors in Crowborough and East Sussex
Groundworks, drainage, utility and civil engineering contractors may require trench props where excavation support has been specified as part of the temporary works design.
Coppard can supply trench props alongside trench sheets, excavators, dumpers and other equipment commonly required for excavation projects. For customers already hiring plant from our Crowborough depot, the temporary works equipment can be arranged alongside the wider hire requirement where stock and transport allow.
Where a project has a specific engineered support arrangement, provide our team with the prop sizes, quantities and relevant equipment specification. Coppard can supply available product information to support the temporary works process, but the design and suitability of the support arrangement remain the responsibility of the competent person managing the temporary works.
Call 01892 662 777 with the specification and project programme and we’ll confirm current availability.
Why Hire Trench Props from Coppard?
Coppard has supplied plant and groundworks equipment to contractors and civil engineering projects since 1972. Our Crowborough depot stocks trench props and trench sheets together, simplifying the supply of equipment where both have been specified for the same temporary works system.
No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 trench props are available, together with trench sheets and the wider plant required for drainage, utility and excavation projects.
Once the temporary works specification is established, call 01892 662 777 with the prop sizes, quantities, hire period and site location and our Crowborough team can confirm current stock and delivery options.
For the full range of Plant & Machinery Hire available from our Crowborough depot, visit our Plant & Machinery Hire page.
Browse the full Trench Prop Hire catalogue for current specifications, models and availability.
Frequently Asked Questions – Trench Prop Hire in Crowborough
How many trench props do I need per metre of trench?
There is no standard number of trench props that can safely be specified per metre of trench. The number and spacing depend on the excavation dimensions, ground and groundwater conditions, sheet specification, expected loads and overall temporary works design.
HSE states that excavation support requirements should be planned before digging begins and that temporary works equipment must be selected and used for the loads it is designed to withstand.
The temporary works designer or competent person responsible for the excavation should therefore specify the prop arrangement.
Once the sizes and quantities are known, Coppard’s Crowborough team can confirm availability.
See HSE – Excavations for current guidance.
What is the maximum trench width the No. 3 prop covers?
Coppard’s No. 3 trench prop has a published adjustable length of approximately 1.02m closed to 1.68m fully open.
This does not mean that every trench up to 1.68m wide can automatically use a No. 3 prop. The required prop size and support arrangement must also take account of the loads, excavation geometry, sheet system, ground conditions and temporary works design.
If your design specifies a No. 3 trench prop, call our Crowborough team to confirm current availability.
How do I install a trench prop correctly?
Trench props should be installed, adjusted, inspected and removed in accordance with the temporary works design, manufacturer’s instructions and the safe system of work for the excavation.
The position, number, spacing and loading of the props should not be improvised on site. HSE guidance states that temporary works must be designed, installed and maintained to withstand the foreseeable loads placed upon them.
Installation should therefore be carried out by competent people working to the specified temporary works arrangement.
See HSE – Temporary Works for further guidance.
Can I use trench props without trench sheets?
Trench props are designed to provide lateral restraint as part of an excavation-support system and require suitable opposing sheets, panels or another engineered support arrangement against which they can act.
They should not be used on their own as unsupported horizontal struts or substituted into an alternative system unless that arrangement has been specified by the temporary works design.
If your excavation requires a different support system, the competent person responsible for the temporary works should determine the appropriate equipment before hire.
What is the minimum hire period for trench props?
One week, at 3.00 per prop per week. Most drainage and utility jobs run over at least one or two weeks between mobilisation, dig, installation and backfill phases. If your job finishes early, you pay for the minimum one-week period.
Are trench props the same as acrow props?
No. Acrow props are vertical columns used to support loads from above — lintels, floor slabs and beams. Trench props are horizontal struts designed to provide lateral support within an excavation-support system. They may look superficially similar because both are adjustable steel props, but they are designed for different applications and should not be treated as interchangeable.
Need Trench Prop Hire in Crowborough?
Call 01892 662 777 and speak directly to our Crowborough team. No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 trench props are available for excavation and groundworks projects across Crowborough and East Sussex, with collection or delivery subject to stock and availability.
