How are Saw Horses Load Rated?
Saw horses are rated with either a centre point load or a distributed load. Which rating you need depends on how you use the saw horse.
What is the difference between the centre point load and distributed load rating?
The centre point rating is the maximum load the saw horse can hold if the load is concentrated at the centre of its span. The distributed rating is the maximum load the saw horse can hold if the load is distributed across its span. The distributed load rating is usually higher than the centre point load rating but there is no simple conversion between one rating and the other. The difference between the ratings will depend on the materials, dimensions and construction of a particular saw horse.
The point load rating might be suitable something like an engine block whose weight is concentrated on a small surface area. A load of angle iron spread evenly across the saw horse would use a distributed rating to determine the maximum load. It is very important that you use a load rating appropriate to the load you are placing on the saw horses.
Many of our competitors only supply a single rating for their saw horses. Often this is noted as being the rating for a distributed load but many times there is no indication of what load condition the rating is for. It is up to you as the buyer to ensure that the rating is appropriate to your needs. If the manufacturer will not provide a rating for your use (whether it be a point load or a distributed load) you need to consider using a supplier who will.