What size scissor or boom lift do I need?
Enter the highest point you need to reach. Working height is about 6 ft more than platform height, so subtract 6 ft and round up to the next lift size. The calculator also checks your ground, your reach and your load.
Recommended lift
26 ft narrow electric scissor lift
Reaches about 32 ft of working height, 2 ft above your 30 ft target.
Your work: 30 ft
Base rent, 5 days
$400–$650
About $670–$1,170 with delivery, damage waiver and fees.
- Working height
- 32 ft
- Capacity
- 500 lb
- Width
- 32 in
Specs, rates and tips
- Platform height
- 26 ft
- Working height
- 32 ft
- Platform capacity
- 500 lb
- Your load
- 500 lb
- Machine width
- 32 in
- Power
- Electric, non-marking tires
- Common models
- Genie GS-2632, JLG 2632ES
Rates: day $150–$250, week $400–$650, 4 weeks $900–$1,400. Cheapest mix for 5 days: 1 week.
- Three or more days in the same week? Take the weekly rate. It is priced at about three days, so the rest of the week is free.
- Ask for non-marking tires and check the slab, raised floor or elevator against the machine weight on the spec sheet.
- If there is a duct run, beam or partition between the floor and the work, platform height will not fix it. Switch to "reach out or over" above.
Want more headroom? The next size up is a 32 ft electric scissor (38 ft working).
Lift size by ceiling or work height
Subtract about 6 ft from the height you need to reach and rent that platform height. A 19 ft scissor gets you to a 25 ft ceiling, a 26 ft scissor to about 32 ft, and a 32 ft scissor to about 38 ft. Past roughly 46 ft, or any time you have to reach up and over something, you need a boom lift.
| Work height | Platform height | Indoor slab | Outdoor or rough ground | Typical day / week |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 25 ft | 19 ft | 19 ft electric scissor | 26 ft rough terrain scissor | $100–$175 / $275–$450 |
| 26–32 ft | 26 ft | 26 ft electric scissor | 26–29 ft rough terrain scissor | $150–$250 / $400–$650 |
| 33–38 ft | 32 ft | 32 ft electric scissor | 35–45 ft rough terrain scissor | $200–$300 / $550–$800 |
| 39–46 ft | 34–40 ft | 34 ft or 45 ft electric articulating boom | 35–45 ft rough terrain scissor or 40 ft boom | $285–$450 / $800–$1,400 |
| 47–51 ft | 45 ft | 45 ft articulating boom | 45 ft articulating boom | $300–$500 / $900–$1,500 |
| 52–66 ft | 60 ft | 60 ft boom | 60 ft articulating or telescopic boom | $450–$650 / $1,300–$1,900 |
| 67–86 ft | 80 ft | 80 ft telescopic boom | 80 ft telescopic boom | Quote it; varies a lot by yard |
How to size a lift
Subtract about 6 ft from the highest point you need to reach, then round up to the next lift size. A 30 ft ceiling needs a 24 ft platform, so a 26 ft scissor lift is the right choice.
- Measure to the work: a ceiling, the bottom of a joist, the top of a sign.
- Subtract about 6 ft: working height is platform height plus roughly 6 ft.
- Check ground, reach and load: count 200 lb per person plus tools and material. Electric lifts are for indoor slabs, rough terrain machines are for outdoors, and if the machine can't park under the work you need a boom.
- A 20 ft ceiling indoors
- 19 ft electric scissor lift, which reaches about 25 ft.
- A 30 ft warehouse ceiling on a slab
- 26 ft narrow electric scissor lift, which reaches about 32 ft.
- Work 40 ft up outdoors on pavement
- 35–45 ft rough terrain scissor lift, which reaches about 46 ft.
- Work 45 ft up, reaching 20 ft over a wall
- 45 ft articulating boom lift, which reaches about 51 ft.
Examples assume 2 people and 100 lb of tools.
Scissor lift or boom lift?
Scissor lifts
Scissor lifts go straight up and carry more: 500 lb on a narrow deck and about 1,000 lb on a wide one. They are the cheaper choice when you can park right under the work. For indoor slabs, look at electric scissor lifts. Outdoors, use rough terrain scissor lifts.
Boom lifts
Boom lifts reach up and out. Choose an articulating boom lift to go up and over a wall, roof edge or duct run, and a straight boom lift for the most outreach in a straight line. Past roughly 46 ft of working height, a boom is usually the only option.
Working at about 13 ft or less? A 12–15 ft vertical mast lift is usually cheaper and fits tighter spaces than a scissor.
Lift sizing questions
How high does a 19 ft scissor lift go?
A 19 ft scissor lift raises its platform to 19 ft, and a person standing on it can work at about 25 ft. Working height is platform height plus roughly 6 ft. A typical 19 ft scissor lift is 30–32 in wide with 500 lb of platform capacity, so it fits through a standard 36 in doorway.
How tall is a 20 foot scissor lift?
Scissor lifts are sold by platform height, and what most people call a 20 ft scissor lift is usually the 19 ft class. Its platform reaches 19 ft and a worker can reach about 25 ft, so it suits ceilings up to about 25 ft.
What is the working height of a 32 ft scissor lift?
A 32 ft scissor lift has about 38 ft of working height. It is an electric machine for indoor slabs, typically 46 in wide with about 700 lb of platform capacity.
Which scissor lift has a 1,000 lb capacity?
Wide-deck 26 ft electric scissor lifts (46 in wide) are typically rated for about 1,000 lb, and 26–29 ft rough terrain scissor lifts are typically rated 1,000–1,250 lb. Narrow 19 ft and 26 ft scissor lifts are typically rated 500 lb. Always confirm the exact model's load chart before you book.
How do I calculate what size scissor lift I need?
Take the highest point you need to reach and subtract about 6 ft. That is the platform height to rent. A 30 ft ceiling needs a 24 ft platform, so the next size up, a 26 ft scissor lift, is the right one. Then check the ground, your load, and whether the machine can park directly under the work.
When do I need a boom lift instead of a scissor lift?
Rent a boom lift when you need more than about 46 ft of working height, when you have to reach up and over something such as a wall, roof edge or duct run, or when your load is past what a scissor deck carries. Articulating booms bend at the knuckle to get over obstacles. Straight (telescopic) booms give the most outreach but cannot bend.
Can a lift fit through a standard 36 inch doorway?
Only a few can. The 19 ft scissor lift (30–32 in wide) and the 26 ft narrow scissor lift (32 in wide) fit through a standard 36 in door. Wide-deck scissors, rough terrain scissors and boom lifts do not.
What size lift do I need outdoors or on rough ground?
Electric scissor lifts are for indoor slabs. Outdoors, rent a rough terrain scissor lift (26–29 ft or 35–45 ft class, 4WD with outriggers) or a boom lift. Soft ground is where lifts tip, so set up on firm, level ground and never shim a machine with blocks to level it.
How much does it cost to rent a scissor lift?
Typical base rates, before delivery, damage waiver and fees: 19 ft electric scissor $100–$175 a day or $275–$450 a week; 26 ft narrow scissor $150–$250 a day or $400–$650 a week; 32 ft electric scissor $200–$300 a day or $550–$800 a week. Budget another 10–15% for the damage waiver, plus delivery and pickup and an environmental fee. Ranges come from rental quotes Dizel sees across Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and Texas.
Do I need a harness in a boom lift?
Yes. Boom lift users need a full-body harness tied off to the basket under OSHA 1926.453. Scissor lifts rely on guardrails instead, so check your company policy either way.
How this calculator works
Working height = platform height + 6 ft. Load assumes 200 lb per person with gear, plus the tools and material you enter. Specs are typical for each class; always confirm the exact model's spec sheet and load chart before you book. Price ranges are typical base rates before delivery, damage waiver and fees.
Built and reviewed by Nick Partington, founder of Dizel. Last reviewed .
Sources
- OSHA 1926.453, aerial lifts (harness and tie-off rules for boom lifts)
- Manufacturer spec sheets for the listed Genie, JLG and Skyjack models
- Rental quotes Dizel sees across Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and Texas