Pedestal supports for terrace slabs with fixed head

FAQ Pedestal Support with Fixed Head

• What does fixed head mean?

  Fixed head means that the head part of the pedestal is fixedly connected to the thread for height adjustment.
  This is in contrast to self-leveling pedestals, where the head part is flexibly mounted.

  The entire pedestal with a fixed head is therefore a unit that is height adjustable but cannot react to level differences.

• For which types of terraces are pedestals with fixed heads suitable?

  These pedestals are ideal when an existing gradient in the subsoil needs to be transferred to the surface!

  The following picture illustrates this terrace situation: an existing gradient of 2% in the subsoil is converted into a 2% gradient in the paving:

  

• For which terrace coverings are pedestal supports with a fixed head available?

  There are suitable pedestals for the following terrace coverings:
  – Pedestal supports for slab coverings (porcelain stoneware 2 cm and 3 cm, concrete slabs, natural stone slabs)
  – Pedestal supports for wood and WPC substructures

  Example of a pedestal support for slab coverings:

  

  Example of a pedestal support for wood and WPC flooring

  

• Can the joint bridges be removed?

  Yes, the joint bridges can be removed.
  This is extremely important when laying edges or bandages.

  It is best to use flat-nose pliers when removing them.
  Remove any remaining plastic parts with a Stanley knife!

  

• Can pedestals be placed on gravel?

  If you are thinking of placing your pedestals on gravel, we can give you some information.
  When installing pedestals, the following requirements must be met:

  First, the subfloor must solid .
  Secondly, the subfloor should be even .

  Accordingly, you must create these conditions.
  For example, we recommend using an inexpensive concrete slab that is hammered into the gravel.
  This gives you a solid and level surface for the pedestals

  The following examples document this:

  

  

• Which is better: 2mm joints or 4mm joints?

  With the Titan / Professional / EasyPro pedestal system, you can flexibly choose between two joint variants to perfectly combine aesthetics and standard requirements:

  • 2 mm joints: The ideal choice for private use. They allow for a particularly elegant, narrow joint pattern and a modern look for your terrace surface.
  • 4 mm joints: This width is often required by building regulations in public spaces (e.g. schools or government offices) to guarantee maximum drainage performance.

  

  Advantages and disadvantages of 2mm joints

  ✅ visual appearance
  ✅ Water drainage is easy for formats up to 60×60
  
  ⚠ Greater caution is required when laying the panels.

  

  Advantages and disadvantages of 4mm joints
  
  ✅ Water drainage is easy in all formats
  ✅ can be used for precisely calibrated concrete and natural stones
  
  Due to regulations, only pedestals with 4mm joints may be used for public construction projects!

• Are the anti-slip and anti-acoustic pads necessary?

  Anti-slip and anti-acoustic pads are not absolutely necessary, but are always a Suggestions for pedestal bearings with a fixed head (Titan pedestal bearing, Basic pedestal bearing).
  Because this
  — dampen footstep noises,
  — compensate for minor inaccuracies in the slab coverings and
  — prevent the slab from slipping (the supports must be glued to the pedestal beforehand).

  The following picture shows the anti-slip pad on the left and an installation on the 'Basic' pedestal on the right

  

  Regarding the anti-slip and anti-acoustic pads
• Which pedestals are the best?

  Due to many inquiries on this topic, we strive to provide information that is as neutral as possible.
  Because we believe that there are some points that are crucial for a pedestal.

  1. The stability of the pedestal

  First, the issue of stability is worth mentioning.
  Two points are important here.
  
  Firstly, the pedestals must stable in itself .
  For example, a gap that is too loose between the thread and the outer wall of the pedestal is problematic.
  
  Second, the the force should be transmitted to the underfloor as evenly as possible.
  Accordingly, this is best achieved with a continuous contact surface of the pedestal.
  The larger the support surface of the pedestal, the better the load is distributed.
  

  2. Flexibility:

  Furthermore, flexibility is extremely important on the construction site.
  This means, above all, that you not only have enough pedestals on site for installation.
  It is also important that the correct construction heights are available on site.
  
  If you therefore need several different heights of pedestal supports, the following is especially important.
  Either you have a system with few individual parts (pedestals with height adapters) – or you can choose pedestals with as few types as possible (heights). As a result, these types should have the largest possible adjustment range!
  
  This gives you flexibility on the construction site and prevents delays

  3. The details

  Ultimately, it is the details that matter. Because you certainly want

  • finish the terrace cleanly against a house wall (edge ​​finishing clips)
  • carry out a lateral vertical edge cladding or
  • integrate drainage channels seamlessly into the pedestal construction

  As a result, we offer you a wide range of accessories that are ideally suited for all of these applications!

• Advantages and Disadvantages of Pedestals

  Here we give you an overview of the advantages and disadvantages of pedestal supports.
  Based on many years of experience with millions of units sold, we present the most important points here.

  1. The Benefits

  ✅ Stepless height adjustment

  

  Pedestal supports are fully adjustable.
  This process is done either with a rotating ring or with a key.

  ✅ Large load capacity

  

  Furthermore, pedestals have an incredibly high load capacity For example, our pedestal supports can hold up to 1,4 tonnes per piece!
  
  In this respect, the possible surface load of pedestal supports is higher than, for example, of 2 cm ceramic tiles!

  ✅ Light weight

  The entire pedestal support construction is characterized by its very low weight.
  For example, this light weight is only
  50kg per m2 for 2cm slab coverings,
  72kg per m2 for 3cm slabs and
  18kg per m2 for 2cm thick wooden floorboards
  Therefore, pedestal constructions are the lightweight among terrace structures.
  
  For this reason, pedestal constructions are the first choice, especially for weight-sensitive balconies!

  ✅ Frost-resistant

  

  There is no frost damage in structures with pedestals.
  Since there are no large areas that lead to water accumulation, this is not even possible.
  

  ✅ Perfect water drainage

  

  Pedestals have excellent properties for water drainage.
  Because they even have water drainage channels.
  This drains away any water that enters the pedestal.

  ✅ Horizontal surfaces can be realized

  

  With our self-levelling pedestals you not only save yourself a lot of work.
  In contrast to pedestals with a fixed head, you save yourself the trouble of aligning the pedestal support with levelling discs.
  In addition, you can also easily create horizontal surfaces – even if you have a slope in the subsoil!

  2. Advantages and disadvantages of pedestal supports – the disadvantages

  2.1 Unusual acoustics ⚠

  If you lay 2cm or 3cm natural stone or ceramic tiles on pedestals, you must be prepared for the acoustics to be different than with fixed tiles.
  Naturally, the entire construction sounds a bit hollow and therefore unusual, especially at the beginning.
  This effect can be reduced by using anti-acoustic pads or additional centrally mounted pedestals. However, you cannot exclude this effect.

  In contrast, when laying wood and WPC boards, this 'hollow' impression is not noticeable.
  These materials are much softer and therefore have better acoustic properties.
  
  

  2.2 The underground is underestimated ⚠

  

  A stable, load-bearing subsurface is the basic requirement for any terrace installation.

  If the subsoil is loose (eg compacted gravel) we would recommend using pressure distribution elements. For example, these are inexpensive concrete blocks with a thickness of 3 to 4 cm.

  In contrast, laying on concrete surfaces is possible without any problems.

  In any case, it becomes interesting again when laying on an insulating layer, because in this case the insulation should be pressure-resistant.
  For example, this is the case with extruded insulation elements (e.g. XPS) are almost always the case.
  For expanded Elements (Styrofoam, EPS) please pay close attention to the compressive strength.

  2.3 Pay attention to the edge finish ⚠

  

  The edge finish is extremely important so that the slabs are clamped in place and there is no shifting over time.

  If the edge slabs are loose they can move.
  This causes the entire structure to shift.
  As a result, you will get an irregular joint pattern and must expect a lack of stability of the entire system.

  That’s why we offer you a variety of options for your edge finish.

  To the edge finishes
• Do you have to screw the pedestals?

  In principle, the outermost row of pedestals should be fixed..
  If a screw connection is possible depends on the terrace condition

  1. What is the outermost row of pedestals?

  The outermost row of pedestals is a row to an open edge. An open edge is an edge that is not enclosed by walls or fixed fixing angles.

  A typical 'open edge' is the last row of a balcony railing.

  2. Why should the outermost row of pedestals be fixed?

  The reason is that there should be no shifts in the outermost row of plates.

  3. How can the fixation be done?

  This depends on the nature of the subfloor:

  On a concrete subfloor the pedestal can be screwed in. .
  On a sealing layer the pedestal must be glued to the layer. Otherwise, the sealing layer will be damaged.

• What problems can arise when installing pedestal supports?

  The following problems can arise based on our 15 years of experience:

  Cause	Consequence	Solution
  Pedestal supports are not stable and wobble.	The laid slabs evolve upon occurrence	– Dismantling – Outmatched by Building protection pads – Setting up new storage facilities Checking the substrate: it must be firm and must not give way!
  dust or grains > the pedestal bearing	Crunch	Cleaning
  Dust or grains between the pedestal bearing and the plate	Crunch	Cleaning, possibly. Anti-slip pad attach
  No edge mounting	Plates shift at the edge, this results in an irregular joint pattern.	a) In the case of a house wall: dismantling and installation of edge finishing clips b) If one side is open: Disassemble and screw or glue the outermost row of pedestals in place.

• How many Titan pedestal supports do I need per square meter?

  The number of pedestals required depends primarily on your slab size. For a standard size of 60 x 60 cm, you will need approximately 3,2 to 4 pedestals per square meter on average. For an exact quantity calculation, which also

  • Cut-off and edge areas
  • Different heights
  • Edge finishes (optional) and
  • Drainage (optional) taken into account

  We recommend our free 3D configurator, who will create a complete bill of materials for you.
  This configurator requires no registration and is completely anonymous!

  

  Go to the configurator (no registration required)
• How do I compensate for a slope using the Titan pedestal system?

  Since the Titan series is about a fixed head The leveling of uneven ground or slopes is carried out via our Leveling discs in 1 mm or 3 mm thickness.
  These are simply placed under the pedestal to precisely compensate for the desired incline.

  

  Regarding the 1mm leveling discs

  Regarding the 3mm leveling discs

  For automatic slope compensation up to 5%, we recommend our self-leveling series as an alternative. Professional or EasyPro.