When choosing flooring for your balcony, terrace or patio it's hard to ignore the huge array of porcelain paving slabs now available in the UK. From wood effect planks to ultra-realistic stone effect, outdoor tiles are dominating the paving market at the moment. But how do you install them? You can of course go down the traditional route by laying a screed base and installing the tiles with adhesive and grout. Alternatively, you can use a pedestal system to install outdoor tiles.
What is an outdoor tile pedestal
A tile pedestal is basically a small, usually round, support that sits beneath the tiles. These are installed directly onto the base of the patio, balcony or terrace, with the space beneath and joints left open. The pedestals fully support the tiles, creating a raised floor.
The idea of using a raised floor is nothing new, as Eterno Ivica explain: "The technology of the raised floor is in fact very old: there are several interesting examples since the Etruscan and Roman civilizations. Both indoors and outdoors of buildings, building technology is called to respond to numerous and important issues. External floors are exposed to bad weather, therefore the correct and easy disposal of rainwater is essential to prevent water from stagnating and create serious damage to the structures over time."
Why use a pedestal system
There are many reasons you might choose a pedestal system to install your outdoor tiles.
- Reduced weight - adhesive and grout, as well as any decoupling or backer boards needed, will weigh a fair amount. Eterno pedestals are lightweight and require no additional fixing materials.
- Mess free - since no adhesive or grout are required the installation is relatively mess free.
- Drainage - the open joints and space beneath the tiles allows for drainage so you won't have pools of water on your tiles.
- Easy access - the tiles can be lifted up at any time to access cables or panels beneath or if you want to change the tiles.
- Thermal insulation - the void between the paving and membrane encourages constant air circulation, improving heat insulation and protecting the surface from UV degradation.
- Absorbs structural movement - the paving and supports can absorb expansion and structural movement.
- Fast installation - there's no need to wait for screeds or adhesive to dry - you can install the tiles onto the pedestals immediately.
- Acoustic insulation - thanks to the "bi-component" head, Eterno supports are the only ones in the world able to reduce the sound impact level up to 25dB.
- Eco friendly - the plastic pedestals are 100% recyclable and no chemicals or glues are required for installation.
Which pedestal system is best for my project
At Tile Fix Direct we stock pedestals from market leader Eterno Ivica. There are three types of pedestal system to choose from, SE, NM and Star.T.
These pedestals have a self levelling head and are height adjustable from 28mm to 550mm. Ideal if you have a sloped base and want the pedestals to level the flooring, as they automatically justify slopes to 5%.
Similar to the SE pedestals, but with a fixed head. NM pedestals are height adjustable from 25mm to 270mm. For use in areas where levelling isn't required.
These low height pedestals, sometimes referred to as tile support pads, are adjustable from 8mm to 30mm. Ideal for areas where the tiles only need to be raised by a small amount, or to create a tiled floor that can be removed or replaced easily.
Each system is easy to install and has the option to add extension pieces and edging clips to create a neat tiled finish around the edges. We also stock slab lifters and adjustment keys from Eterno to make installing outdoor tile onto raised pedestals a breeze.
See the full range of Eterno Ivica paving pedestal products at Tile Fix Direct here.