A high quality pedestal system is the secret weapon for contractors wanting to deliver beautifully good-looking, flat and versatile hard landscaping areas.
These hard-working supports, hidden beneath finishes including concrete paving slabs, porcelain tiles, natural stone slabs or timber, composite and metal decking, are straight-forward, quick and clean to install, as well as being incredibly practical.
Key advantages include improved surface drainage (water drains via slim gaps between paving or decking finishes), electrical services are easy to run in the space created by the pedestals and the whole system is future-proofed thanks to being able to remove the paving or decking finish for maintenance or upgrade requirements.
This ‘floating floor’ approach not only refreshes tired outside areas, it can extend a building’s footprint by making use of previously unused areas, delivering valuable commercial exterior space to extend cafes/restaurants, patios etc.
Crucially, a well-designed pedestal system can accommodate changes in deck levels/height thresholds with one system supplied by one manufacturer, delivering all the advantages of a one-stop shop with meaningful guarantees.
Wallbarn offers the largest range of pedestals in the UK, covering heights from 5mm to 1,025mm with a number of different ranges (fixed height, self-levelling, ultra low threshold, fire rated, heavyweight etc) which means almost every project can be perfectly catered for, from ground level to at-height flat roof, podium deck and balcony installations, including over 11m where BS 8579 compliant Class A non-combustible systems must be used. All systems will provide a uniformly flat suspended floor separating paving/decking from the base structure, delivering a stunning, high performance, low-maintenance paved or decked space.
New launch
Wallbarn has launched the Mini Mega Balance pedestal system, a game-changer allowing contractors to achieve the required heights on a hard landscaping installation with one product (and one product code), helping them get heights right first time.
The ingenious Mini Mega Balance delivers ultimate flexibility, accommodating pedestal heights from 25mm to 75mm, as Wallbarn director Julian Thurbin explained: “Correctly specifying pedestals can be a challenge where sites slope, buildings with different thresholds lead onto the space or there are different levels needing accommodating. The cost of being out by even a few millimetres can be high given work has to stop on-site and new products ordered.
“Our new Mini Mega Balance, an ultra heavy duty, multi-tasking pedestal, solves these challenges and designs-out the possibility of having the wrong height product on-site.”
To achieve this, Mini Mega Balance is supplied with 12.5mm and 25mm high ‘domes’ which fit into the unit to add height. The design also incorporates a simple-to-use telescopic stem and side handles moving along a ratchet type ‘staircase’ to fine tune height. The pedestal is adjustable from top and bottom, has a self-levelling or lockable head and one head that is compatible with decking, paving or rail systems.
“Accommodating a greater height range at lower height thresholds gives our clients more scope and assurance plus a real benefit when estimating projects, ensuring they aren’t caught out with incorrect height pedestals – and for little to no price difference,” added Julian.
Mini Mega Balance is compatible with Wallbarn’s Mega Balance system. When used together heights of up to 1,025mm can be achieved. Weight tolerance is more than 3,000kg.
Making a choice
So what to look for when choosing a pedestal system? For standard plastic pedestals a weight tolerance of 680kg and temperature tolerance of ‐40°C to +75°C is more than achievable. Heavy duty plastic pedestals can offer a weight tolerance of over three tonnes each. Standard metal pedestals can withstand five tonnes.
Wallbarn’s plastic and metal pedestals are available in self-balancing systems, allowing installers to deliver super flat finishes even when deck surfaces are uneven or when paving slab thickness varies. Wallbarn offers all this plus self-levelling headpieces, positioning lugs, the ability to change pedestal height post-installation using a key and a variety of heights.
The substructure system of a platform of aluminium rails fitted to adjustable pedestals, with tiles or decking fixed to them, creates a laterally stable and ultra hard-wearing ‘raft’, improving the performance of the paving or decking system and allowing a greater degree of finishing and furnishing options. Sourcing the full substructure from one supplier means clients know the individual elements connect effectively and the full system has been tested as a whole.
Paving & decking
Wallbarn also supplies a range of finishes, including 20mm porcelain tiles, a premium quality, ultra-hard and long-lasting compressed bamboo fibre decking material (Bamboo Elegance and Thermo Bamboo) plus the Transcend WPC commercial grade decking board from Trex; Exadeck Class A porcelain decking boards and CDECK, the ultimate fire-rated, non-combustible authentic woodgrain fibre cement decking.
For further details:
Emma Kimber
KimberComs
E: emma@kimbercoms.co.uk
T: 07737 931 268
Wallbarn
Capital Business Centre
South Croydon
CR2 0BS
