Terrace slabs on pedestals or gravel?

Hello everyone,

after our New Year, the construction of our balcony is scheduled for spring. The railing has been ordered, and porcelain stoneware tiles have been purchased. The balcony slab was cast from concrete, with a sloping insulation on top, sealed with flat roof membrane.

Should we place the tiles on pedestals or embed them in gravel? Does a tree mat make sense as an underlay? We need to bridge a height of 17 cm from the slab to the balcony door entrance.

Will the tiles be installed before or after the railing construction?

17cm x length x width + weight of the panels and you buy pedestals, preferably height-adjustable, from above.

If I have the choice, I always choose natural materials. Are the stilt bearings presumably made of plastic?

We have two areas with pedestal supports. On one, we have 3cm thick, very heavy slabs; everything is great here. On the other area, 2cm thick, rather light ceramic tiles. When walking, you can feel them move, especially when stepping on the edges of the tiles. That is annoying and unstable. Under the pedestals of both areas, a piece of [Bautenschutzmatte] was placed, so only under the pedestals.

Yes, the pedestals would be made of plastic.


How large are your tiles? We have porcelain stoneware 60x60x2cm with a weight of 14kg per tile

If I had adjustable supports, I wouldn't do it anymore. The neighbor has the identical slabs as we do on gravel, which is clearly better. Slabs: 60x60x2, porcelain stoneware