Suspended patio kit

[jimmbo]

Hi, guys.

Has anyone got any experience or thoughts on suspended patio kits?



I came across these while searching for patio slabs. They’re supposed to hold up to 400kg per unit and can support any size tiles/slabs over 15mm thick.

It allows slabs to be jacked level with water draining between the gaps.

The issues I can see are:

1) The void underneath would be a haven for weeds/ants/rats etc.

2) I wouldn’t be able to build any permanent fixtures on top (brick bbq/wooden gazebo etc)

3) Any variation in slab sizes would be a problem with levelling/inconsistent gap lines


They sound like a good idea in theory but I’m not sure they would work in practice!

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[^woody^]

They are for roof terraces and balconies, not patios.

 

[jimmbo]

The photo shows the pedestal on hardcore and the info says you can use them for patios.

I’m interested if anyone’s got any arguments for or against them.

Cheers

 

[^woody^]

I’m interested if anyone’s got any arguments for or against them.

The argument is, there is absolutely no point.

Someone can sell you pairs of their old underpants and tell you that you can lay your slabs on them. In fact, I'll put a listing up on Ebay tomorrow. Bid with confidence.

 

[jimmbo]

I’ve bid £5 for the thong!

You’ve not actually given me a reason not to use them.
I can see the benefits of them - quicker n easier to install, especially with porcelain slabs.
Obviously if they had to be installed onto a concrete base it would be a different matter, but if they can sit on compacted hardcore with no issues then it seems a piece of pish to me. Especially for a novice such as myself.

What would you say is the best way to install 20mm porcelain slabs?

I do appreciate your responses btw.

Cheers

 

[^woody^]

I’ve bid £5 for the thong!

You’ve not actually given me a reason not to use them.

Cheers

You need to understand that hardcore will move, and normally it's evenly loaded and evenly drained, but with these things you are point loading it with the associated localised wetting which makes things even worse.

And if you think that you can get a hardcore surface to the precise levels and falls for these things, then you need to pack up your job and start earning thousands doing this for groundwork contractors.

There is absolutely no reason and no benefit to using these on a patio. They are a solution for a different problem, but if perceived speed for an afternoon is the most important criteria, then yes go for it.

 

[jimmbo]

No, speed isn’t the most important factor but if it makes it a lot easier that would be a huge benefit.

If you think they are detrimental to the integrity of the patio just on compacted hardcore then I take your point.

You’ve still not answered my question how would you lay 20mm thick porcelain slabs though.

Cheers

 

[John D v2.0]

I saw those yesterday in b and q next to the decking version of the same thing. I was also interested in why you'd use them over a weak mortar mix. I assumed it was something to do with drainage or ventilation.

 

[^woody^]

You’ve still not answered my question how would you lay 20mm thick porcelain slabs though.

My sincere apologies. I wouldn't use them outside, that's why.

Others might lay them on a solid bed of mortar.

 

[jimmbo]

Everywhere I’ve looked online for patio slabs says that Porcelain/vitrified (or whatever you want to call them) slabs are the way forward.

More hard wearing and weather proof as they are virtually impermeable. So they don’t lose their appearance after a couple of years.

But obviously that comes with the drawback of not sticking to a mortar bed, (without priming them first)
Or building a concrete base (which seems a total waste of time) then using suitable tile adhesive.
They also seem a lot harder to cut?

I’m assuming most people would go with the priming slurry?

What type of slabs would you go for then?

There’s a couple of sandstone slabs we like the look of too, but we don’t want the patio to look tired in a couple of years time!

 

[geraldthehamster]

There's also the matter of what would happen to the tiles when you put point loads on the middle of them