The Grad® system for porcelain stoneware deck structure
System Structure
The Grad® system consists of laying porcelain stoneware tiles on load-bearing rails (UR18, UR33 or UR39), which are themselves supported by adjustable pedestals (Top Lift®). The tiles rest on supports fitted with a cushioning pad, ensuring flatness and stability.
Advantages
- Fast installation, with up to 40% time savings compared to a traditional concrete solution
- Enhanced acoustic comfort thanks to the cushioning pads
- More environmentally friendly than a traditional concrete solution, as using rails to create a homogeneous structure eliminates the need to pour a concrete slab as a base for the pedestals
1. The Top Lift® pedestal
It is Grad®’s adjustable pedestal that allows adjusting the height of the deck. It consists of 3 basic parts:
- Base: the base, placed on the ground (20 cm diameter, compliant with DTU 51.4 and 43.1)
- Plate: the upper part that receives the rail
- Nut: allows screwing/unscrewing to precisely adjust the height
2. Aluminum rails for porcelain stoneware
Grad® offers 3 rails in EN AW-6060 aluminum alloy, black finish: UR18-UR33-UR39. They can be installed on Top Lift® pedestals or directly on the ground. The profiles differ in their height and level of versatility.
3. Slab supports, shock-absorbing pads and Rubber pad
The slab support clips onto the UR rails and forms the bearing point on which the porcelain stoneware slab directly rests. On each support, a Foam Cushioning Pad or a Shock absorbing cushion made of rubber granules is added, interleaved between the support and the slab. Together, these three elements form the contact zone between the rigid aluminum structure and the porcelain stoneware slab: they transform a rigid support into a stable, silent, and irregularity-tolerant support, without ever compromising the overall flatness of the deck.
Deck installation
Installation guides
Resources
