Home > Wind Uplift Solutions for Pedestal Supported Deck Installations

Wind Uplift Solutions for Pedestal Supported Deck Installations

Any paver laid without adhesives or other hold down devices on a rooftop, balcony or other exposed area, will be subject to the force of wind, with the risk in some cases of the pavers becoming airborne.

The net uplift force on individual pavers is affected by many factors. On the site or building level scale, it is affected by the height, shape, orientation and exposure of the building, plus the rooftop size etc., while on the paver scale, it is primarily affected by the angle of incoming wind, paver gap width, pedestal height, parapet height, paver weight and size.

It is thus very important when designing decks on rooftops with pedestal supported pavers, to give adequate consideration to the potential for wind uplift. Large-scale wind tunnel research studies have shown that the most effective means of mitigating wind uplift is to lock the pavers together as one rigid body. This is especially important with pavers close to exposed corners and extending for some distance along the perimeter.

Archatrak has developed two systems to lock pedestal supported porcelain pavers together in an array to reduce the risk of wind uplift, using either 2cm or 3cm thick pavers. Neither system affects the visual appearance of the deck and both systems can be used where a totally non-combustible deck is needed.

Play the two videos below to see how each locking system is installed.

2cm Pavers – Pavers Bonded to ‘SpanSafe’ Steel Trays

Since 2cm thick porcelain pavers are not thick enough to safely cut a kerf in each corner, we developed a solution using our ‘SpanSafe’ steel protection trays with raised quadrants at each corner.

2cm thick pavers are bonded to each of the four raised corners of the ‘SpanSafe’ trays with beads of Chemlink M1 or 3M 550 adhesive. A washer is fitted in the space between the tray and the paver and screwed down tightly to the tapped heads of our ‘Incendio’ steel pedestals. Steel pedestals ensure screws cannot pull out when subject to strong uplift forces, as can occur with plastic pedestals.

This system has been tested in accordance with ASTM E330 and has been certified to resist wind pressure of 87 psf for roof top installations*.

3cm Pavers – Kerf Cut Corners with Hold Down Washer

This system uses our thicker T30 porcelain pavers. A small semi-circular kerf is cut in each corner of the paver to accept a steel hold-down washer. (Contact us for advice on kerf cutting if required). This method offers the advantages of:

using standard (unmodified) components
relatively simple installation procedure
using no adhesives
no waiting for adhesives to cure
individual pavers can be lifted for under deck maintenance
no visible fixing devices on the deck surface

Pavers are securely fixed to the pedestal head of our Incendio steel pedestals with a screw holding the washer inserted into the tapped head of the pedestal. We use corrosion resistant steel pedestals since they prevent any pull though of screws which can occur with plastic pedestals, and they are totally non-combustible.

This system has been tested in accordance with ASTM E330 and has been certified to resist wind pressure of 135 psf for roof top installations*.

*A non-site specific structural performance evaluation by Engineering Express, Boca Raton FL. has certified the Archatrak wind uplift systems to resist wind pressures as follows for roof top or at grade installations in accordance with design criteria, International Building Code (2015, 2018 & 2021), Florida Building Code 8th Edition (2023), ASCE 7-16/7-22 Load Combinations.

3cm porcelain paver system – 135 psf.
2cm porcelain paver system – 87 psf.

More extreme uplift mitigation with the 3cm porcelain paver system may be possible by adhering the base of the pedestal to the membrane with a compatible adhesive.

Wind Tunnel Research Study on Uplift of 2cm Porcelain Pavers

Since no research studies on wind uplift had been undertaken with porcelain pavers installed over pedestal supports or focused on the specific wind speed at which uplift could occur, in 2014 Archatrak commissioned a study at the FIU Wall of Wind facility to investigate the wind speed at which movement and ultimate blowoff of unrestrained porcelain pavers could occur at different wind angles, parapet heights and pedestal heights. The study showed that:

The most critical angle of incoming wind (angles tested were 0°, 15°, 30°, 45°) was 45°.
The wind speed at which blowoff occurred was 10mph higher where a 12” parapet was in place c.f. where there was no parapet. The same result was observed when both 8” high pedestals and ½” high pads were used.
The wind speed at which blowoff occurred was 30-40mph higher for pavers laid on 1/2” high pads c.f. 8” high pedestals.
The most critical region for blowoff was along the two sides of the test deck closest to the incoming wind. In all tests, the first pavers to blow off were these pavers and in all except one test, it was the 2^nd or 3^rd paver from the corner which blew off first.
Blow off wind speeds are shown below. Complete test results can be seen in the full FIU WOW wind uplift test report.