FROM RESIDENTIAL TO COMMERCIAL: INTRODUCING THE NURAJACK SAFETY GRID ADVANTAGE
In the world of floated paver installation, maintaining high standards of installation and ensuring product suitability are crucial for long-term durability and safety. The Nurajack Safety Grid system addresses these challenges by offering a versatile and reliable solution for various applications, from residential to commercial settings.
Lack of Standards in Paver Quality and Installation
With a lack of formal qualifications required for installers, the quality of installation of floated decks varies significantly. Additionally, there is no standard for paver strength, leading to the use of various materials such as porcelain tiles, natural stone and concrete pavers, with suppliers determining their structural suitability. This lack of standardisation results in numerous issues, particularly in commercial settings where material strength and consistency are crucial.
Importance of Tile and Paver Selection and Design Considerations
Several instances of tile and paver failure demonstrate the challenges in selecting the right product for floated deck applications. This is especially important when considering the level of traffic a deck will endure or if it is in a critical area such as an emergency egress. While each Nurajack can withstand 1000kg, a typical 20mm tile might only support 400-500kg per square centimetre. This discrepancy is significant in commercial applications where heavier loads are expected. For example:
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In Auckland, a community event space experienced tile breakage due to insufficient tile thickness, resulting in a 300mm gap in the main entry floor.
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An Auckland school had unsecured pavers that were easily vandalised.
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A public space in the South Island had stone pavers with invisible fissures that caused breakage after the building opened.
These examples illustrate the importance of material and system selection and careful design considerations.
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Advantages of the Nurajack Safety Grid System
The safety grid system offers versatility with various surfaces like structural tiles, natural stone pavers and even synthetic turf. It provides a cost-effective platform even for smaller format tiles, such as French lay or herringbone patterns, or large format tiles which are traditionally difficult to lay. Structural tiles and pavers can be loose laid on the Nurajack Safety Grid, which is a cost-effective installation option and provides easy access to the membrane or outlets below. As an option, gluing structural and non-structural tiles and pavers (testing of non-structural tiles/pavers strongly recommended) provides a secure paved surface, protecting from wind uplift and the potential of vandalism in a public space.
Large format tiles also benefit from being installed on the Nurajack Safety Grid. For example, at a residential installation in East Auckland, the homeowner opted for a large format 1200mm x 600mm x 20mm porcelain tile. The customer held strong reservations about installing the tiles over typical pedestal systems and faced some issues due to the sliding door not being designed for floated decks. After inspecting the tiles installed on the Nurajack Safety Grid he was impressed by the superior stability of the system.
Advantages of the Safety Grid System in Commercial Spaces
The grid offers unique design possibilities—including the ability to create bespoke paver patterns and even turf, previously unattainable with pedestals. It provides safety benefits in commercial settings like restaurants, rooftop bars, event spaces or fire exits where accidental tile breakage poses major disruption or safety risks. The system’s safety and design flexibility make it ideal for these applications.
Containment in Floated Tile Systems
Containment is crucial in floated tile systems because tiles and pavers will move if they are not contained around the perimeter of the deck. Methods such as tile cladding spacers or adjustable tile cladding clips are traditionally used to contain tiles on floated decks. Along with this, the New Zealand Building Code requires a 12mm gap to be maintained between the floated tile and the cladding or vertical surface. A challenge in a recent commercial project was the inability to brace with tile cladding spacers off a toughened glass balustrade. The solution was to supply two rows of Nurajack Safety Grid next to the balustrade and glue the perimeter tiles to the safety grid. With the entire perimeter glued in place, the rest of the floated deck was now contained and did not move. Another issue on the same project involved insufficient pedestal support due to the tile cantilevering near a nib. Using the same approach, the tiles were glued to the Nurajack Safety Grid and the issue was resolved. These examples highlight the problem-solving capabilities of the Nurajack Safety Grid.
Emergency Egress and Safety Grid Integration
Using floated tile systems in emergency egress areas can be challenging. Breakage of a tile during an emergency event would be catastrophic for those using the emergency exit. The Nurajack Safety Grid is essential in egress zones, ensuring that if a tile or paver was to break, its surface is still trafficable. While gluing tiles to the safety grid is an option, loose laying of structural pavers is also suitable—which may save on glue and labour costs.
Wind Uplift and the Nurajack Safety Grid System
The windproof aspect of the Nurajack Safety Grid system is significant. Wind uplift is not a major issue in New Zealand, with only a few projects experiencing this problem due to building design rather than high wind zones. For example, a nine-story building experienced uplift on the ground floor due to wind travelling down the surface of the building's exterior, which was resolved using the standard Nurajack windproof system. Testing of the glue strength between tiles and the Nurajack Safety Grid yielded incredible results, achieving 11kPa of adhesion to the safety grid. This result significantly increases the wind resistance of a deck, with only the combined weight of the tiles and grid being the limiting factor. The system is further strengthened by the option of adding edge brackets, providing a strong, lightweight solution for wind-prone areas.
Key Takeaways
By ensuring proper installation and material selection, the Nurajack Safety Grid system enhances the durability and safety of deck surfaces, providing peace of mind and long-term stability. For more information on the benefits and applications of the Nurajack Safety Grid, please visit the safety grid system page.