Frequently Asked Questions

The most commonly used natural woods for decks are pine, larch and teak. These woods are weather- and insect-resistant. However, many people are torn between choosing a softwood or a hardwood. Which wood is the best between the two for an outdoor patio? The answer depends on your priorities.

To choose the best wood for your project, ask yourself these questions:

• What is my overall budget?
• Which aesthetic result am I looking for?
• How much time am I willing to spend maintaining my deck each year?
• Does the origin of the wood matter to me? From an environmental perspective, for example.

European woods, including many softwoods, have the advantage of generally being more affordable than exotic woods. If the environmental impact of your project is important to you, you might want to opt for a European wood. Exotic wood, on the other hand, is generally more expensive but offers greater durability.

As you can see, every type of wood has its pros and cons. Do not hesitate to discuss this with your supplier, who will be able to guide you towards the best choice based on your aesthetic, financial and environmental criteria…

Jouplast adjustable decking pedestals are durable and come with a 10-year warranty, subject to our terms and conditions of sale and in accordance with our directions for use.  They are UV-resistant and frost-resistant and have a weight tolerance of up to 1 tonne per pedestal. This makes them a robust and stable support.

Geotextile separates the different sub-layers of soil. For example, it separates sand and gravel. Geotextile also prevents weeds from growing in the gaps between the gravel.

The 10 mm extension allows you to add up to 40 mm of height to your CLEMAN® or EASIO® adjustable pedestal. This means that by using the tallest pedestal in each range, you can achieve a height of up to 270 mm.

If needed, a 60 mm extension is also available.

Jouplast® 3 mm flat packers are designed specifically to meet minimal packing requirements. They also promote excellent ventilation for timber decking structures by creating a minimum gap of 3 mm between the decking board and the joist, as required by French technical standard DTU 51.4. Ultra-strong and with a crush resistance in excess of 2 tonnes, they are able to support heavy loads with no deflection.

The support fits onto the riser pedestal flange base. Used to finish the edges of paved terraces and timber decking for outdoor pedestrian use only. In combination with a paved side finishing plate, it can be used to create a number of different configurations, including plinths, concealed finishes and garden step trades. Used alone, it can be used to create a butt-jointed finish. Allow one support per riser pedestal around the perimeter of the terrace or decking. When planning corners, the recommendation is to allow two supports. The support is fixed securely and invisibly in place using the glue trap system, and requires no screw fixings.

The Cleman® self-levelling 55/80 pedestal is designed and used to create tiled, ceramic or paved terraces for pedestrian use. Its self-levelling system compensates for gradients of up to 5% for effective levelling and maximum covenience during installation.

The Cleman® patio pedestal must be installed on stabilised ground or a precast concrete slab. It must be positioned under the paving in accordance with the recommendations of the paving manufacturer (at least one pedestal at each corner of each paving slab). Its adjustment system allows height adjustment before, during and after installation, making the whole process quick and extremely accurate.

Jouplast® forked packers fit directly over a screw to ensure stability when adjusting and fixing joinery components. Their snappable tab makes them easier to grip and adjust more precisely. Depending on project requirements, they can be screwed, glued or nailed to ensure lasting stability. They can be stacked to achieve the desired thickness and optimise packing, including on uneven surfaces.

Jouplast® joist support pads must be installed only on rigid, flat surfaces, such as concrete slabs or stabilised ground. They are not suitable for loose or unstable ground, which could potentially compromise the long-term stability of the decking structure.

The Jouplast® isolation mat is designed to isolate the terrace riser pedestal from the substrate it stands on. Dimensionally stable, immovable and strong, the mat adapts to irregularities in the foundations, thereby distributing loads more evenly. It also improves structural stability and helps reduce vibration, impact noise and resonances. It is particularly useful for improving acoustic comfort and increasing terrace durability.

The Cleman® adjustment wrench is used to adjust the height of Cleman® riser pedestals. It can be used to correct up to 1 mm of misalignment after the paving has been laid, and enables riser pedestal heights to be adjusted as work progresses in increments of 1 mm per quarter turn. The adjustment wrench makes it possible to adjust each riser pedestal individually to create a perfectly flat and even finished surface. It is therefore an essential tool for laying paved terraces.

All our modules are made from 100% recycled polyolefin, polyethylene and polypropylene. This means that 100% of our plastic raw materials originate as textile industry waste. We use no virgin raw materials. All our honeycomb stabilisation modules come with a 10-year warranty when laid in full accordance with our installation instructions and our general terms and conditions of purchase. Since they are laid with no foundation, they impose no environmental impact, and can be easily removed at any time.

On top of the gravel stabiliser, it is recommended to lay 2 cm of gravel with a grain size of 5/15 or 8/16 so that all the cells are filled (for ALVEPLAC). Once the gravel has been laid on the gravel stabilisation plate, the plate should no longer be visible.

The durability of a terrace built on aluminium joists depends on several criteria.

• It is highly recommended that you prepare the ground properly so that the levelling of the terrain is stable, thereby guaranteeing the durability of the pedestal supports. We recommend that you watch our video on ground preparation to find out more.
• The choice of aluminium decking joists is itself a factor in the durability of the decking, as already mentioned in the section on the advantages of this installation system. The aluminium material makes the joists rot-proof and highly resistant to weathering and UV rays.
• The decking must be installed correctly on aluminium joists. To do this, we recommend that you read our installation advice. The joists must be fixed and aligned. Use our self-drilling screws, accessories from our range, to ensure the durability of your deck.
• Floor insulation: to prevent moisture rising, we recommend installing aluminium joists on wedges or pedestals. Jouplast® deck pedestals are the best choice for optimal adjustment.
• Use joist protection strips between the joists and decking boards to prevent water retention and extend the life of your aluminium joist decking.

Jouplast self-levelling pedestals are durable and come with a 10-year warrantee, subject to our terms and conditions of sale and in accordance with our directions for use.  They are UV rays and frost resistant and have a weight tolerance of up to 1 tonne per pedestal. This makes them a robust and stable support.

All our solutions are suitable for any type of structure, whether it is on a balcony, a patio or a slope. For sloping ground, carefully choose self-levelling pedestals and make sure that they are adapted to the slope of your garden.

The height of your elevated wooden deck will depend on the available clearance space (between the ground and the glass door thresholds of your house, for example).

To calculate the height of the pedestals to use, it is important to take into account:

• The thickness of your wooden decking boards;
• The thickness of the joist (or joists in the case of cross-joisting);
• The thickness of the hidden decking if you decide to use Fixego, for example;
• The thickness of the joist protection strip

Then, you simply need to subtract all these heights from your clearance height to determine the space you have left and thus choose the correct pedestal height. If the pedestals are still too high, you can lay your decking on shims. The most important thing is not to lay your joists directly on the ground, as these could become damaged very quickly.

We now offer a wide range to suit all your needs, from 8mm to 230mm and beyond, by adding risers to your Jouplast® PVC pedestals.

The number of pedestals you will need depends, of course, on the area to be covered and also on the size of your tiles / wooden boards:

• For a patio with 60x60cm tiles and a surface area of 20m², you will need 4 pedestals per m², or 80 pedestals in total.
• For a patio with 80x80cm tiles and a surface area of 40m², you will need 7 pedestals per m², or 280 pedestals.

Further details about the number of pedestals per m² based on the tile / decking boards dimensions and the patio area are available in our pedestals calculation table.

GREENPLAC® can be used to stabilise ground for equestrian use, such as paddocks, access paths, riding arenas and training tracks/arenas. Areas intended for competition are excluded.

Depending on the nature of your soil and the intended use, there are three types of stabilisation available:

Installation without foundations is possible for covered projects on well-drained or load-bearing soils with sufficient slope. It can be used for temporary projects.
Implementation with minimal foundations is recommended for moderately draining and load-bearing soils.
Implementation with conventional foundations is recommended for low-bearing and impermeable soils such as muddy soil.
If in doubt, do not hesitate to ask a specialist for a geological analysis (drainage and load-bearing capacity) of your soil.