ᐅ Patio slabs on pedestals or gravel?

Hello everyone,

after our New Year, the construction of our balcony is planned for spring. The railing has been ordered, and porcelain tile slabs have been purchased. The balcony slab was cast in concrete, insulated with sloped insulation, and sealed with a flat roof membrane.

Should we place the tiles on pedestal supports or embed them in gravel? Does it make sense to use a drainage mat as an underlayment? We need to cover a height difference of 17cm (7 inches) from the slab up to the balcony door entrance.

Are the tiles installed before or after building the railing?

17cm (7 inches) x length x width + weight of the panels, and it’s best to buy adjustable pedestals from above.

If I have the choice, I always prefer natural materials.
Are the pedestal supports probably made of plastic?

We have two surfaces with pedestal supports. On one surface, we have 3cm (1.2 inches) thick, very heavy slabs, and everything is perfect here.
On the other surface, there are 2cm (0.8 inches) thick, rather lightweight ceramic tiles. When walking on them, you can feel them shifting, especially when stepping on the edges of the tiles. This is annoying and unstable.
For both surfaces, a piece of protective construction mat was placed under each pedestal, so only beneath the pedestals.

Yes, the adjustable pedestals would be made of plastic.

@anat79
What size are your tiles? We have porcelain stoneware tiles measuring 60x60x2cm (24x24x0.8 inches) weighing 14kg (31 pounds) each.

If you have adjustable pedestals, I wouldn’t use them anymore. My neighbor has the same tiles as we do, laid directly on gravel, and it’s definitely better.
Tiles: 60cm x 60cm x 2cm (24in x 24in x 0.8in), porcelain stoneware