DESCRIPTION OF THE SYSTEM

1 - Porcelain stoneware tiles in the 60x60 cm, 30x60 cm, 30x30 cm formats
The tiles used for cladding the panels form the surface of the raised floor. They are the visible part of the entire system and are therefore the elements that provide the
floor with its functional characteristics and attractive appearance.
Firstly, the tiles are glued to the panel and are then ground and edged along with this latter using plastic material, in order to:
- perfectly match the panels up to each other and form homogeneous joints
- prevent the tile edges from being chipped when the panels are handled
Consult the section entitled "Colours, formats and surface textures" on page 28 for information about the tile series available for this type of application.

2 - Panel: this is the part of the system on to which the cladding tiles are glued and that forms the floor surface along with these latter.
It bears the loads and distributes them over the bearing structure underneath.
The more commonly used panels are of two types:
- panel in chipboard and high-density resins. It measures 60x60cm and is 38 mm thick ire reaction Class 1
- panel in high-density calcium sulphate, single-layer, monolithic. It measures 60x60 cm and can be 28 mm, 30 mm or 34 mm thick (depending on the structural loads
calculated in the project). ire reaction Class 0

Section of panel in chipboard	Section of panel in calcium sulphate

3 - Bottom finishing: it's task is to protect the panel from rising damp. It can be a 0.05 mm sheet of aluminium, soundproofing self-extinguishing film, galvanized steel
tray (in this case, it also improves the mechanical performance of the panel).
4 - Protective outer edging: protects the sides of the tiles and panel from accidental impact and allows the panels to perfectly match up to each other.
It is made of self-extinguishing plastic material that prevents the floor from creaking.
5 - Columns: support the panels and transmit the loads to the bearing surface. They allow the height of the "technical space" to be determined and compensate for any
differences in level in the bearing surface. They are made of galvanized steel, with a circular base and threaded stem used for micrometric height adjustments varying
from just a few centimeters to over one meter. In the absence of cross-pieces, it is advisable to glue or fix the columns to the screed.
6 - Cross-pieces: connect the columns and stiffen the structure, increasing the panel's bending resistance and the bearing capacity of the system.
They are made of open or closed section ribbed galvanized steel (in the light, medium and heavy versions, depending on the loads involved).
In the absence of cross-pieces, it is advisable to limit the height of the hollow gap ("Technical space").
7 - Protective seals: these are fitted at the top of the columns and along the entire length of the cross-pieces so as to form an unbroken layer between the structure
and panel, thus making the bearing surface more stable. These seals are made of plastic material and possess sound-deadening, shock-resistant and air tightness functions..

The standard size of the panels for a raised floor is 60x60 cm. This means that one 60x60 cm tile, four 30x30 cm tiles or two 30x60 cm tiles can be fixed on to each panel.