The preferred installation position for a decking support is perpendicular to the paving material. The support should be leveled from the bottom, ensuring maximum stability and strength.
The use of so-called self-leveling heads is mostly a purely marketing issue, causing installation problems and a number of negative consequences when using a terrace made of, for example, stoneware tiles.
Setting the bracket at an angle and tilting the head causes a decrease in the strength of the structure by up to several dozen percent, causing smaller, lighter pieces of slabs to float, and making it impossible to level with envelope drops (in two directions simultaneously).
Both a support pad and support pads can be used for leveling. When using supports, for example, on felt where joints and irregularities occur, a natural method is to use a homogeneous material to level the substrate and the support, or to use SBR system pads.
The height of fixed supports can be adjusted by stacking them and using additional top and bottom spacers. Combining these elements allows you to achieve the desired height and stability.
Threaded brackets are adjusted by selecting the appropriate bracket height range and then tightening the nut (for 3-piece brackets) or the base (for 2-piece brackets). Smooth threaded adjustment allows for perfect height adjustment.

Proper installation of a terrace or balcony in a ventilated system requires wedging. The tiles, which rest on supports under their own weight, are not attached chemically or mechanically. To maintain even joint lines and gaps, all tiles around the perimeter must be secured against shifting and possible damage to the façade, door frames, or balustrades. For this purpose, we use various types of expansion joint wedges, from the simplest self-adhesive EPDM wedges to elastomer or polypropylene under-tile wedges. The expansion joint also serves a crucial drainage function. A missing joint also causes water and dirt, such as dust, sand, and leaves, to accumulate.

Supports should always be placed on a level, stable, and contaminant-free surface. Before installation, always familiarize yourself with the layers and cross-section of the terrace or balcony. Knowledge of the surface on which the support will be placed is crucial and essential for proper product selection and quality installation.
Always consider the manufacturer's recommendations for the products being used in the structure being constructed, both for the layers beneath the support and for the surfacing materials.
NIVO LINE PRO supports are designed to provide maximum protection for the structural layers of your terrace or balcony. The adjustable support's 200 mm diameter base distributes pressure over 314 cm², while its rounded edges prevent interference with the waterproofing.
Some brackets on the market have holes in the center of the base, which can cause the waterproofing to vulcanize and lift, be chafed by sharp edges, and exert greater point pressure due to the small base area.
A large, solid base also ensures proper pressure distribution on terraces and balconies where installation is performed on thermal insulation, whether covered with waterproofing, geotextile, underlayment, or drainage. Deformations caused by an insufficient base and point pressure will result in increased stress, collapse of the terrace, shifting (buckling) of the slabs, and damage to the layers beneath the support.

Balconies and terraces always have at least one wall with a door. Properly installed paving materials in this area, thanks to expansion joints, do not require additional construction. Tiles laid under a window frame, or flush with the window frame and façade, have an invisible side and space underneath. There are also surfaces surrounded by a parapet wall on several or all sides.
The remaining visible sides of the terrace, balcony or loggia require a retaining element, which can also act as a masking element.
Balconies and loggias most often use drip rails or cover profiles. If the balustrade design allows, angle brackets, T-bars, or other profiles are also installed to limit panel movement. Aluminum or steel sheet fascias are also common. Remember to use expansion joints to prevent the panel from scratching the painted surface, and the lack of a gap prevents water and other contaminants from entering.
Side structures can also be constructed using the NIVO LINE ALU system. This includes constructing a standing aluminum structure at the height of the supports with a slab, or a semi-hanging aluminum structure for above-ground terraces with a poured foundation slab.
This system allows for the creation of durable, aesthetic sidewalls using stoneware tiles up to 20 mm thick. The gaps between the vertical and horizontal tiles overlap, allowing water to drain through. All sidewall elements can be reinforced and stabilized using polymer adhesive or mechanically. A masking aluminum strip allows for the concealment of the side of the horizontal tile, as well as the gap and any cut line at the junction between the horizontal and vertical planes.

Ventilated patio systems, known in Poland for decades, continue to gain popularity. Despite access to a wealth of information and best installation practices, construction errors still occur, often unintentionally or due to lack of knowledge or experience, leading to undeserved negative reviews of these solutions.
Below are some of the most common mistakes made by installers:

• No wedging of tiles – Over time, tiles will drift apart, damaging or scratching the façade, patio doors, or balustrade. Uneven grout lines will diminish the aesthetics of the installed tiles.
• Moving tiles – the system allows you to arrange the panels in such a way that they don't move. Lack of support pads and imprecise adjustments constitute an installation error.
• Predominant slabs on the facade or in the corners – The bracket is designed so that after cutting the base along the line drawn underneath, it can be pushed as close to the wall as possible. A panel placed on the pushed-in bracket should not overweight itself.
• Incorrect selection of the bracket height – Adding too many washers or overlays, swapping heads, shortening heads, or any other actions that cause the bracket to be too low or too high can affect the stability and strength of the structure. The brackets are designed to achieve any desired height.
• Covering water drains – Water drainage is designed independently of the surface and is determined by the surface, slope, and structural capabilities of the building. To avoid restricting water drainage, the drainage points must not be interfered with in any way. If a support is located in this area, bridging should be performed. First, the first layer bypassing the drainage on the supports, followed by the second layer on the actual surface. Installation can also be performed on a pre-assembled joist structure bypassing the obstacle.
• Uneven grout lines – If the tiles are of good quality and have even sides, diagonal, uneven grout lines represent a lack of aesthetics and imprecision in installation. The most common cause is not aligning the tiles with the grout lines; several or a dozen consecutive tiles that are not aligned correctly can result in very uneven lines.