Peripheral restraint system for elevated flooring surface
A peripheral stabilizing system for elevated flooring surfaces that is configured to resist uplift forces acting against the elevated flooring surface thereby reducing the likelihood of dislodged flooring units (e.g., surface tiles, pavers, etc.) and the like. Broadly, the disclosed system includes a support structure disposed over a fixed surface (e.g., roof deck or the like), a plurality of flooring units appropriately laid over the support structure, and one or more restraint systems positionable adjacent the outer periphery of the flooring surface. Each restraint system includes an anchoring member disposed over the outer periphery and a wedge member insertable between the anchoring member and the wall to frictionally grip the anchoring member and wall and thereby restrict movement of at least one of the peripheral flooring units in a direction away from the fixed surface.
1. An elevated flooring surface assembly, comprising: a plurality of support apparatuses spacedly disposed upon a fixed surface; a plurality of building surface components disposed over upper surfaces of the support apparatuses to create an elevated flooring surface, wherein the building surface components include interior building surface components and peripheral building surface components disposable between the interior building surface components and a wall, and wherein outer edge segments of the peripheral building surface components collectively form an outer periphery of the elevated flooring surface assembly; a restraint system positioned between the outer periphery of the elevated flooring surface assembly and the wall, wherein the restraint system includes: an anchoring member disposed over the outer periphery, the anchoring member including a body and a stop member, the stop member projecting away from the body toward the wall to define a gap between the body and the wall; and a wedge member inserted within the gap between the body of the anchoring member and the wall to frictionally grip the anchoring member and wall and thereby restrict movement of at least one of the peripheral building surface components in a direction away from the fixed surface.
2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the anchoring member includes:
a base member; and
an engagement component that secures the base member against movement relative to the at least one peripheral building surface component.
3. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the body has first and second opposite surfaces, wherein the first surface is configured to contact the wedge member, and wherein the second surface is configured to contact the outer periphery.
4. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the stop member is configured to contact the wall to define the gap.
5. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the stop member includes a cavity therein that is configured to receive a portion of the wedge member.
6. The assembly of claim 3 , wherein the first surface includes a gripping component that is configured to inhibit movement of the wedge member relative to the anchoring member.
7. The assembly of claim 2 , wherein the engagement component includes an adhesive.
8. The assembly of claim 2 , wherein the engagement component includes a mechanical member.
9. The assembly of claim 8 , wherein the at least one peripheral building surface component includes an opening therein that receives the mechanical member.
10. The assembly of claim 9 , wherein the opening is a slot that runs along a length of an outer edge surface of the at least one peripheral building surface component.
11. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the wedge member includes a body having first and second opposite surfaces, wherein the first surface is configured to contact the base member and the second surface is configured to contact the wall.
12. The assembly of claim 11 , wherein the first surface includes a gripping component that is configured to inhibit movement of the wedge member relative to the anchoring member.
13. A method of stabilizing a flooring surface that is elevated over a fixed surface by a support structure adjacent a wall extending from the fixed surface, the method comprising:
wedging a restraint member between the wall and an outer periphery of the flooring surface to restrict movement of the flooring surface in a direction away from the fixed surface, wherein the wedging of the restraint member includes:
disposing an anchoring member over the outer periphery, the anchoring member including a body and a stop member, and the stop member projecting away from the body toward the wall to define a gap between the body and the wall; and
inserting a wedge member within the gap between the body of the anchoring member and the wall to frictionally grip the anchoring member and wall and thereby restrict movement of the flooring surface in a direction away from the fixed surface.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the outer periphery of the flooring surface contacts a first surface of the restraint member and the wall contacts an opposite second surface of the restraint member.
15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the anchoring member contacts the outer periphery of the flooring surface, the wall, and the wedge member.
16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the anchoring member includes a base member and an engagement component that inhibits movement of the anchoring member relative to the flooring surface.
17. The method of claim 13 , wherein stop member contacts the wall to define the gap.
18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the stop member includes a cavity therein, and wherein the inserting a wedge member includes receiving the wedge member in the cavity of the stop member.
19. A method of constructing an elevated flooring surface, comprising:
locating a plurality of support pedestals upon a fixed surface that is at least partially surrounded by a wall, wherein each support pedestal includes a base member, a support member, and a central section interconnecting the base and support members, and wherein the support members each include an upper surface;
placing flooring units over the upper surfaces of the support members of the support pedestals to create the elevated flooring surface, wherein the flooring units include interior flooring units and peripheral flooring units disposed between the interior flooring units and the wall, wherein outer edge segments of the peripheral flooring units collectively form an outer periphery of the elevated flooring surface; and
wedging a restraint member between the wall and an outer periphery of the flooring surface to restrict movement of the peripheral flooring units in a direction away from the fixed surface, wherein the wedging of the restraint member includes:
disposing anchoring members over the outer periphery, the anchoring members each including a body and a stop member, and the stop members projecting away from their respective bodies toward the wall to define gaps between the bodies and the wall; and
inserting wedge members within the gaps between the bodies of the anchoring members and the wall to frictionally grip the anchoring members and wall and thereby restrict movement of the peripheral flooring units in a direction away from the fixed surface.
20. The method of claim 19 , further including before the placing:
attaching the anchoring members to the outer edge segments of the peripheral flooring units that collectively form the outer periphery of the elevated flooring surface, wherein the inserting the wedge members includes contacting the anchoring members with a first surface of the wedge members and contacting the wall with an opposite second surface of the wedge members.