The Story Behind SafePave™

SafePave™ is a new product range from Clever Building Products, conceived and developed by John Gill after first-hand experience with tile failures on one of his projects.

John and his team had been building all kinds of decks, and tile decks were becoming increasingly popular. Compared with traditional timber or composite decking, tiled systems offered greater durability and a cleaner aesthetic—especially on rooftops and commercial spaces where waterproof membranes needed to remain accessible.

The turning point came during one installation when tiles began breaking unexpectedly. To John’s surprise, the culprit was birds dropping small pebbles onto the surface. This simple but costly issue revealed a bigger problem: tile breakage from impact was a recognised weakness in pedestal systems. With some decks sitting more than two metres above ground, John realised the damage that could be caused and the safety risks to people if a tile were to fail.

Determined to find a solution, John began researching—but then Covid struck. After a long battle with long Covid, he was eventually forced to close his building business. Yet, from this setback came an opportunity. With the pressure of running projects removed, John dedicated himself to studying the pedestal tile industry in depth.

Through this research he uncovered key market issues, identified what customers truly wanted, and began developing a system that not only solved the problem of tile breakage but also added value to make pedestal tiling safer, stronger, and more appealing. That system became SafePave.

Mission:
Create an easy to install system for new and existing installations that make pedestal and floating tile systems safer, stronger, and more reliable by by delivering reinforcement solutions that are easy to install, prevent failures, and keep people safe.

Vision:
SafePave™ will become the global standard for safety in elevated tile applications, enabling broader tile use and reducing liabilities in commercial, residential, and public infrastructure projects.