Vacuum contained shot-blasting
Laying the screed
Power floating the screed
The finished smoothing screed
The Epoxy Smoothing Layer
The Super flat floor
The completed Television Studio Floor
The finished floor
Introduction
BT Sport needed to upgrade Studio 1 at its Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park facility in London to meet the demands of new productions and multi camera tracking. Half of the studio had a conventional floor, while the other half was glass, which imposed limitations on loading and camera performance. Elgood Industrial Flooring was appointed to replace the glass half with a fully functional studio floor, installing a bonded industrial strength sand cement screed and a 30 mm Universal Television Studio Floor System to create a super flat, anti static 500 m² operating surface.
Background
Studio 1 at BT Sport had been designed with two distinct floor types: a traditional studio floor on one side and a glass floor on the other. While visually striking, the glass section limited both structural loading and camera tracking options, restricting how the studio could be used for live sport and studio shows.
With new productions coming in and increasing expectations around camera movement and set flexibility, BT Sport and Timeline TV decided that the glass floor should be replaced. They required a studio floor that would match or exceed the performance of the existing conventional half, delivering consistent multi camera performance across the full 500 m² of Studio 1.
Elgood Industrial Flooring, a British manufacturer and installer with decades of experience in Universal Television Studio Floors, was chosen to design and deliver the replacement floor build up on a strict three week programme.
The Challenge
The project presented a number of technical and programme challenges:
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Replacing only half of the existing studio floor while maintaining compatibility with the remaining conventional half
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Removing the limitations of the glass floor and providing a structurally robust alternative capable of handling the full range of studio loadings
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Meeting stringent flatness requirements so that camera pedestals could track smoothly anywhere on the studio floor
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Designing a build up that combined a rapid drying screed with a precision Universal Television Studio Floor System, achieving an overall thickness of approximately 80 to 85 mm
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Completing the work within a three week window to fit BT Sport’s broadcasting schedule and Studio 1 availability
The Solution
Elgood Industrial Flooring engineered and installed a two layer build up designed specifically for BT Sport Studio 1.
Key elements of the solution included:
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Bonded industrial strength sand cement screed
A bonded industrial strength sand cement screed with A38 rapid dry technology was installed at 55 mm thickness. The screed achieved BRE Category A-B performance using the 4 kg Drop Hammer Test, providing a high quality, robust base ready to receive the studio floor system. -
Universal Television Studio Floor System, 30 mm
On top of the screed, Elgood installed its 30 mm thick Universal Television Studio Floor System. Combined with the screed, this created an overall build of approximately 80 to 85 mm, delivering the flatness and stability required for modern HD multi camera production. -
Vacuum contained shot-blasting preparation
Prior to installing the build up, the floor was prepared using vacuum contained shot-blasting to clean and key the substrate. This ensured an excellent bond for both the screed and the studio floor system, while controlling dust within the studio environment. -
Super flat, multi camera performance
The completed Universal Television Studio Floor was laid to provide optimum camera pedestal performance. The surface is super flat and free from undulations, inclines and local irregularities which may be acceptable for standard floors but are not tolerable in a modern HD television studio. Cameras can operate anywhere on the surface, making the studio ideal for multiple sets and flexible production layouts. -
Anti static finish as standard
An anti static finish was provided as standard to eliminate nuisance static electricity that could otherwise interfere with camera systems and sensitive broadcast equipment. -
In house project management and installation
From the initial site visits through to completion, Elgood Industrial Flooring managed all aspects of installation and logistics. The work was carried out by a small in house team of full time employees specifically trained to install the Elgood range of studio floorings, each having completed a four year apprenticeship.
Outcome
The completed project has transformed BT Sport Studio 1 at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park:
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The former glass section has been replaced with a robust, fully functional studio floor that matches the performance of the existing conventional half
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The 500 m² Universal Television Studio Floor now provides consistent, super flat performance across the whole studio, enabling smooth multi camera tracking and flexible set design
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The bonded rapid drying screed and 30 mm studio floor system together deliver a tough, long lasting operating surface that can withstand the loading demands of a modern HD studio facility
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The anti static finish helps protect cameras and broadcast electronics from nuisance static, supporting reliable day to day operation
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BT Sport and Timeline TV benefit from a studio floor backed by a 10 year Workmanship and Materials Guarantee and ongoing support from a British manufacturer installer with a proven track record
By replacing the glass floor with a carefully engineered screed and Universal Television Studio Floor System, Elgood Industrial Flooring has given BT Sport a high performance, future ready Studio 1 floor at the heart of its Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park broadcast facility.
