Light Grey with fine slip resistant finish
Light Grey with coarse finish in front of the Hangar Doors
A phased installation with a seamless join
Contrasting colours for walkways
The floor on completion
Introduction
Oriens Aviation needed to refurbish the floor in its Biggin Hill hangar in Kent following the award of a new contract with a demanding opening deadline. The existing 1,300 m² concrete floor had been coated previously but was worn, untidy and affected by open joints and local defects that were hindering the movement of trolleys and plant across the hangar. Elgood Industrial Flooring was appointed to provide a practical, cost-effective solution, carrying out repair work and installing a Britdura 750 high-build epoxy industrial floor coating in Light Grey with fine slip resistance, together with a coarse slip resistant strip behind the hangar doors for added safety.
Background
Oriens Aviation required a hangar floor that would present well, perform reliably under day-to-day aviation operations and be ready within a narrow time frame to satisfy the requirements of a new client. The existing floor coating had deteriorated over time, leaving the surface tired in appearance and less effective in use.
The hangar environment also imposed specialist performance demands. The new industrial floor needed to withstand aircraft traffic and offer resistance to Skydrol, making product selection particularly important. In addition, the refurbishment had to be completed in a way that minimised disruption to operations within the hangar.
As British manufacturers and installers with more than 125 years of experience in industrial flooring, Elgood Industrial Flooring was able to assess the condition of the floor, propose a practical refurbishment route and deliver the work using its own in-house team.
The Challenge
The project needed to address several specific requirements:
- Refurbish a previously coated 1,300 m² hangar floor without unnecessary removal of sound existing materials
- Repair open joints and local defects that were interfering with trolley and plant movement
- Provide a practical and cost-effective solution that met a tight deadline linked to a new contract and opening day
- Deliver a floor coating capable of resisting Skydrol and withstanding aircraft traffic
- Improve slip resistance, including a more heavily textured safety strip behind the hangar doors
- Complete the works in phases to minimise disruption to ongoing hangar operations
The Solution
Elgood Industrial Flooring designed a refurbishment strategy that made use of the sound existing coating while addressing wear, defects and specialist aviation requirements.
Key elements of the solution included:
- Free trial patch and assessment
Elgood installed a free trial patch so Oriens Aviation could assess the proposed approach. The trial also confirmed that the existing coating was still well adhered, allowing the floor to be over-coated with confidence. This reduced waste, controlled costs and avoided unnecessary strip-out. - Repair work to joints and defects
Open joints and damaged areas were addressed before recoating, helping to improve the movement of trolleys and other plant across the hangar floor and restoring a more uniform operating surface. - Vacuum contained diamond grinding
The floor was prepared using diamond floor grinders. These machines are vacuum contained, allowing dust to be controlled and captured during the preparation process while providing a strong mechanical key for the new coating. - Britdura 750 high-build epoxy floor coating
Elgood specified and installed its Britdura 750 high-build epoxy coating, selected because it could meet the project’s requirement for Skydrol resistance while also withstanding aircraft traffic. The main hangar floor was finished in Light Grey with a fine slip resistant texture, giving a clean, professional appearance and a durable working surface. - Coarse slip resistant strip behind hangar doors
A 1 metre strip with a coarse slip resistant texture was installed behind the hangar doors as a safety feature, improving traction in an area more exposed to changing conditions and operational wear. - Phased installation
The refurbishment was completed in two phases, allowing Oriens Aviation to minimise disruption and maintain operational continuity during the installation.
All works were carried out by Elgood’s own small, full-time in-house installation team, ensuring consistent workmanship and a single point of responsibility from preparation through to final finishing.
Outcome
The completed industrial flooring refurbishment has provided Oriens Aviation with a more durable, practical and visually improved hangar floor at Biggin Hill:
- A refurbished 1,300 m² hangar floor ready to support aircraft operations and client requirements
- A Britdura 750 high-build epoxy coating that offers resistance to Skydrol and durability under aircraft traffic
- A Light Grey fine slip resistant finish that improves appearance while remaining practical for everyday use
- A 1 metre coarse slip resistant safety strip behind the hangar doors for enhanced traction in a critical area
- Repaired joints and defects that improve movement for trolleys and plant across the floor
- A cost-effective two-phase refurbishment that reduced waste, limited disruption and avoided unnecessary removal of a sound existing coating
By combining careful assessment, vacuum contained preparation, targeted repair work and a high-performance epoxy coating, Elgood Industrial Flooring delivered a hangar floor refurbishment that met Oriens Aviation’s operational, safety and programme requirements at Biggin Hill.
