The concrete sub-floor
Levelling the floor
Super flat smoothing layer
Television Studio Floor finish
Television Studio Floor with Fire Lane
Television Studio Floor with Fire Lane
Television Studio Floor with Fire Lane
Opening night at Riverside Studios
Opening night at Riverside Studios
Introduction
Riverside Studios has developed new facilities at its historic television and theatrical base in Hammersmith, West London. As part of this redevelopment, Elgood Industrial Flooring was selected by Riverside TV to install a Universal Television Studio Floor in Studio 1. The 605 m² studio, completed in September 2019, required a super flat, hard wearing surface suitable for use as a multi camera facility with audience seating. Elgood delivered a precision-laid Universal Studio Floor with an average build of 35 mm, providing a robust foundation for a wide range of productions.
Background
Riverside Studios is a well-known name in both theatre and television, with a long history of hosting live audiences and broadcast events on the banks of the Thames. The latest redevelopment created a modern studio complex that needed flooring capable of meeting contemporary technical standards while supporting the venue’s mixed use as both a theatre and TV facility.
Riverside TV wanted a studio floor system that would perform to broadcast standards, support audience seating and accommodate frequent set changes and equipment movements. Elgood Industrial Flooring, a British manufacturer and installer with decades of experience in specialist studio floors, was chosen to provide the flooring solution. Studio 1 was the first of three Riverside studios to receive the Elgood Universal Television Studio Floor, setting the standard for the complex.
The Challenge
The Studio 1 project needed to address several key requirements:
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Convert a concrete sub-floor into a super flat operating surface suitable for multi camera television with audience seating
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Prepare the slab using controlled methods that would clean and key the surface without creating uncontrolled dust or disruption
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Achieve a consistent average build of around 35 mm across 605 m², correcting any minor level variations and delivering a studio-grade finish
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Provide clear fire lanes and grid markings with numerals and 0.5 metre markers to support set layout, camera positioning and audience management
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Coordinate installation with the main contractor, Mount Anvil, and adhere to strict health and safety criteria, including Critical Health Certificates for in-house plant operators
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Complete the project on schedule using a compact, full time in-house installation team
The Solution
Elgood Industrial Flooring supplied and installed its in-house manufactured Universal Television Studio Floor System, engineered specifically for demanding studio environments.
Key elements of the solution included:
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Vacuum contained shot-blasting preparation
The concrete floor in Studio 1 was prepared using vacuum contained shot-blasting to clean and key the surface. This process removed surface contamination and laitance while creating a consistent mechanical key for the Universal Studio Floor build-up, with effective dust control suitable for an occupied building. -
Universal Television Studio Floor – 35 mm average build
Elgood installed the Universal Television Studio Floor across 605 m², achieving an average thickness of 35 mm. The system was laid to tight tolerances to provide the super flat surface required for multi camera operation and audience seating, ensuring smooth camera movement and reliable performance under studio and stage lighting. -
Fire lanes and grid markings
As part of the installation, fire lanes were incorporated along with a grid marked with numerals and 0.5 metre markers. These features help production teams plan sets, position cameras accurately, manage audience layouts and maintain safe access routes in a busy studio environment. -
On-time delivery under strict H&S
Elgood project managed and installed the floor while coordinating with Mount Anvil and the client, Riverside TV. To work on site, Elgood’s in-house plant operators met the main contractor’s strict health and safety requirements, including Critical Health Certificates. The installation was completed on schedule by Elgood’s small team of full time employees, ensuring consistent quality and clear accountability throughout.
Outcome
The completed Universal Television Studio Floor in Riverside Television Studio 1 has provided a high performance, long term foundation for productions in Hammersmith:
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A 605 m² super flat studio floor designed for multi camera operation with audience seating
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A robust operating surface capable of withstanding regular set changes, equipment movements and intensive production schedules
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Clearly defined fire lanes and a numbered grid with 0.5 metre markers, supporting efficient layout, safety management and repeatable camera positions
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A substrate that was properly prepared using vacuum contained shot-blasting, supporting long term adhesion and performance of the studio floor system
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A British manufactured, fully in-house designed and installed solution, delivered on time under a strict health and safety regime
By converting the original concrete floor into a purpose-designed Universal Television Studio Floor, Elgood Industrial Flooring has helped Riverside Studios establish Studio 1 as a flexible, broadcast-ready space that meets the demands of both theatre and modern multi camera television production.
