Helicopter Hangar Floor

Category:
Flooring
Customer:
Private airport in Panama
Project:
Repair damage and increase chemical resistance in a helicopter hangar
Products:
Rhino 405 - Structural Epoxy Gel

Problem

The floor of a helicopter hangar at a small, private airport in Panama was in need of repairs. The 5,000-square-foot floor had never been coated, and it had developed cracks, holes and sustained other damage after years of exposure to heavy equipment, falling parts and chemicals. The airport managers needed to find a way to fix the current damage and prevent future damage to extend the service life of the hangar.

 

Solution

Rhino Linings Panama, a local Rhino Linings® applicator, recommended a complete repair of the damage along with the installation of a chemical-resistant epoxy flooring system.

 

First, the surface of the floor was shot blasted and pressure washed to remove all dirt, debris and oil and to allow the team to assess the level of damage. Next, all the structural cracks were cut open at least ½” deep using a dustless grinder and diamond blade attachment. Rhino 405 epoxy gel was mixed with sand to create a paste that was used to fill the cracks and allowed to dry.

 

With the crack repair complete, the surface was overlaid with three coats of Concrete Solutions Resurfacer at a total depth of 1/8” inch to create a uniform surface. Next, the expansion joints in the floor were cut open, and the entire surface area was coated with Rhino 1501 water-based epoxy primer at 4 mils (0.10 mm) using a paint roller. Epoxy 500 in white and gray was applied at 8 mils (0.20 mm) using a paint roller to seal the surface. The helicopter service area received a white coating so that dropped parts would be easier to see on the floor. Walkways and common areas in the hangar received a gray coating.

 

Finally, HP Urethane was applied at 4-5 mills (0.10–0.13 mm) using a paint roller. The high-performance topcoat was pigmented either gray or white to match the epoxy coating. HP Urethane has high gloss and color retention, withstands UV exposure without yellowing and has excellent chemical resistance.

 

Results

The entire project took two weeks to complete. The airport managers were happy with the look and the performance of the new epoxy floor coating system. In fact, they are now rehabilitating the flooring for all hangars at the airport using this system.

More about Rhino Linings® Products Used:

Rhino 405 - Structural Epoxy Gel

Rhino 405 Structural Epoxy Gel is a highly versatile, 100% solids high build system. It provides excellent chemical resistance and is highly moisture tolerant.