Helping a historic aircraft hangar

By APF Polymer Surfaces. 

Learn how VaporSolve helped fix a concrete moisture issue during this renovation. 

The challenge 

When it came time for Bowerman Field, an airplane hangar in Washington, to be renovated, there were some unique challenges to face. The 7,200-square-foot facility was initially constructed in the 1940s. That original concrete was still present in the existing floor, along with some newer heated concrete. And, to top it all off, the hangar was built on mud flats. All of this combined meant the team tasked with renovating the hangar needed to focus on combatting moisture intrusion prior to actually giving the space a facelift. Luckily, APF Polymer Surfaces has systems that made this project possible!  

Meet the team 

JWR Contracting served as the specialty flooring contractor. Based in Aberdeen, Washington, JWR specializes in metal fabricating and coating installation. 

West Pro Design, based in Montesano, Washington, served as the general contractor, overseeing all phases of the hangar construction. It specializes in both residential and commercial construction.  

Rodda Paint Company, the largest paint manufacturer in the Pacific Northwest, supplied the Arizona Polymer Flooring products that were used to create the new flooring system, including concrete moisture solutions. 

The solution 

The team utilized two APF systems that are specifically designed to meet the challenges of constructing flooring systems at aircraft hangars:  

• VaporSolve Ultra System consists of a water-based epoxy as a primer, which gives deeper penetration and better adhesion when applied to silicate-contaminated concrete, as well as a finish coat of VaporSolve LP, which has been formulated for low viscosity and excellent substrate wetting capabilities to promote penetration and adhesion. Additionally, the team used VaporSolve Joint Filler to fill joints and cracks in the concrete prior to installation. 
• Armor-Rez Jet Deck 200 is a three-coat system engineered to meet the UFGS requirements for thin mil flooring systems typical of aircraft hangars, providing excellent abrasion and chemical resistance. Each system consists of an epoxy primer, epoxy base coat and chemical-resistant urethane topcoat. 

The VaporSolve and Armor-Rez systems enabled the team to combat all concrete moisture problems and construct a flooring system that met the strict requirements of an aircraft hangar when it comes to performance, aesthetics and cleanliness.  

In addition to recommending the flooring systems, the APF technical Representative Carlos Santana helped train the contractors on the installation. Rob Cook of Rodda Paint Company says, “Carlos was amazing to work with. He trained everyone on the job and jumped right in and helped apply the first two coats. APF was great at getting all of the products we needed to complete the job. It is my first choice for floor coatings.” 

Original article source: APF Polymer Surfaces