Being keen observers of the airport social scene, we have noted three classes of hangar dwellers: those who use a hangar as a garage to park the airplane, those who decorate the thing like a vacation home at the beach and those who consider a hangar a repository of household junk and don’t even have an airplane. For that middle class of hangar owners, a proper floor covering is a must.
While raw concrete is serviceable, its easily stained and looks tacky after a few years of service. Two-part epoxy coatings are considered to be top of the line but theyre expensive and messy to apply. Lately, weve noticed a new option: plastic or vinyl interlocking tiles of the sort used in industrial plants and, more recently, in the tonier booths at tradeshows.
In fact, we first noticed these products at Oshkosh a year ago and this year, a second vendor emerged pitching a similar product to the aviation market. While epoxy is pricey, these tile systems are even more expensive, but they have the advantage of being easier to install and more tolerant of error, theyre available in colors and patterns and, best of all, if you move to a bigger or different hangar, you can take them with you.
WHAT THEY ARE