Tire staining, also known as “paw printing” or plasticizer migration, was an ongoing challenge for floor maintenance crews at McDonald’s corporate hangar before the facility’s owner landed on an extremely hard, chemical-resistant urethane finish from Tnemec. “The owner wanted the floor to be as pristine looking as possible, in spite of the hangar’s harsh environment,” Tnemec coating consultant Chris Wascher explained. “Ultimately, Series 247 EverThane was chosen for this job because of its stain-resistant properties.”
Series 247 EverThane is an aliphatic moisture-cured urethane with excellent resistance to abrasion, wet conditions, corrosive fumes and chemical contact. Prior to coating the entire 45,000-square-foot hangar, the owner tested the urethane on a small section of the floor that was under heavy traffic from aircraft and their towing vehicles. “They drove over the mock-up and even left tires sitting on the coating overnight,” Wascher noted. “The mock-up successfully demonstrated the cleanability and abrasion resistance of the product.”
Prior to applying Series 247, the existing epoxy/urethane system was thoroughly scarified using 100 grit sanding discs attached to floor scrubbing machines. After sanding, the floor was carefully cleaned to ensure the surface was dry and free of contaminants, including oil and grease. Series 247 was field-pigmented with a standard white color during mixing, then roller applied over the Series 291 and allowed to cure for seven days. “The coating contractor commented that the coating had very low odor and was easy to apply using conventional roller equipment,” Wascher recalled.
Nearly 87 gallons of Series 247 were required for the project, which was completed in two phases so one side of the hangar could be used while the other half was being recoated. “Since being refinished, tire staining is easily removed with a clean cloth,” Wascher reported. “The owner is extremely pleased about the floor’s ease of cleanability.”
Constructed in 2000 for McDonald’s, the corporate hangar is part of DuPage Airport in West Chicago, Illinois.