Since its opening in 1939, Birmingham Airport has grown to be the seventh largest in the UK, with 9 million passengers passing through the terminal each year. The airport was awarded the 2012 Airport of the Year in the UK’s National Transport Awards.
The airport has invested over £260m over the last few years, and has committed to spending a further £100m to expand – allowing the airport infrastructure to handle direct flights to the west coast of the US, China and South Africa.
During a refurbishment of the air-side departures area last summer, the existing grey, carpet-tiled flooring was identified as a key reason that the space appeared uninviting to passengers. Kidderminster-based LGM was asked to put forward various options to replace the flooring, and settled on a hardwood option from Boen.
Over 2600m² of Boen 14mm Oak Finale three-strip flooring was installed. The flooring has a board specification of 209mm wide and 2200mm long, and features the new X-Press vertical locking system – significantly reducing the installation time.
Oak Finale was selected for its character, long durability, affordability, easy maintenance and green credentials. The flooring succeeded in giving a warm, spacious appearance to the departure areas and retail shopfronts. Boen applied seven layers of Protect Ultra UV lacquer, which ensured that the flooring remains durable and resistant to micro-scratches.
It was decided to fully adhere the flooring to the subfloor for ultimate stability in the large areas, which also ensured that the floor was quiet to walk on. The flooring’s smooth surface is ideal for wheeling luggage and trollies across it.
The floor installation was undertaken in staged areas during November and December of last year, and has resulted in an inviting environment that has been warmly praised by staff and passengers.
