Aircraft hangars are complex working environments where engineers, ground support vehicles, forklifts, tools and aircraft components may all operate within the same large space. Without a clear visual layout, pedestrian routes, equipment zones and maintenance areas can become difficult to distinguish.
Effective aircraft hangar floor markings give each part of the facility a defined purpose. They can help guide employees through the hangar, separate different activities and identify areas that must remain accessible. For a major British aircraft maintenance hangar, PermaStripe supplied a durable floor marking solution designed for busy, high-traffic working conditions.
Why Are Aircraft Hangar Floor Markings Important?
The main purpose of floor marking is to communicate how a particular area should be used. In an aircraft maintenance facility, this may include identifying:
- Pedestrian walkways
- Forklift and ground vehicle routes
- Aircraft maintenance zones
- Tool and equipment storage areas
- Component inspection locations
- Loading and unloading points
- Restricted-access zones
- Vehicle parking areas
- Spaces that must remain clear
- Waste and recycling stations
- Emergency routes and exits
A well-planned layout helps employees understand where they should walk, drive, position equipment or store materials. It can also provide clearer guidance for contractors and visitors who may be less familiar with the hangar.
The Health and Safety Executive recommends separating pedestrians from vehicles wherever reasonably possible. Where routes cross or must be shared, pedestrian and vehicle areas should be clearly marked, with suitable crossing points and additional controls where required.
Floor markings should support, rather than replace, physical barriers, risk assessments, employee training, traffic-management procedures and appropriate signage.
A Heavy-Duty Floor Marking Requirement
The aircraft maintenance site featured in the original project required durable markings across several working areas. These were high-traffic zones where conventional painted lines were not considered sufficiently durable for the customer’s requirements.
PermaStripe was recommended as a heavy-duty floor marking tape capable of creating clear, professional lines throughout the maintenance hangar. A substantial number of rolls were required, meaning the material also needed to be installed efficiently across a large floor area.
The project demonstrates why the product specification must reflect the actual environment. A hangar may experience frequent pedestrian traffic, forklifts, wheeled maintenance equipment, aircraft tugs and other ground support vehicles. General-purpose marking tape may not provide the construction or durability required for this type of application.
Why Use Floor Marking Tape Instead of Paint?
Paint remains suitable for some facilities, but it can introduce several practical challenges. Depending on the coating system, the floor may require extensive preparation, and the marked area may need to remain closed while the paint dries or cures.
Self-adhesive aircraft hangar floor marking tape can provide a faster alternative. Once the floor has been cleaned, dried and assessed for suitability, the tape can be positioned and pressed firmly into place. The marked area does not require the same drying period associated with wet-applied paint, helping facilities minimise operational disruption.
Tape also produces defined edges without overspray or paint bleeding. This can be particularly useful in organised maintenance facilities where the appearance of the working environment should reflect the precision of the operations taking place within it.
Another advantage is adaptability. Maintenance layouts may change when equipment is moved, aircraft types change or new processes are introduced. A removable industrial floor tape system may be easier to update than painted or resin markings.
Why Was PermaStripe Selected?
PermaStripe is a homogeneous PVC line marking tape designed for industrial applications. Its colour runs throughout the material rather than appearing only as a printed surface layer. This means that minor surface abrasion does not immediately remove the colour.
The current product specification includes:
- Approximately 1,300-micron total thickness
- Homogeneous PVC construction
- Embossed surface
- Bevelled edges
- Strong edge-to-edge adhesive
- Standard widths of 50 mm, 75 mm and 100 mm
- Standard roll length of 30 metres
- Multiple solid and hazard colours
- Various die-cut shapes and markers
- A conditional three-year guarantee
The bevelled edge reduces the prominent shoulder presented to passing wheels, while the thick construction is designed for demanding industrial line-marking applications.
These characteristics made PermaStripe a practical option for the aircraft maintenance project, where the customer needed a robust and professional-looking hangar floor tape system.
How Can Floor Markings Improve Hangar Safety?
Floor markings can improve safety by giving employees consistent visual information before they enter a route or operational zone.
For example, clearly defined pedestrian walkways can help guide people away from vehicle routes. Marked crossing points can show where pedestrians should cross, while stop lines and directional arrows can support vehicle movement around the facility.
Markings can also indicate where equipment should be stored. This helps discourage tools, trolleys or components from being left in walkways or vehicle routes.
The HSE advises workplaces to use route markings for traffic lanes, route edges, junction priorities, stop lines, pedestrian crossings and no-parking areas. Signs and markings should remain clean, visible and understandable to both drivers and pedestrians.
A hangar floor-marking plan should be based on the facility’s risk assessment and actual traffic movements. Colours should be assigned clear meanings and used consistently. Introducing too many colours without a documented system can make the layout more difficult to interpret.
How Do You Mark an Aircraft Hangar Floor?
Installing aircraft hangar floor marking tape begins with careful planning.
1. Assess Movement Through the Hangar
Review how employees, aircraft, forklifts, tugs, maintenance platforms and other equipment move through the building. Identify crossings, blind areas, vehicle turning points and locations where several activities take place close together.
2. Define Each Operational Zone
Determine which areas need to be marked, such as pedestrian routes, maintenance bays, parking positions, storage zones and keep-clear areas.
Each line or shape should have a clear purpose. Markings should follow the routes that employees naturally need to use wherever this is compatible with the site’s safety arrangements.
3. Establish a Colour System
Assign defined meanings to the selected colours. The system should be documented and explained through employee induction and training.
Brand colours may be appropriate for general organisation, but safety-critical markings should remain clear and compatible with the facility’s procedures and applicable requirements.
4. Prepare the Floor
The surface must be clean, dry and free from dust, oil, grease, loose paint and cleaning residue. Damaged concrete or unstable coatings should be repaired before tape is applied.
A sample application is advisable where the floor condition, coating or cleaning process may affect adhesion.
5. Measure and Position the Tape
Use reference points or temporary guides to establish straight routes. Remove the backing liner gradually and avoid stretching the tape during application.
Firm, consistent pressure should be applied across the full width of the material, with particular attention given to edges, corners and joins.
6. Inspect the Completed Layout
Review the markings from the perspective of pedestrians and vehicle operators. Ensure that routes remain visible, junctions are understandable and signs appear before the point where action is required.
Applying Line Marking Tape Across Large Hangars
Because the aircraft maintenance project required a high number of rolls, PermaStripe also offered the customer a floor tape applicator. This helped reduce the time required to create long, straight markings across the facility.
The current applicator accommodates 50 mm, 75 mm and 100 mm rolls of PermaStripe, PermaRoute and PermaLean. It includes guide rollers, controlled backing-liner removal and a large roller that applies pressure as the tape is laid. This supports more consistent installation over large surface areas than manual application alone.
Manual installation may remain appropriate for shorter lines, detailed shapes, corners and individual floor markers.
Maintaining Aircraft Hangar Floor Markings
Even durable safety floor tape should be inspected regularly. Maintenance teams should check for:
- Damage caused by equipment being dragged across the floor
- Contaminated or lifting edges
- Worn junctions and turning areas
- Obscured pedestrian routes
- Changes to the operational layout
- Inconsistent or outdated colour meanings
Damaged markings should be addressed before they become difficult to interpret. The condition of the underlying floor should also be monitored because movement or deterioration in the surface can affect the marking installed above it.
A Complete Hangar Floor Marking System
Following the successful aircraft hangar installation, another major maintenance site entered discussions about using the complete PermaStripe 5S floor marking system.
Straight line marking tape can be combined with corners, arrows, letters, numbers, footprints and custom floor signs to create a coordinated visual-management layout. This gives aviation and aerospace facilities greater control over how routes, maintenance areas and equipment positions are communicated.
For aircraft hangars requiring durable markings, PermaStripe can provide heavy-duty floor marking tape, industrial floor tape, application equipment and die-cut markers in a range of colours and sizes. Testing samples on the intended floor before completing a large installation helps confirm adhesion, visibility and suitability for the site.