Flowfast Helps Hospital Helipad

Flowcrete flew to the aid of one the largest hospitals in Sweden which was struggling to find the right coating for its important on-site helipad.

The 1,100 bed Uppsala University Hospital, which is Sweden’s oldest university hospital, was seriously concerned about a leak that was sending water from the helipad to the building’s top floor. A robust flooring solution was required that would stop this leak and also provide a safe surface for the helicopter during take off and landing.

A series of paints had already been applied by the hospital, but all of them failed to withstand the on-site conditions and quickly deteriorated. To overcome this problem Flowcrete supplied approximately 3,500m² of its methyl methacrylate (MMA) floor coating Flowfast. This solution was tailored to meet the specific demands of the helipad, ensuring an impermeable finish in the face of the challenging conditions.

Jukka Kaikkonen, Managing Director for Flowcrete Sweden, said: “The Uppsala University Hospital was facing quite a complex problem with its helipad, as the coating on the structure needed to meet a long list of criteria, with some of the demands being very difficult.

“A permanent fix was required to stop the water leaking into the hospital and creating a potential hygiene problem. Flowfast was the ideal solution for this situation, as its robust and highly durable finish is able to reliably withstand the worst of Sweden’s cold, wet weather to ensure a long-lasting finish.

“Flowcrete is dedicated to working with clients to make sure that the solution is perfect for them, which means that we were able to recommend a bespoke installation tailored to their requirements.”

This specialist system includes a membrane to reduce movement and stop the coating from cracking, a primer to bond the membrane to the coating and a finish that won’t deteriorate in the face of adverse weather conditions and frequent heavy impacts from the helicopter. 

Another important aspect of the project was incorporating bright lines and signage into the helipad to assist in the helicopter's navigation. This was also created using Flowfast as it can be applied in a variety of colours that won’t dull or deteriorate over time.

Flowfast is an incredibly fast-curing floor, in most cases taking only a few hours to fully cure, which allows for follow on work or operational activity much sooner than is usually possible.