Rushden Historical Transport Museum – 690m²

The Rushden Historical Transport Society commissioned Polycote to refurbish and protect their 650 m² floor area. The space, used for visitor access, transit paths and general operational use, required a resilient and professional coating system to address existing wear while ensuring long-term durability. The project included both structural floor repair and application of a hard-wearing epoxy finish, with additional anti-slip installation on ramped and bar areas to enhance pedestrian safety.

Preparation

The floor was professionally mechanically treated using vacuum-assisted shotblasting to remove surface laitance, contamination and weak concrete, exposing a strong and keyed surface suitable for coating adhesion. Localised defects such as cracks, holes and worn expansion points were reinstated using Easi-Fil, Cretex Rapid and Cretex EP Mortar. These materials provided fast-curing, high-compressive-strength repairs to stabilise areas before full coating installation.

Priming and Sealing

Once reinstatement work had cured, the substrate was sealed using OT Primer. This solvent-free primer delivers deep penetration into porous or aged concrete, tying the surface together and improving adhesion for the topcoat system.

Coating Installation

The main installation involved full application of Flortex Professional 100% solids epoxy resin across the total 650 m². This high-build system provides strong abrasion resistance, chemical resistance and surface hardness suitable for operational and visitor environments. The coating creates a seamless, impervious finish that is easy to maintain and withstands vehicular movement and heavy footfall.

Performance Enhancements

A non-slip broadcast aggregate was introduced to the ramp and bar areas, creating an enhanced slip-resistant finish where incline and moisture risk were elevated. This was supplied and installed at no additional cost to the client as part of the agreed delivery.

• Repairing aged substrate
  The facility contained a number of worn and uneven sections requiring structural repair prior to coating. These were addressed with a combination of rapid-curing repair compounds and high-strength mortars to ensure consistent loading performance.
• Large surface area within a single working week
  At approximately 650 m², sequencing and curing windows had to be tightly managed to keep the project within the planned timeframe.
• Differentiated usage areas
  Transition areas such as slopes, edges and public-facing zones demanded non-slip finishing while maintaining uniformity of the installed coating.
• Maintaining operational access
  As the depot remained partially active, working routes and safe access needed coordination on-site.

Rushden Historical Transport Museum described the work as “an outstanding end result”.

The site was handed back fully operational within the allocated week, with a high-build epoxy floor system that significantly improved presentation, safety and durability. The final finish provided:

• A fully restored structural surface across all previously defective zones.
• An impervious, glossy and professional-grade floor coating suitable for long-term use.
• Defined slip-resistant zones offering safer pedestrian movement in areas of incline.
• Reduced long-term maintenance burden due to easier cleaning and improved surface durability.

The Society now benefits from a resilient and visually enhanced internal floor area that better accommodates visitor pathways, equipment movement and long-term facility use, aligning with the heritage site’s operational standards and upkeep needs.

We were thrilled to play a part in the museums transformation, which you can read more about here.