Property Types We Roof
Aircraft Hangar and Aviation Building Roofing in Federal Way, WA
The superintendent on a hangar job asks about the aircraft before he asks about the roof. Which bays are occupied, which doors open for tows, and which aircraft are in work on the day the tear-off is planned. Then he walks the deck, because a hangar roof is one wide span with very little tolerance for debris or water below it.
Aviation work sits all around Federal Way, WA: Seattle-Tacoma International Airport covers 2,500 acres with three parallel runways, Boeing operates its Kent Space Center and its Auburn and Renton plants, and the 62d Airlift Wing flies from McChord Field. We plan hangar roof sections to be sealed before evening and walk them with the operations manager first.
What does the first walk of a hangar deck turn up?
A hangar roof is a wide span, so ponding and deflection show up first. The superintendent walks the deck for low spots, marks where water stands after a rain and cuts cores at those spots and at the drains. A pull test on the existing fasteners shows if a recover is possible.
He also notes what hangs from the structure: lights, fire suppression piping, heaters, crane rails and door tracks. Anything that could be damaged by a dropped tool gets marked, and the plan shows the interior protection needed below each work section. The roof condition report records all of it. Shop and office wings attached to the hangar are often built like a flex industrial building, with a lower roof and more rooftop equipment, and they get their own cores and their own page of the plan.
How do you set tear-off limits over aircraft in the bay?
The crew paints its limit line each morning, set where the open area can be closed before the last shift leaves. Over occupied bays the sections are small, with protection hung below before any tear-off starts.
The operations manager marks which bays are clear for the day. Where an aircraft cannot move, the work above it waits or is staged as a cover-and-close operation. Debris control matters more here than anywhere else: loose fasteners, scraps and grit can damage engines and tires, so magnets sweep the deck, waste is bagged where it is made and each section is closed before anyone leaves. The crew leader signs the end-of-shift sweep on the plan, so the operations manager can see that the ramp edge and the apron below the work were checked. A hangar door left open during a sweep is closed to a few feet first, so wind cannot carry fasteners across the apron.
Where do the crane, trucks and lay-down yard go near a ramp?
Hangars sit beside ramps and taxi lanes, so staging gets planned with airport or tenant operations. The lay-down yard goes where it is out of aircraft movement areas and outside any restricted zone, and the crane pick is scheduled for a window when tows are not moving.
Badges, vehicle permits and escorts are normal. We submit the crew list early and follow the site's rules on tools, radios and ladders. Aviation sites near SeaTac, where the airport handled 427,971 metric tons of cargo in 2025, run on tight schedules, so deliveries arrive on appointment and the flagger stays through each unload.
What is the order from tear-off to dry-in on a hangar roof?
Sections run in one sequence: strip the old roof, probe the deck, replace soft board, insulate, install the membrane or panel and seal the edges. Torch work needs a permit and a fire watch, and over a hangar floor with fuel and fumes we favor fastened or cold-applied methods.
On a long span, ponding is the main concern. Tapered insulation or added drains can correct it. A standing seam metal roof sheds water fast and suits a long span, while a single-ply membrane suits a low-slope hangar with many penetrations. The decision turns on the deck, the structure and what hangs below. Insulation values and wind attachment are set against the state-adopted 2021 International Building Code and the 2021 energy conservation code for commercial buildings before any product is ordered.
How are door heads, edges and tie-ins secured?
The head of a hangar door is the most exposed detail on the building. Water runs to it, wind loads it and the door track sits right below. We draw the flashing at the door head, the wall termination and the eave on the plan before work starts, and fasten the edge metal at the spacing the manufacturer requires.
The November 2024 bomb cyclone is the benchmark for edge securement; it put 74 mph winds on Enumclaw, the highest of any Washington community. After any big blow, wind damage repair starts with a walk of the door heads, the eaves and the ridge.
How does maintenance work continue below the roof?
Hangars run maintenance, storage and sometimes assembly. We ask which tasks are sensitive to noise, dust or vibration and schedule the loudest steps for the quietest hours. A catch net or a plywood deck hung under the active section keeps tools and fasteners out of the bay, and it comes down only after the section above has been swept and sealed.
Aircraft moves are scheduled with the operations manager, and the crew leader confirms each morning that the bay below is cleared or protected. The method follows occupied building reroofing practice, with extra attention to fire-suppression piping, light fixtures and the paint on the aircraft below. Dust is controlled with covers and a wet sweep, and a spotter watches the edge whenever the doors are open.
What goes into the closeout walk?
The operations manager or facilities lead joins our crew leader for a final walk, tie-in by tie-in. Seams, door heads, drains and edges all get inspected, and open items go on the punch list in paint. The file adds photographs of concealed layers, the fastener pattern, product data and the warranty paperwork.
Operators with hangars at more than one field can use the same format at each location. An owner with aviation-related buildings in Kent or Auburn gets files that read alike, and a military hangar roof follows the same sequence with extra access rules.
Commercial Roofing Questions
Can aircraft stay in the hangar during a reroof?
Often, with protection. Small sections, a catch net or plywood deck below and a daily check with operations let aircraft stay. Where an aircraft is in work and cannot be covered, the section above it waits or the aircraft moves to another bay.
How do you control debris on a roof beside a ramp?
Magnets sweep the deck, waste is bagged where it is generated and each section is closed before the crew goes. Fasteners and scraps are counted and collected. The crew leader walks the ramp edge at the end of each shift, and any item that could blow onto the ramp is secured.
Is a metal roof better than a membrane on a long-span hangar?
The structure and the slope decide it. A standing seam roof sheds water fast on a pitched structure, while a membrane suits a low slope with many penetrations. Cores and a fastener pull test, plus a look at the framing, settle the choice.
How do you handle fire safety during roof work?
Torch work needs a permit and a fire watch, and hangars get fastened or cold-applied systems wherever possible. Fuel and fire-suppression piping are marked on the plan, and the crew keeps extinguishers on the roof and at the access point.
When is the best time to reroof a hangar?
Summer. Sections dry faster, and Auburn's July is its driest month at 0.9 inches. Roofs that cannot wait are opened in smaller daily areas with every edge sealed temporarily.
Send the roof plan and the aircraft schedule
Send the roof plan, the bay layout and the aircraft move schedule. We will walk the sequence, staging and tie-ins with your operations manager before a number goes on paper.
