The Covered Wagon - Coventry
Transforming the former 1930s Toll Gate pub into The Covered Wagon required a careful balance between modernisation and heritage preservation. Central to this was a robust subfloor preparation strategy, designed to address its uneven condition and provide a stable, long-lasting foundation for heavy foot traffic.
Data
| Building type | Hotels, commercial kitchens and restaurants (UK) |
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Project brief
The transformation of the former 1930s pub, Toll Gate, into The Covered Wagon aimed to create a bold, contemporary hospitality venue while preserving the building’s original character. An award-winning Indian cuisine brand, The Covered Wagon with established branches in Moseley and Coventry has built a strong reputation for delivering high-quality, family-friendly dining experiences. This particular renovation focused on the Coventry branch, reimagining the space to reflect the brand’s identity with a fresh, modern edge.
Designed as a family-oriented Indian cuisine pub, the venue blends traditional warmth with a contemporary Indian-inspired twist, creating an inviting and culturally rich environment. A key objective was delivering a durable, high-performance flooring solution capable of withstanding the demands of a busy pub setting, while also complementing the overall interior design.
The flooring scheme was carefully curated to align with the venue’s aesthetic balancing modern finishes with tones and textures that subtly reference Indian design influences. A warm plank floor defines the main dining area, while a striking tiled entrance complete with a bespoke bar inlay creates immediate visual impact upon arrival. This contrast not only enhances the customer journey but also clearly defines functional zones within the space.
Due to the aged and highly variable condition of the existing subfloor, a comprehensive preparation strategy was essential. This ensured a stable, level base capable of supporting the specified J2-rated finishes and delivering long-term durability under heavy footfall.
Why was this system selected?
J2 Design flooring provided the required aesthetics and robust performance for a busy hospitality space. J2 Muted oak created an inviting, durable dining surface; the J2 Minton (Harvard 002) with a black back-fill and a precise 10mm feature strip delivered the “wow” factor at the main entrance and bar. UZIN’s subfloor products and the selected smoothing floor, primer and adhesive were chosen to ensure a stable, long-lasting installation over the existing historic substrate.
Challenges
The project presented several significant challenges: and aged, variable 1930s subfloor that required full strip-back and extensive remediation; visible cracks and residual moisture inherent to the historic construction; extracting flatness tolerance need to accommodate the decorative J2 Minton tiles inset with a 10mm feature strip; and logistical constraints associated moving and applying large volumes of material (around 2.5 tonnes of smoothing compound UZIN NC196) within an urban site and active refurbishments programme. These factors combined to create both technical and programme pressures demanding careful sequencing and strict quality control.
Solution
We employed a methodical, product-focused approach: a complete mechanical grind-back to reveal a sound substrate, targeted crack treatment and reinforcement using UZIN RR 201 and KR 526, and the installation of a damp-proof membrane to reduce moisture risk. A robust priming and levelling regime (UZIN PE 280 primer, UZIN PE 630 primer on plywood and approximately 135 bags of UZIN NC196 smoothing compound) achieved the smoothness required for the tile insert, followed by 2 coats of UZIN PE 481 epoxy and adhesive application with UZIN KE66 to ensure long-term bond performance. Phased scheduling, accurate layout for the Minton tiles and feature strip, along with thorough coordination with Harkin & Walker Design supply partners, special thanks to Ash at Strictly Flooring ensured that materials were delivered, installed, and quality-checked at each stage. This approach achieved the desired visual impact and durability.
Conclusion
The covered wagon project demonstrates technical rigour and design-led installation across a challenging historic subfloor. A full grind-back, targeted crack repairs, damp-proofing and the application of approximately 2.5 tonnes of smoothing compound enabled precision installation of J2 finishes, delivering both durability for heavy hospitality use and a striking visual entrance feature. The successful outcome is the result of thorough planning, specialist product selection and close collaboration with the design team and supply partner.
