Abstract: The present invention concerns loose-lay floor structures comprising at least two layers of reinforcing material and processes to design and produce them. Loose-lay floors may be designed which will be suitable for use over stable subfloors, or which will accommodate the movement of very unstable subfloors. Flooring constructed according to this invention will have the ability to resist buckling, curling and doming, and will resist moving under a rolling load. A process is also provided for modifying structures comprising a single reinforcing layer in situ so as to convert structures with unacceptable buckling characteristics into structures with acceptable buckling characteristics. As an alternative, the reinforcing layer may be premodified such that, when used to provide a surface covering, the covering will have acceptable buckling characteristics.

Abstract: The present invention concerns loose-lay floor structures comprising at least two layers of reinforcing material and processes to design and produce them. Loose-lay floors may be designed which will be suitable for use over stable subfloors, or which will accommodate the movement of very unstable subfloors. Flooring constructed according to this invention will have the ability to resist buckling, curling and doming, and will resist moving under a rolling load. A process is also provided for modifying structures comprising a single reinforcing layer in situ so as to convert structures with unacceptable buckling characteristics into structures with acceptable buckling characteristics. As an alternative, the reinforcing layer may be premodified such that, when used to provide a surface covering, the covering will have acceptable buckling characteristics.