Abstract: A plywood laminate having dimensional stability and resistance to warping and delamination is formed from a plurality of higher quality plies and a plurality of lower quality plies. The higher quality plies may be of hardwood and the lower quality plies may be of softwood or lower quality hardwoods, or the higher quality plies may have a veneer grade of better than ANSI/HPVA HP-1-2000 veneer grade C and the lower quality plies may have a veneer grade of no greater than ANSI/HPVA HP-1-2000 veneer grade C. The exposed plies are of the higher quality. In most embodiments, at least two adjacent interior plies are of the lower quality. In those embodiments having a tongue and groove or click-lock edge configuration, the tongue comprises portions of at least two plies and at least one of the plies is a higher quality ply.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus provide a means to rapidly develop and modify prototype surface coverings for customer review and approval, and fill the commercial pipeline while more conventional production equipment is obtained, installed and tested. The present apparatus to rapid prototype and fill the commercial pipeline includes a digital printing system to print a film and a press for laminating and embossing the printed film to a substrate. The press uses an embossing plate or roll, which is made from ebonite or by three-dimensional printing equipment. These plates and rolls can be produced within two or three days or less.

Abstract: Surface covering having a wood pattern of expensive and/or limited available wood species can be formed by adhering a wood grain of the expensive and/or limited available wood species on a wood substrate of a less expensive, more common wood species substrate. The surface covering can be either solid, engineered wood or a laminate. If the wood grain of the substrate is dark or the wrong color, a pad coat or stain can be interposed between the substrate and the printed wood pattern. The printed wood pattern and/or pad coat can be applied to the substrate, whether wood or other material, in the form of a free-standing film.

Abstract: Molding and trim, which is placed at the intersection of the wall and floor or wall and ceiling, or as a transition between two floors, or as decorative pieces on a wall, has a digitally printed print layer. The printed pattern may be a wood grain pattern or other fanciful design. The pattern may be a looped pattern having no abrupt change in the printed pattern or a continuous pattern having no repeats. The molding or trim substrate may be a MDF laminate, a HDF laminate, solid wood or other material including plastic.

Abstract: A decorative surface covering having a substrate, a first print layer adhered to one surface of the substrate, and second discontinuous print layer is made by printing a first print layer on one surface of the substrate and printing a second discontinuous print layer over the first print layer. The first print layer is applied by rotogravure, transfer or flexographic printing. The second print layer is digitally printed. The print layers can be printed directly onto the substrate or printed onto a film and the film laminated to the substrate.

Abstract: A flexible floor covering with regenerative, soiling-resistant surfaces is disclosed, comprising a matrix based on natural or synthetic materials an at least one substance incompatible with said matrix. Said flexible floor covering preferably comprises a surface with a pre-determined structure and a matrix in which a particulate material harder than the matrix itself is embedded. The floor covering is characterized in having an improved soiling property and an increased wear resistance.

Abstract: A plywood laminate having dimensional stability and resistance to warping and delamination is formed from a plurality of higher quality plies and a plurality of lower quality plies. The higher quality plies may be of hardwood and the lower quality plies may be of softwood or lower quality hardwoods, or the higher quality plies may have a veneer grade of better than ANSI/HPVA HP-1-2000 veneer grade C and the lower quality plies may have a veneer grade of no greater than ANSI/HPVA HP-1-2000 veneer grade C. The exposed plies are of the higher quality. In most embodiments, at least two adjacent interior plies are of the lower quality. In those embodiments having a tongue and groove or click-lock edge configuration, the tongue comprises portions of at least two plies and at least one of the plies is a higher quality ply.

Abstract: A sound dampening laminate includes a fiberboard core interposed between two resin impregnated paper layers, one of the paper layers being a design layer comprising a design and the paper layer opposite the design layer being a balancing layer. The fiberboard core has a sound dampening feature, such as a plurality of grooves penetrating from the exposed surface of the balancing layer into the fiberboard core, an energy-absorbing layer interposed between two fiberboard material layers, two layers having different resonant properties or a combination of those features. A sound dampening material, such as silicone rubber, butyl caulk, polyurethane elastomers, ethylene vinyl acetate, or acrylic viscoelastic polymers may be positioned within the grooves.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a linoleum-based floor covering with improved flame retardant properties, comprising at least one layer of linoleum, which contains at least one silicon-containing inorganic compound as a flame retardant in an amount of up to 40% by weight relative to the weight of the linoleum layer, and to a method for producing the same. The invention further relates to a cork-based floor covering with improved flame retardant properties, comprising at least one silicon-containing inorganic compound as a flame retardant in an amount of up to 40% by weight relative to the amount of the cork layer.