Abstract: A method for manufacturing a floor covering involves leading a glass fiber matt 1 from a supply reel 2 onto a conveyor belt 3. At a first scattering station 4, a saturation material is scattered onto the matt 1 to form a scattered layer. The matt 1 is then led between upper and lower heated belts 10, 11 to gel the scattered layer. The belts are then passed between a pair of smoothing/nipping rollers to form a layer of uniform thickness. The belts are then cooled and the matt 1 with saturation layer applied is wound for further processing. In an alternative arrangement a saturation material is scattered directly onto a substrate belt at the first scattering station 4, a glass fiber matt 26, is applied over the scattered material and, at a second scattering station 28, an amount of the saturation material or a different material is scattered onto the matt 26.

Abstract: Decorative sheet materials, particularly inlaid sheet vinyl floor coverings, are prepared with two or more printed layers provided that at least two of the printed layers are separated by an adhesive matrix layer which contains particles. The adhesive matrix layer and the printed layer or layers overlaying the adhesive matrix layer allow the underprinted layer to show through. The underprinted layer, therefore, is visible and the decorative sheet material has exceptional visual depth.