Abstract: A floating floor system includes a plurality of floor panels, each including: a resilient base layer; a wear layer forming an uppermost surface of the floor panel atop the resilient base layer and having a higher degree of stiffness than the resilient base layer; a first locking edge portion having a first locking profile that includes a first horizontal locking feature, a first vertical locking feature, and a channel having a channel floor, being formed by the wear layer and the resilient base layer, and including a channel bed thickness measured between the uppermost surface and the channel floor, the wear layer forming at least 5% of the channel bed thickness; and a second locking edge portion having a second locking profile that includes a second horizontal locking feature, a second vertical locking feature, and a second vertical ridge and being located opposite the first locking edge portion.

Abstract: Described herein are flooring systems comprising an underlayment; and a substrate comprising a core comprising a binder; and a filler; wherein the binder and filler are present in a specific weight ratio. Also described are methods of making and using same.

Abstract: A floating floor system and a floor panel and method for use with the same that includes a snap-fit locking assembly that provides vertical locking between vadjacent floor panels to minimize and/or prevent ledging therebetween. In one embodiment, a protuberance and a recess are also provide on the floor panels to provide horizontal locking. The snap-fit locking assembly comprises: a locking member protruding from a first flange and comprising an undercut surface; and a locking slot formed In a second flange.

Abstract: A floating floor system and a floor panel and method for use with the same that includes an improved mechanical interlock system. The mechanical interlock system allows laterally adjacent floor panels that are mechanically interlocked to slide relative to one another a predetermined distance in a longitudinal direction, while prohibiting relative translation in the vertical and transverse directions. In one embodiment, the predetermined distance eliminates the need for precision cuts during installation, thereby making installation fast and easy. In a further embodiment, the invention optimizes the floor panels (and floating floor system.) to balance ease of installation and horizontal locking strength between laterally adjacent floor panels.

Abstract: Disclosed is a sound-reducing member, a sound-reducing fabrication process, and a sound-reducing blend. The member includes a treatment region and a sound-reducing blend positioned at a location within the treatment region. The sound-reducing blend being positioned at the location provides sound mitigation. The process includes applying a sound-reducing blend to a location within a treatment region of a member. The sound-reducing blend being positioned at the location provides sound mitigation. The blend provides sound mitigation when applied to a location within a treatment region of a member.

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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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.