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: 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.