Abstract: A support for installing facing materials such as ceramic tiles on a substrate such as floors, walls and ceilings wherein the support plate has a plurality of spaced apart recesses in the plate material, with the recesses being open at the top surface and have solid sidewalls and a base, and a plurality of slots in the non-recessed portions of the plate material extending through the top surface and bottom surface, the slots joining one or more adjacent recesses. The support plate of the invention is used for tile installations between the substrate and such tile. Thin-set mortar that is used to secure the tile to the support plate flows into the recesses and into the slots forming a continuous bond between the mortar and the adjacent slots providing for a strong bond between the support plate, mortar and the tiles.

Abstract: A mosaic concrete product, methods of creating the same, and methods of fabricating a module for use in creating the mosaic are provided. The methods of installing the mosaic upon an uncured concrete surface utilize the module. The module may be fabricated by mapping out tile in a design corresponding to the mosaic; adhering the tile to a template utilizing an adhesive, the tile being positioned thereon corresponding to the design; and allowing the adhesive to set. The module may define upper and lower surfaces, the upper surface including the tile adhered thereto. The methods of installing the mosaic comprises: positioning the module upon the uncured concrete surface; embedding the tile into the concrete surface; massaging the tile into the concrete surface to interpose a quantity of cement/fines paste between the adjacent tiles; and finishing the concrete surface.

Abstract: An intake manifold (2) of comburent air is presented for an internal combustion engine (1) provided with a recirculating conduit (60) of exhaust gases. The intake manifold (2) includes a first inlet mouth (213) of the comburent air, a second inlet mouth (214) in communication with the recirculating conduit (60) of the exhaust gases, and a plurality of outlet mouths (201), having a wall (7) positioned in front of each of the outlet mouths (201) and configured for dividing the internal volume of the intake manifold (2) into two chambers (215, 204), the first chamber (215) being placed in communication with the first inlet mouth (213) and the second inlet mouth (214) and the second chamber (204) being placed in communication with the outlet mouths (201), the wall (7) defining an opening (70) adapted for placing the first chamber (215) and the second chamber (204) in communication.

Abstract: Provided is a method of installing a tile mosaic upon a vertical concrete surface. The method includes providing a plurality of tiles, a tile support, and a concrete form. The plurality of tiles are adhered to the tile support to define a mosaic assembly. The tiles are positioned on the tile support corresponding to the mosaic. The mosaic assembly is connected to the concrete form, and concrete is poured within the concrete form such that a portion of the tiles become embedded within the concrete. The tile support is subsequently detached from the concrete form and the concrete form is removed from the cured concrete. The tile support is additionally removed from the plurality of tiles to reveal the mosaic on vertical surface of the concrete structure.

Abstract: Provided is a method of installing a tile mosaic upon a vertical concrete surface. The method includes providing a plurality of tiles, a tile support, and a concrete form. The plurality of tiles are adhered to the tile support to define a mosaic assembly. The tiles are positioned on the tile support corresponding to the mosaic. The mosaic assembly is connected to the concrete form, and concrete is poured within the concrete form such that a portion of the tiles become embedded within the concrete. The tile support is subsequently detached from the concrete form and the concrete form is removed from the hardened concrete. The tile support is additionally removed from the plurality of tiles to reveal the mosaic on vertical surface of the concrete structure.

Abstract: A fiber enforced sheet for use as a wall or floor covering which comprises of adhered thin bricks bonded to a fiber-reinforced, backing layer. Thin brick is adhered to the fiber enforced sheet. The fiber enforced backing increases strength and rigidity to the thin brick during handling, and installation permits the thin bricks to be adhered to proper specification and spacing to be cut using ordinary tile or thin brick tools.

Abstract: An easy-to-install and remove flooring system comprises three components: 1) a plurality of rolled-out liners, 2) a plurality of tiles, particularly resilient tiles, and 3) an adhesive adhering the tile to the liner. A grid pattern matching the size of the tiles is printed on the liner to enable easy centering and balancing of the tile in the room. The edge portions of adjacent liners are adjacent or overlapped. At least some of the tiles are adhered to two of the liners.

Abstract: Provided is a wall surround system for use in a room having at least one existing wall. The system includes at least one wall surround panel configured to be installed along the existing wall, the wall surround panel defining at least one recessed portion. The system also includes at least one tile inlay configured to be received within the recessed portion. The system can be a remodeling system for remodeling a bathroom or kitchen in a residential or commercial building. Also provided are methods for remodeling a room having at least one existing wall. The method includes providing at least one wall surround panel that defines at least one recessed portion and at least one tile inlay, securing the wall surround panel to the wall, and securing the tile inlay in a respective recessed portion.

Abstract: This present invention provides faux brick facades configured to cover existing brick walls, such as those that serve as fencing or property barriers. The Beauty Brick line consists of square-shaped sheets comprised of a fiberglass and plastic material that can be applied directly to the surface of bricks, and is available in a wide array of sizes. Other attributes of the Beauty Brick sheets include a pliability that accommodates facades that are curved or angled. Additionally, the sheets easily cut to size by the end user. The back of each Beauty Brick sheet features a durable adhesive material that adheres easily to the existing brick surface.

Abstract: An inlaid stone composite broadly includes a stone body and a stone inlay secured to the stone body. The inlaid stone composite is constructed by forming a groove in the stone body, securing the stone inlay to the stone body by inserting the stone inlay within a groove of the stone body, with the stone body and stone inlay cooperatively forming an inlaid margin, and cutting longitudinally through the stone body and stone inlay to separate an inlaid margin strip from a remainder of the inlaid margin.

Abstract: An inlaid stone composite broadly includes a stone body and a stone inlay assembly secured to the stone body. The inlaid stone composite is constructed by forming a groove in the stone body, with the groove extending inwardly from an edge surface of the stone body, securing a plurality of stone segments relative to one another exteriorly of the groove to provide the stone inlay assembly, and securing the stone inlay assembly within the groove to form an inlaid margin.

Abstract: A custom mosaic flooring enabling customized construction of a flooring is disclosed. More specifically, according to the present invention, a sheet-type flooring printed with specific desired patterns or actual photograph printing images is constructed at a desired position in a partial mosaic form. According to the present invention, the custom mosaic flooring is constructed by printing various patterns including mosaic patterns, carpet patterns, pictures, and graphic patterns using a variety of printing methods including gravure printing, offset printing, transfer printing, dye diffusion thermal transfer printing, silkscreen printing, and actual photograph printing using a printer, thereby fabricating a sheet-type flooring, and fitting thus-fabricated flooring into a desired position. Therefore, construction of the flooring can be conveniently achieved.

Abstract: A breakable veneer for simulating the appearance of stone, tile, concrete, etc., is disclosed. The veneer may be made by producing a mold of a desired texture, filling the mold with a mixture including portland-type cement, resin, and colorant. The veneer may be made to have an average thickness between about 1/16 and ¼ inches in a sheet form, and may have a peel coat applied to the finished surface. When produced, the veneer is flexible, being able to conform to various surfaces and applied to various surfaces using any of various adhesives, and able to be transported is a finished form to an installation site. The veneer may be scored and then broken or fractured along the scoring lines to create simulated broken stone, ceramic tiles, cut stone, etc.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system for waterproofing interior surfaces of parapet walls disposed on a roof, wherein the parapet walls include an interior surface counter flashing and a surface cap. The system includes at least one waterproofing membrane configured to allow moisture to escape from a space between the at least one waterproofing membrane and the interior surfaces of the parapet walls, wherein the at least one waterproofing membrane is disposed to extend at least a portion of a distance along the interior surfaces from the surface cap to the roof from which the parapet walls extend. The system also includes a flap valve defined by the at least one waterproofing membrane, the flap valve being positioned between the surface cap and the roof.

Abstract: A mosaic concrete product, methods of creating the same, and methods of fabricating a module for use in creating the mosaic are provided. The methods of installing the mosaic upon an uncured concrete surface utilize the module. The module may be fabricated by mapping out tile in a design corresponding to the mosaic; adhering the tile to a template utilizing an adhesive, the tile being positioned thereon corresponding to the design; and allowing the adhesive to set. The module may define upper and lower surfaces, the upper surface including the tile adhered thereto. The methods of installing the mosaic comprises: positioning the module upon the uncured concrete surface; embedding the tile into the concrete surface; massaging the tile into the concrete surface to interpose a quantity of cement/fines paste between the adjacent tiles; and finishing the concrete surface.

Abstract: A parquet panel assembled of rectangular shaped wood strips as inlays and the panel is formed to have irregular end edges such that alternate rows of inlay strips are staggered in such a way that a staggered edge of one panel will interleave with the staggered edge of an adjacent panel with sufficient precision that the seams between panels are not detectable and a former which enables the positioning and joining of the inlay strips with the requisite precision needed to assemble the panel.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a linoleum-based planar structure, a process for the preparation of such a planar structure as well as the use of the planar structure, for example, as a floor covering. The linoleum-based planar structure according to the present invention is particularly characterized by containing over the whole cross section flakes comprising an organic polymeric material, the flakes being compatible with the linoleum base composition and having a particle size in the range of 0.5 to 30 mm and a thickness in the range of 1.0 to 400 &mgr;m. Such a planar structure according to the present invention displays a smooth plain surface without the need of any grinding step. Moreover, the incorporation of such flakes enables a broad variety of designing and patterning, particularly the development of a distinctively, coarsely patterned “spotting structure”.

Abstract: Floor covering, consisting of hard panels, with a laminated structure, whereby at least at the upper surface a printed decorative layer with a wood pattern is present, with thereupon a transparent layer of synthetic material in which impressions are formed, wherein the impressions substantially follow the wood pattern.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for interior decorating an extended-area surface in which a lightweight non-fabric sheet stock is permanently preprinted and sealed on its entire outwardly-disposed surface, and coated on its inwardly-disposed surface with a dry prepaste capable of being activated by moistening with water. Hand-torn pieces are wetted and applied with ragged hand-torn edges overlapping which, as dried, are seam-free to sight or touch. Wall papering can be carried out without matching patterns or concern with plumb lines.

Abstract: Veneer tape for temporarily joining pieces of veneer to be bonded to a substrate, for example, core board. The present invention also provides a method of forming a veneer assembly.