Floor coverings and floor covering systems and methods of making and installing same

A floor covering system, comprising:

• at least a first and a second floor covering, each floor covering comprising:
• a primary backing component defining a face surface and an opposed back surface and having a first portion and a second portion adjoining the first portion, wherein the first and second portions of the primary backing component extend along respective portions of a length of the floor covering;
• and
• a plurality of fibers attached to the primary backing component and extending from the face surface of the primary backing component;
• an adhesive layer having a first surface and an opposed second surface, wherein the first surface of the adhesive layer is applied to the back surface of the first and second portions of the primary backing component, wherein the portion of the adhesive layer applied to the second portion of the primary backing component and the second portion of the primary backing component cooperate to define a moveable body;
• and
• a secondary backing material having an attached portion and at least a first exposable portion, wherein the attached portion is adhered to the first portion of the primary backing component by contact with the second surface of the adhesive layer underlying the first portion of the primary backing component, wherein the moveable body is unattached to the first exposable portion of the secondary backing,
• wherein the moveable body is selectively pivotally moveable relative to the first portion of the primary backing component, and
• wherein the first exposable portion of the secondary backing material of the first floor covering overlies and is welded to the first exposable portion of the secondary backing material of the second floor covering, thereby forming a continuous, substantially impermeable barrier.

A method of installing a floor covering, comprising:

• (a) laying down a first floor covering on a subfloor, the first floor covering comprising a secondary backing material having an attached portion and an exposable portion, wherein the attached portion is adhered to a first portion of a primary backing component by contact with an adhesive layer, and wherein a second portion of the primary backing component adjoins the first portion of the primary backing component of the first floor covering and is unattached from the secondary backing material of the first floor covering, wherein the second portion of the primary backing component at least partially overlies the exposable portion of the secondary backing material of the first floor covering, and wherein the exposable portion of the secondary backing material defines a portion of a first edge of the first floor covering;
• (b) laying down a second floor covering on the subfloor, the second floor covering comprising a secondary backing material having an attached portion and an exposable portion, wherein the attached portion is adhered to a first portion of a primary backing component by contact with an adhesive layer, and wherein a second portion of the primary backing component adjoins the first portion of the primary backing component of the second floor covering and is unattached from the secondary backing material of the second floor covering, wherein the second portion of the primary backing component at least partially overlies the exposable portion of the secondary backing material of the second floor covering, and wherein the exposable portion of the secondary backing material defines a portion of a first edge of the second floor covering;
• (c) overlapping the exposable portion of the secondary backing material of the first floor covering with the exposable portion of the secondary backing material of the second floor covering to form an overlapped edge region;
• and
• (d) applying heat to the overlapped edge region of the first floor covering and the second floor covering to weld the exposable portions of the secondary backing materials of the first and second floor coverings together.