Methods to provide a floor covering

A method for manufacturing floor covering elements, said floor covering elements having a rectangular circumference with two pairs of mutually opposing sides, the method comprising:

• providing a floor covering at least by extruding a first layer of a PVC intermediate having a density of 1.7 kg/dm3 or above, calibrating said first layer in thickness by means of a calibration device, subsequently laminating thereto at least a decorative layer and a wear layer contacting said decorative layer and subsequently embossing said wear layer by means of an embossing roller, wherein said first layer comprises a first extruded PVC material, wherein said first extruded PVC material comprises polyvinylchloride or a copolymer of vinylchloride and vinyl acetate, has a Fikentscher K value in the range of 50 to 67, is free from plasticizers or comprises less than 6 phr of plasticizers and comprises at least 30 wt % of fillers, wherein said fillers are selected from the group consisting of calcium carbonate, talc and microspheres, wherein said first layer is non-foamed or foamed with a density reduction of less than 10% compared to the density of an equal volume of PVC which is free from hollow spaces;
• dividing the floor covering in at least two floor covering elements;
• providing said two floor covering elements, at least at a first pair of said two pairs of two mutually opposing sides with coupling means allowing said two floor covering elements to be coupled to each other while locking the sides in a vertical direction perpendicular to the plane of the floor covering elements, where at least one of said sides is provided with a tongue, the opposite side being provided with a groove fit for receiving said tongue.