Unitized floor panel and method of laying the same

Abstract

A unitized floor panel is formed having at least one row comprising a plurality of unattached wooden tiles assembled in generally abutting relation. A layer of pressure sensitive adhesive covers at least a portion of the upper surface of the tiles and is in turn covered by a flexible and removeable support and protective sheet which covers the adhesive and tiles. The adhesive bond formed between the sheet and the adhesive is stronger than the bond formed between the adhesive and the tile so that the sheet and adhesive can be easily stripped from each panel when desired. The wooden tiles can either be finished or unfinished and can be formed from acrylic wood tiles arranged in parquet fashion. The cover sheet is preferably formed from either transparent plastic film or paper having a printed design corresponding to the design and arrangement of the tiles onto which it is positioned. The sheet can include perforations to control cure rate of the sub-flooring adhesive onto which the panels are placed. A method of laying these panels includes preparing the sub-floor onto which the panels are to be placed, spreading adhesive between the panels and the sub-floor, placing the panels onto the sub-floor and applying pressure onto the panels so that they generally conform to the sub-floor before self-levelling occurs. After the panels are placed and pressed onto the sub-floor the adhesive layer and flexible sheet may be stripped away from the upper surface of the panels thereafter without using water or other preparations when desired.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.