Flooring system

An elongated flooring member for use in a flooring system for a substantially planar base surface, the flooring member comprising:

• an elongated body portion having a first edge and a second edge opposite said first edge, said first edge defining a first engagement portion and said second edge defining a second engagement portion;
• said first engagement portion defining an elongated channel extending generally transversely into said first flooring member and generally parallel to said base surface, and said first engagement portion defining a downwardly extending barb adjacent to said channel;
• and
• said second engagement portion having an elongated tongue extending outwardly from said second edge, said tongue defining a transversely extending tapered-in end portion projecting outwardly substantially parallel to said base surface and an upper surface, and said upper surface defining a longitudinally extending groove adjacent said second edge.

A method of installing a flooring system for use on a substantially planar base surface, comprising:

• providing a first flooring member on said base surface having an elongated first engagement portion with an elongated channel extending generally transversely into said first flooring member and generally parallel to said base surface and a downwardly extending barb adjacent to said channel;
• providing a second flooring member having an elongated second engagement portion with an elongated tongue receivable in said channel, said tongue defining a transversely extending tapered-in end portion projecting outwardly substantially parallel to said base surface, and an elongated groove for receiving said barb;
• and
• moving one of said first and second engagement portions toward the other of said first and second engagement portions laterally such that said tongue is received in said channel and said barb is received in said groove, thereby substantially fixing said first and second flooring members against lateral movement away from one another.

Method of installing and removing a flooring system, comprising:

• (a) installing the flooring system by:
• (i) providing a first flooring member having a first engagement portion with an elongated channel extending generally transversely into said first flooring member and generally parallel to said base surface and a downwardly extending barb adjacent to said channel;
• (ii) providing a second flooring member having a second engagement portion with an elongated tongue receivable in said channel, said tongue defining a transversely extending tapered-in end portion projecting outwardly substantially parallel to said base surface, and an elongated groove for receiving said barb;
• and
• (iii) moving one of said first and second engagement portions laterally towards the other of said first and second engagement portions such that said tongue is received in said channel and said barb is received in said groove, thereby substantially fixing said first and second flooring members against lateral movement away from one another;
• and
• (b) removing the flooring system by:
• (i) simultaneously elevating said first and second engagement portions;
• (ii) rotating said second flooring member downwardly with respect to said first flooring member such that said barb becomes disengaged with said groove, and said tongue become disengaged with said channel;
• and
• (iii) moving said second flooring member laterally with respect to said first flooring member for disengaging said first and second engagement portions from one another.

A method of forming an engagement portion of a flooring member, the method comprising:

• providing an elongated flooring member having a substantially horizontally disposed surface, a bottom surface, and a substantially vertical edge portion adjacent thereto;
• forming a substantially vertical groove from said bottom surface upward in said edge portion to form a downwardly projecting barb portion using a rotating cutting tool;
• and
• forming a substantially horizontal groove with a rotating cutting tool in said vertical edge portion substantially perpendicular to said vertical groove to thereby form a transversely extending channel in said substantially vertical edge portion having said barb projecting downwardly from said edge into said channel.

A method of forming an engagement portion of a flooring member, the method comprising:

• providing an elongated flooring member having a substantially horizontally disposed surface and a substantially vertical edge portion adjacent thereto;
• forming an outwardly projecting tongue in said vertical edge portion with a rotating cutting tool, said tongue defining a transversely extending tapered-in end portion projecting outwardly and substantially parallel to said horizontally disposed surface and extending substantially perpendicularly with respect to said vertical edge portion;
• and
• forming a longitudinal groove in said tongue adjacent and substantially parallel to said vertical edge portion.