Flooring profile

A method for making a flooring panel, comprising:

• providing at least one plank of flooring material, each plank comprising a pair of opposed side edges, a top surface and a bottom surface;
• forming a tongue connector member into and extending along at least one of the side edges of the pair of opposed side edges that is configured for preventing blemishing of a top surface of the flooring panel, the tongue connector member comprising:
• an upper shoulder and a lower shoulder;
• a top tongue contact surface;
• a bottom tongue contact surface;
• a distal peripheral surface extending between the respective top and bottom tongue contact surfaces;
• a displacement cavity defined at least partially by the top tongue contact surface and having a displacement axis;
• and
• an elongate recess defined and extending inwardly therein a portion of the top tongue contact surface and underlying the displacement cavity, wherein, in cross-section of the tongue connector member, the elongate recess has an elongate length dimension that has a centerline recess axis positioned at an acute angle relative to the displacement axis, and wherein a portion of the top tongue contact surface defining the displacement cavity defines a displaceable surface;
• and
• forming a groove connector member into and extending along a side edge opposite of the tongue, the groove connector member comprising an upper lip and a lower lip, wherein the groove connector member has an upper groove contact surface, a lower groove contact surface, and a wall surface extending between the respective upper and lower groove contact surfaces;
• wherein the tongue connector member and the groove connector member are configured to cooperatively couple with each other such that a distal end of the upper shoulder of a first flooring panel contacts a distal end of the upper lip of a second flooring panel upon coupling of the respective tongue and groove connector members of the respective first and second flooring panels to each other along adjacent side edges.

A method of assembling a floor, comprising:

• a. providing a plurality of planks of flooring material, each plank comprising:
• i. opposed pairs of substantially parallel side edges, a top surface, and a bottom surface;
• ii. a tongue connector member extending along at least one of the side edges of the pair of opposed side edges, the tongue connector member comprising:
• an upper shoulder;
• a lower shoulder;
• a top tongue contact surface;
• a bottom tongue contact surface;
• a displacement cavity defined at least partially by the top tongue contact surface and having a displacement axis;
• and
• an elongate recess defined and extending inwardly therein a portion of the top tongue contact surface and underlying the displacement cavity, wherein, in cross-section of the tongue connector member, the elongate recess has an elongate length dimension that has a centerline recess axis positioned at an acute angle relative to the displacement axis, wherein a portion of the top tongue contact surface defining the displacement cavity defines a displaceable surface, and wherein the displaceable surface is movable between a first position and a second position in which at least a portion of the displaceable surface is displaced into the displacement cavity and toward the displacement axis;
• and
• iii. a groove connector member defined in one side edge of at least one of the opposed pairs of side edges, the groove connector member comprising an upper lip and a lower lip,
• wherein the tongue connector member and the groove connector member are configured to cooperatively couple with each other such that a distal end of the upper shoulder of a first flooring panel contacts a distal end of the upper lip of a second flooring panel upon coupling of the respective tongue and groove connector members of the respective first and second flooring panels to each other along adjacent side edges;
• b. placing a first one of the plurality of planks on an installation surface, whereby the installation surface substantially underlies the bottom surface of the plank;
• c. driving at least one fastener therethrough a fastening surface of the elongate recess such that a portion of the fastener penetrates into the installation surface and such that a portion of the displaceable surface is displaced to the second position and is contained within the displacement cavity to prevent blemishing of the top surface of the flooring panel;
• d. placing a second one of the plurality of planks on the installation surface such that the groove connector member of the second plank cooperatively engages the tongue connector member of the first plank;
• and
• e. repeating steps (c) and (d) for additional planks until a total number of desired planks is achieved.