GB2193238A

GB2193238A - Wood mosaic flooring

Info

Publication number: GB2193238A
Application number: GB08717886A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alan Frederick Roe
Original assignee: Atkinson & Kirby Ltd
Current assignee: Atkinson & Kirby Ltd
Priority date: 1986-07-29
Filing date: 1987-07-28
Publication date: 1988-02-03
Also published as: GB8717886D0; GB8618482D0

Abstract

A wood mosaic flooring panel is made-up of a plurality of wood fingers 3. The upper surface of the panel is finished (i.e. sanded and/or stained/sealed) and has a peelable film releasably adhered to it to hold the fingers together as a panel. The adhesive allows the film to be peeled-off without the application of a solvent. A clear plastics film is preferred. The arrangement overcomes problems with tramlining and/or matching/alignment difficulties. A figure comprising a planar base with a peripheral lip part (15,17) of which is movable in order to clamp a flooring panel is also disclosed. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Wood mosaic flooring The present invention relates to wood mosaic flooring and in particular to wood mosaic panels for forming wooden floor coverings.

For convenience of handling and laying wood mosaic flooring, a plurality of fingers, arranged in a desired pattern, are formed into a sub-assembly or panel. Three methods of locating the individual fingers in a panel relative to one another are known.

In the first, the fingers are assembled and adhered onto a bitumenised felt which forms the underside of the panel. The panel can then be stuck down as a unit to the floor surface to be covered with the wood mosaic. With this type of panel, the boards can be presanded, even pre-sealed. The disadvantages with such an arrangement is that changes in temperature, but especially humidity and moisture content of the room, causes expansion and contraction of the individual wood fingers, but because they are located on the felt backing, any movement of the fingers tends to cause movement of the panel as a whole.

This often gives rise to tram line effects between adjacent panels. This is clearly undesirable.

in another method a paper sheet is glued using a water based adhesive over the top face of the individual fingers to hold them in a panel. The uncovered underside of the fingers can then be glued directly to the floor to be covered. This has the advantage that each finger is a discrete component of the floor and so tram lining is avoided. After laying the paper is removed by soaking the paper in water to soften the glue and allow the paper to be removed. The fingers of said panels are not supplied pre-sanded or pre-finished. Indeed, this is not possible where the water based adhesive is used as the water applied to kiln dried timber distorts the wood. Accordingly, the laying process with paper faced panels is laborious, with the need for soaking, facing removal, drying, sanding and sealing of the wood block floor.A further disadvantage of the paper facing is that the face features of the panel, such as grain and/or colouring cannot be examined for matching purposes during laying. The third method is a mesh backed panel, whereby the fingers of the panel are held together by a thin cotton type element on the underneath of the panel in a fishnet type design. The panels are supplied presanded. The obvious advantages are that like paper faced panels the individual fingers are laid directly in the adhesive, thus theoretically allowing individual finger movement (although this is not always the case). The great disadvantage is that during cutting of the panels (for laying in areas where shaping of the panels is required), the individual fingers become detached from the body of the panel very easily, particularly if a power saw is employed.Obviously this can be dangerous and extremely labour intensive. It has also been noted that because the mesh is not pliable and will not expand and contract to the same degree as the timber, panel shrinkage, i.e.

tramlining can occur.

The present invention aims to provide a wood mosaic panel which overcomes the above mentioned difficulties.

According to the present invention then, there is provided a wood mosaic panel comprising a plurality of discrete wood fingers arranged in a desired pattern and defining an under surface of the panel and an upper surface, wherein at least said upper face is presanded and wherein a peelable film is adhered to said pre-sanded upper face to locate said fingers in said desired pattern as part of said panel to allow said fingers to be laid as a panel in forming a floor covering.

We prefer to use a non-water soluble adhesive for securing the peelable film in position and conveniently, said peelable film uses a solvent based acrylic adhesive applied thereto for securing the film releasably to the surface of the fingers. It is particularly convenient if the film is made of a plastics material. We have found that a film of 100 microns in thickness is quite suitable and we also prefer to use a clear plastics film through which the upper surface of the panel is visible.

The panels can be made up in any convenient desired pattern and shape. Examples of traditional block floor patterns are, basket, herringbone, ladder, double herringbone, basket weave, and brick.

The basket pattern is particularly convenient and popular, and in that instance a typical panel will be 18 inches square (approximately 45cm square). We prefer to use sixteen sub panels made up of 5 individual fingers (41/2" x 7/8") (11.48cm x 2.23cm). Thus a panel contains 80 fingers.

There is proposed a method of forming a wood mosaic panel from a plurality of wood fingers in which said fingers are placed in the desired pattern with their under surface on a planar base of a shape and size corresponding to the panel configuration and defined by a peripheral lip, and where often a peelable film is applied to the exposed surface of the fingers to locate them together as a panel. We prefer to sand the exposed surface of the panels and apply any desired stain and/or sealer before application of the peelable film.

We prefer to clamp the fingers in position to facilitate sanding and/or application of the peelable film.

We also propose a jig for use in producing the aforementioned mosaic panel.

In making our panels, we place the individual fingers in the desired pattern into a jig, which has a planar base, and the shape and size (certainly no larger) of the panel to be formed and defined by a raised peripheral lip.

We prefer to have the lip extend upwardly from the base by less than the depth of the fingers which is typically 1/4 inch (6.35mm) say by approximately 75% of that depth. We prefer to have the lips provide a clamping force on the fingers. In one embodiment two of the adjacent lips, i.e. those at right angles to one another are fixedly secured in position whilst, the other two are adjustably secured to the jig base, conveniently using a cam action clamp device. With the fingers in position, the two adjustable lips are tightened against the fingers to hold them into the desired shape and position.

The exposed surface of the fingers may then be sanded flat prior to adhering thereto of the peelable facing sheet to hold the fingers into a panel. It is preferred to use wood for the clamping lips or a relatively soft metal, as this exhibits the desired qualities of flexibility and resilience to hold the individual fingers sufficiently tightly for sanding purposes without too much loading which could otherwise cause distortion of the fingers and springing out of the jig.

The present invention will now be described further, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings; in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a preferred panel according to the present invention, Figure 2 is a side view of the panel of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a plan view of a jig for forming the panel of Figures 1 and 2, Figure 4 is a sectional view on line IV-IV of Figure 3.

A plan view of a wood mosaic panel of basket pattern is shown in Figure 1. It comprises a plurality of wooden fingers 3 arranged in blocks of five. The panel is made of sixteen blocks 5 in the illustrated embodiment arranged 4 x 4. The fingers of adjacent blocks are orientated oppositely to one another i.e. turned through 90 degrees.

Each of the fingers is accurately cut and sanded to the desired shape and dimensions.

In one convenient embodiment a panel size of 18 inches square (45cm square) is employed.

In forming a panel 1 it is convenient to use a jig 7 such as that illustrated in Figure 8.

This has a base 9 which is flat and which is square and accurately cut to the size and shape required for the panel. It is provided with a peripheral lip, upstanding from the flat surface of the base 9. The lip is comprised of two fixed members 11, 13 secured relative to the base, and two movable lip members 15, 17. These are located adjustably relative to the side of the base 9. Conveniently guides 19 are employed on which the lip members 15, 17 are slidable, and a clamp means 21, conveniently a cam arrangement as illustrated, is operable to act on the lip member to urge it towards the adjacent base edge.

Alternatively, the clamp means may comprise a nut and bolt arrangement, say with the guides 19 threaded and passing through a hole in the lip member, onto which a wing nut is threaded and which can be used to urge the lip member towards the base. In the illustration, the lip members 15, 17 are separate members. An alternative is to secure them together at the adjacent corner so forming an Lshape and to have this guided for sliding movement diagonally to the two sides of the base, say along the line D. The lip members project above the base by a distance less than the depth of the wooden fingers so that the upper face of the fingers stand proud of the lip.

In use, the wooden fingers 8 are assembled in the desired pattern within the jig, with what will be the upper surface of the panel uppermost. With all the fingers in position, the lip members 15, 17 are brought into contact with the fingers at the edge of the base and sufficient force exerted to locate them in position.

The lip members are conveniently made of wood as this gives a certain amount of resilience sufficient to accommodate slight variations in aggregate dimensions of the fingers making up the panel along the length of the sides. An alternative is to employ metal for the lip members, and to have a resilient contact face, such as cork or a plastics material.

Once the fingers are held in position, the upper surface can be sanded to a flat finish as required, and if necessary any stain or sealer applied and allowed to dry, before finaliy a peelable film 29 (shown spaced above in figure 2 for convenience) is applied over the pre-sanded upper surface and adhered thereto.

A suitable film is 100 microns thick plastics having a solvent based acrylic adhesive applied thereto. Of course, other thicknesses of mateial can be used. The film is preferably precut to the size of the panel (45cm sq.) or preferably just less (say 40cm sq.) and has a releasable backing sheet covering the adhesive, which is removed prior to application of the adhesive plastics film to the upper surface of the panel.

By the above described means the individual wooden fingers are held into the desired panel configuration ready for application to the floor to be covered with the wood mosaic. Adhesive is applied to the floor surface, and the mosaic panel laid onto the adhesive, so that each finger is secured individually in place to the floor even though held together in a panel at the time of laying. The facing film is then peeled off leaving the finished surface.

A further advantage arises where the facing sheet is made of clear plastics as the colouring and marking of the upper surface is visible, and the best panel can be chosen for a particular application. Alignment is also aided as the iocation and orientation of the individual fingers and the blocks is clearly visible.

Of course, the facing sheet may be made of opaque material, even paper providing the adhesive allows it to be peeled off after laying of the mosaic panel.

By providing a pre-sanded panel, the speed of laying is increased and by placing the finger locating means on the upper face, each finger is located individually to the subfloor, so avoiding tram lining and associated problems where relatively rigid and fixed base fingers locating means are employed.

The above invention has been described with reference to a panel which is square, with straight edges, this being convenient with a basket mosaic panel. It is envisaged that alternative shapes of panel can also be used, indeed this would be obligatory for good appearance, where other patterns were used such as herringbone, ladder, basket weave etc. and would call for at least two opposite edges to be other than straight, so that a plurality of panels can be laid on a floor interlockingly, to give the overall desired pattern.

In such circumstances the jig would be shaped to correspond to the shape of the desired pattern, and the facing sheet would be likewise shaped to correspond.

Whilst the invention has been particularly described with reference to a panel of basket pattern with sixteen sub panels each having five fingers, this is but one convenient example. There are occasions when we prefer to alter the number of fingers-even the number of sub panels. One alternative utilises six fingers in each sub panel. Another uses 9 sub panels, each with six fingers.

Claims

1. A wood mosaic panel comprising a plurality of wood fingers arranged in a desired pattern and defining an under surface of the panel and an upper surface, wherein at least said upper face is pre-sanded and wherein a peelable film is adhered to said pre-sanded upper face to locatq said fingers in said desired pattern as part of said panel to allow said fingers to be laid as a panel in forming a floor covering.

2. A wood mosaic panel as claimed in claim 1 in which a solvent based acrylic adhesive is used to secure the peelable film releasably to the surface of the fingers.

3. A wood mosaic panel as claimed in claim 2 in which the adhesive is applied to the film.

4. A wood mosaic panel as claimed in any one of claims 1, 2 or 3 in which the film is a plastics material.

5. A wood mosaic panel as claimed in claim 4 in which the film is clear at least sufficiently so to allow the upper surface of the panel to be visible therethrough.

6. A wood mosaic panel as claimed in any one of claims 1, 2 or 3 in which the film is a paper based material.

7. A wood mosaic panel as claimed in any one of the preceding claims having the wood fingers arranged in a desired pattern such as basket, herringbone, ladder, double herringbone, basket weave or brick.

8. A wood mosaic panel as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 in which the fingers are arranged in basket pattern and comprising sixteen sub panels with 5 or 6 fingers in each.

9. A wood mosaic panel constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings of figures 1 and 2.

10. A method of forming a wood mosaic panel from a plurality of wood fingers in which said fingers are placed in the desired pattern with their under surface in a planar base of a shape and size corresponding to the panel configuration and defined by a peripheral lip, and whereafter a peelable film is applied to the exposed surface of the fingers to retain them together as a panel.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10 in which prior to applying the peelable film the exposed surface of the fingers is sanded flat and any desired stain and/or sealer applied.

12. A method as claimed in claims 10 or 11 in which the fingers are held in the desired pattern to facilitate application of the peelable film and/or sanding/sealing, by a clamping force applied through said peripheral lip.

13. A method of forming a wood mosaic panel substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

14. A jig for use in forming a wood mosaic panel from a plurality of discrete wood fingers comprising a planar base substantially of the same shape and size of the panel to be formed and defined by a peripheral lip extending upwardly from the base, and wherein a part or parts of said peripheral lip are movable relative to fixed part or parts, and clamping means operable on said movable part or parts to facilitate holding of the fingers in position.

15. A jig as claimed in claim 14 in which the peripheral lip has a height less than the depth of the fingers to permit sanding of the exposed surface of the fingers.

16. A jig as claimed in claims 14 or 15 in which the planar base is square with the peripheral lips to two adjacent sides being fixed and thereto opposite being movable.

17. A jig as claimed in claim 16 in which the two movable lips are movable independently.

18. A jig as claimed in claim 16 in which the two movable lips are secured together and moved as a whole.

19. A jig as claimed in claim 18 in which the lips are moved diagonally relative to the direction of the sides, preferably on a line intersecting opposite corners.

20. A jig as claimed in any one of claims 14 to 19 in which the lips have wood or other material at the point of contact with the fingers to hold them.

21. A jig for forming a wood mosaic panel substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings of figures 3 and 4.