Hardwood flooring board and methods

Abstract

The present invention is a hardwood flooring board including a middle layer formed from a non-hardwood flooring material and a hardwood material upper layer which is secured to an upper surface of the middle layer that is thick enough to include decorative designs. The middle layer forms between 45% and 75% of the overall material of the board and enables the board to be manufactured to be more dimensionally stable, i.e., wider and longer, than conventional hardwood flooring boards such that the boards can be more uniformly constructed. Also the use of the non-hardwood material in the middle layer greatly increases the dimensional stability and long term performance of the flooring boards, while providing a genuine hardwood appearance to the floor. The board also includes a lower layer that can be formed from either a hardwood material or a non-hardwood material to function as a base for the board. The upper layer is secured to the middle layer by an adhesive that is urged into the openings or cracks in the upper layer during the assembly of the board to prevent the cracks from spreading through the upper layer when the boards are in use.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11 / 002,856 filed on Nov. 30, 2004, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 863,696, filed on Jun. 8, 2004 which claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60 / 563,638, the entirety of which are incorporated herein by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to flooring surfaces, more specifically to a flooring surface made of individual flooring boards secured to one another to form the flooring surface. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] In a large number of commercial and residential buildings, hardwood flooring surfaces are utilized to provide an aesthetically pleasing appearance to the interior of the building. In most instances, the flooring surface is formed from a number of flooring boards or planks engaged with one another to form the flooring surface. These boards are usually f...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention is an improved hardwood flooring that includes a conventional hardwood layer and a non-hardwood middle layer. The non-hardwood middle layer increases the dimensional stability of the board and is cost-effective. The non-hardwood material can be chosen to enhance various properties of the board. The upper layer is securely attached to the middle layer using an adhesive that prevents cracks from spreading through the veneer layer. The high-strength construction allows for sanding and precise milling after the boards are formed, and the resulting flooring surface requires only a light screening after installation. The board can also be formed with decorative features that enhance its appearance.

Problems solved by technology

However, while these hardwood flooring surfaces provide the desired appearance to the interior of the building, the natural characteristics of traditional solid wood flooring often create challenges during installation and can develop later effecting the long term performance of the floor.

While these boards are faster to install and can be less expensive, the quality of the hardwood appearance is often unsatisfactory, and long term performance is poor, as normal wear and tear can often damage the hardwood-appearing surface of the boards, exposing the non-hardwood material forming the board.

While these cracks initially do not mar the appearance of the veneer after it is used to form the flooring board, due to fluctuating humidity levels after installation, the cracks can propagate completely through the veneer layer and can break the smooth surface of the veneer, detrimentally effecting the appearance of the hardwood flooring board.

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