Method of installing a floor covering underlayment composite over a subfloor

Abstract

A preglued underlayment assembly comprises a substantially rigid underlayment having an upper and a lower surface, a pressure sensitive adhesive layer disposed on the upper surface, and a release layer disposed on the adhesive layer. Another pressure sensitive adhesive layer and another release layer optionally are provided on the lower surface of the preglued underlayment. One or more performance enhancing layers, such as foam and solid layers, can be disposed between the underlayment and the adhesive layer to modify and/or enhance various properties of the preglued underlayment. Mechanical fasteners, such as staples, penetrate the preglued underlayment assembly and engage a structural support member to attach the preglued underlayment assembly thereto. A method of installing a surface covering over a structural support member utilizing the preglued underlayment assembly includes providing at least one preglued underlayment assembly made in accordance with the present invention, positioning the at least one preglued underlayment assembly on the structural support member, fastening the at least one preglued underlayment assembly to the structural support member, removing the release layer from the at least one preglued underlayment, and placing and pressing the surface covering onto the adhesive layer of the at least one preglued underlayment. The preglued underlayment assembly is fastened to the structural support member by the mechanical fasteners. Each mechanical fastener has a crown, and the crown is recessed within the preglued underlayment assembly such that the crown is substantially below the surface covering/adhesive interface to provide a substantially protrusion free surface covering.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A preglued underlayment assembly comprising: 
 a substantially rigid underlayment having an upper and a lower surface;    a pressure sensitive adhesive layer disposed on the upper surface; and    a release layer disposed on the adhesive layer.    
     
     
         2 . The preglued underlayment assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 another adhesive layer disposed on the lower surface of the underlayment and    another release layer disposed on the another adhesive layer.    
     
     
         3 . The preglued underlayment assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 at least one performance enhancing layer disposed between the underlayment and the adhesive layer.    
     
     
         4 . The preglued underlayment assembly as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the at least one performance enhancing layer is selected from the group consisting of a foam layer, a solid layer, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         5 . The preglued underlayment assembly as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the solid layer comprises a filled or unfilled polymeric film layer.  
     
     
         6 . The preglued underlayment assembly as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the solid layer comprises a cured fluid, resinous coating composition.  
     
     
         7 . The preglued underlayment assembly as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the solid layer comprises a melt processable resinous composition.  
     
     
         8 . The preglued underlayment assembly as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the solid layer comprises a polymeric film disposed on the upper surface of the underlayment.  
     
     
         9 . The preglued underlayment assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive is selected from the group consisting of an organic solvent-based adhesive, a water-based adhesive, a hot melt adhesive, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         10 . The preglued underlayment assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive is selected from the group consisting of organic solvent-based and water-based adhesives of styrene butadiene rubber, styrene isoprene rubber, polyisobutylene rubber, styrene-isoprene-styrene block copolymer rubber, styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymer rubber, natural rubber, acrylic homopolymers, acrylic copolymers, vinyl acetate copolymers, polyesters, polyurethanes, and asphalt, hot melt adhesives of amorphous polypropylene, polyisobutylene, ethylene vinyl acetate, polyesters, ethylene acrylic acid copolymers, styrene-isoprene-styrene block copolymer rubber, styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymer rubber, and polyurethane, tactifying resins of aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons and rosin esters, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         11 . The preglued underlayment assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the underlayment is selected from the group consisting of plywood, particleboard, oriented strand board, fiberboard, hardboard, fiber reinforced gypsum board, fiber cement board, cementitious backerboard, recycled material board, plastic board, and fiber/plastic composite board.  
     
     
         12 . The preglued underlayment assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the release layer is a release paper or a release film.  
     
     
         13 . The preglued underlayment assembly as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the release paper comprises a paper coated with a polymer or silicone coating.  
     
     
         14 . The preglued underlayment assembly as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the release film is selected from the group consisting of polyolefin copolymers, polyesters, polyamides, polyimides, and polyurethanes.  
     
     
         15 . The preglued underlayment assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 at least one mechanical fastener disposable through the release layer, the adhesive layer, and the underlayment for fastening the preglued underlayment assembly to a structural support member.    
     
     
         16 . The preglued underlayment assembly as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the at least one mechanical fastener is selected from the group consisting of staples, tacks, nails, screws, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         17 . The preglued underlayment assembly as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the at least one mechanical fastener is staple.  
     
     
         18 . A preglued underlayment assembly comprising: 
 a substantially rigid underlayment having an upper and a lower surface;    at least one performance enhancing layer disposed on the upper surface;    a pressure sensitive adhesive layer disposed on the performance layer; and    a release layer disposed on the adhesive layer.    
     
     
         19 . The preglued underlayment assembly as claimed in  claim 18 , further comprising: 
 another adhesive layer disposed on the lower surface of the underlayment and    another release layer disposed on the another adhesive layer.    
     
     
         20 . The preglued underlayment assembly as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the at least one performance enhancing layer is selected from the group consisting of a foam layer, a solid layer, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         21 . The preglued underlayment assembly as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the solid layer comprises a filled or unfilled polymeric film layer.  
     
     
         22 . The preglued underlayment assembly as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the solid layer comprises a cured fluid, resinous coating composition.  
     
     
         23 . The preglued underlayment assembly as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the solid layer comprises a melt processable resinous composition.  
     
     
         24 . The preglued underlayment assembly as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the solid layer comprises a polymeric disposed on the upper surface of the underlayment.  
     
     
         25 . The preglued underlayment assembly as aimed in  claim 18 , wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive is selected from the group consisting of an organic solvent-based adhesive, a water-based adhesive, a hot melt adhesive, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         26 . The preglued underlayment assembly as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive is selected from the group consisting of organic solvent-based and water-based adhesives of styrene butadiene rubber, styrene isoprene rubber, polyisobutylene rubber, styrene-isoprene-styrene block copolymer rubber, styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymer rubber, natural rubber, acrylic homopolymers, acrylic copolymers, vinyl acetate copolymers, polyesters, polyurethanes, and asphalt, hot melt adhesives of amorphous polypropylene, polyisobutylene, ethylene vinyl acetate, polyesters, ethylene acrylic acid copolymers, styrene-isoprene-styrene block copolymer rubber, styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymer rubber, and polyurethane, tactifying resins of aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons and rosin esters, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         27 . The preglued underlayment assembly as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the underlayment is selected from the group consisting of plywood, particleboard, oriented strand board, fiberboard, hardboard, fiber reinforced gypsum board, fiber cement board, cementitious backerboard, recycled material board, plastic board, and fiber/plastic composite board.  
     
     
         28 . The preglued underlayment assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the release layer is a release paper or a release film.  
     
     
         29 . The preglued underlayment assembly as claimed in  claim 28 , wherein the release paper comprises a paper coated with a polymer or silicone coating.  
     
     
         30 . The preglued underlayment assembly as claimed in  claim 28 , wherein the release film is selected from the group consisting of polyolefin copolymers, polyesters, polyamides, polyimides, and polyurethanes.  
     
     
         31 . The preglued underlayment assembly as claimed in  claim 18 , further comprising: 
 at least one mechanical fastener disposable through the release layer, the adhesive layer, the at least one performance enhancing layer, and the underlayment for fastening preglued underlayment assembly to a structural support member.    
     
     
         32 . The preglued underlayment assembly as claimed in  claim 31 , wherein the at least one mechanical fastener is selected from the group consisting of staples, tacks, nails, screws, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         33 . The preglued underlayment assembly as claimed in  claim 31 , wherein the at least one mechanical fastener is a staple.  
     
     
         34 . A method of installing a surface covering over a structural support member comprising: 
 providing at least one preglued underlayment assembly comprising a substantially rigid underlayment having an upper and a lower surface, a pressure sensitive adhesive layer disposed on the upper surface, and a release layer disposed on the adhesive layer;    positioning the at least one preglued underlayment assembly on the structural support member;    fastening the at least one preglued underlayment assembly to the structural support member;    removing the release layer from the at least one preglued underlayment; and    placing and pressing the surface covering onto the adhesive layer of the at least one preglued underlayment.    
     
     
         35 . The method as claimed in  claim 34 , wherein the step of fastening the at least one preglued underlayment assembly to the structural support member comprises fastening the at least one preglued underlayment assembly to the structural support member with at least one mechanical fastener.  
     
     
         36 . The method as claimed in  claim 35 , wherein the at least one mechanical fastener has a crown and the crown is recessed within the preglued underlayment, whereby the crown is at least substantially flush with the surface covering/adhesive interface and the surface covering is substantially protrusion free.  
     
     
         37 . The method as claimed in  claim 35 , wherein the at least one mechanical fastener has a crown and the at least one mechanical fastener is driven through the release layer to a position whereby the crown is between a plane containing the major portion of the release layer and the lower surface.  
     
     
         38 . The method as claimed in  claim 36 , wherein the crown of the at least one mechanical fastener is driven through the release layer to a position between the upper surface and the lower surface.  
     
     
         39 . The method as claimed in  35 , wherein the at least one mechanical fastener is selected from the group consisting of staples, tacks, nails, screws, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         40 . The method as claimed in  claim 35 , wherein the at least one mechanical fastener is at least one staple.  
     
     
         41 . The method as claimed in  claim 34 , wherein the at least one preglued underlayment assembly further comprises another pressure sensitive adhesive layer disposed on the lower surface of the underlayment and another release layer disposed on the another adhesive layer, and the step of fastening the at least one preglued underlayment assembly to the structural support member comprises removing the release layer and contacting the another adhesive layer with the structural support member.  
     
     
         42 . The method as claimed in  claim 34 , wherein the step of removing the release layer comprises: 
 fitting the surface covering for installation over the release layer;    raising the surface covering from a position vertically above the release layer; and    removing the release layer from the at least one preglued underlayment.    
     
     
         43 . A method of installing a surface covering over a structural support member comprising: 
 providing at least one preglued underlayment assembly comprising a substantially rigid underlayment having an upper and a lower surface, at least one performance enhancing layer disposed on the upper surface, a pressure sensitive adhesive layer disposed on the at least one performance enhancing layer, and a release layer disposed on the adhesive layer;    positioning the at least one preglued underlayment assembly on the structural support member;    fastening the at least one preglued underlayment assembly to the structural support member;    removing the release layer from the at least one preglued underlayment; and    placing and pressing the surface covering onto the adhesive layer of the at least one preglued underlayment.    
     
     
         44 . The method as claimed in  claim 43 , wherein the step of fastening the at least one preglued underpayment assembly to the structural support member comprises fastening the at least one preglued underlayment assembly to the structural support member with at least one mechanical fastener.  
     
     
         45 . The method as claimed in  claim 44 , wherein the at least one mechanical fastener has a crown and the crown is recessed within the preglued underlayment, whereby the crown is at least substantially flush with the surface covering/adhesive interface and the surface covering is substantially protrusion free.  
     
     
         46 . The method as claimed in  44 , wherein the at least one mechanical fastener is selected from the group consisting of staples, tacks, nails, screws, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         47 . The method as claimed in  claim 44 , wherein the at least one mechanical fastener is at least one staple.  
     
     
         48 . The method as claimed in  claim 43 , wherein the at least one preglued underlayment assembly further comprises another pressure sensitive adhesive layer disposed on the lower surface of the underlayment and another release layer disposed on the another adhesive layer, and the step of fastening the at least one preglued underlayment assembly to the structural support member comprises removing the release layer and contacting the another adhesive layer with the structural support member.  
     
     
         49 . The method as claimed in  claim 43 , wherein the step of removing the release layer comprises: 
 fitting the surface covering for installation over the release layer;    raising the surface covering from a position vertically above the release layer; and    removing the release layer from the at least one preglued underlayment.    
     
     
         50 . A preglued underlayment/substrate system comprising: 
 a substantially rigid underlayment having an upper and a lower surface;    a pressure sensitive adhesive layer disposed on the upper surface;    a release layer disposed on the adhesive layer;    at least one mechanical fastener, the at least one mechanical fastener having a crown; and a substrate;    wherein the underlayment is fastened to the substrate with the lower surface of the underlayment adjacent the substrate, and the crown being positioned between the upper surface and the lower surface of the underlayment.    
     
     
         51 . The preglued underlayment/substrate system as claimed in  claim 50 , further comprising at least one performance enhancing layer disposed between the adhesive layer and the underlayment.  
     
     
         52 . The preglued underlayment/substrate system as claimed in  claim 50 , further comprising: 
 another pressure sensitive adhesive layer disposed on the lower surface of the underlayment; and    another release layer disposed on the another adhesive layer.