Floor covering and locking systems

Abstract

Floorboards with a mechanical locking system that allows movement between the floorboards when they are joined to form a floating floor.

1 . A semi-floating floor comprises rectangular floorboards joined with a mechanical locking system and in which locking system the joined floorboards have a horizontal plane which is parallel to a floor surface and a vertical plane which is perpendicular to the horizontal plane, said locking system having mechanically cooperating locks for vertical joining parallel to the vertical plane and for horizontal joining parallel to the horizontal plane of a first and a second joint edge and in which locking system a vertical lock comprising a tongue which cooperates with a tongue groove and the horizontal lock comprising a locking element with a locking surface which cooperates with a locking groove, wherein the format, installation pattern and locking system of the floorboards are designed in such a manner that a floor surface of 1*1 meter can change in length ΔTL in at least one direction at least 1 mm when the floorboards are subjected to a compressive and a tensile load in the horizontal plane, and that this change in length ΔTL can occur without visible joint gaps.  
   
   
       2 . The semi-floating floor as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the width of the floorboards does not exceed about 120 mm.  
   
   
       3 . The semi-floating floor as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein there is an average play in the locking system of at least about 0.1 mm when the boards are subjected to a compressive and a tensile load in the horizontal plane.  
   
   
       4 . The semi-floating floor as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the floorboards are joined long side against short side.  
   
   
       5 . The semi-floating floor as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the floorboards have a surface layer of laminate, and that parts of the surface layer on at least one joint edge have been removed.  
   
   
       6 . The semi-floating floor as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein a surface layer is laminate or wood veneer, the core of the floorboard is a wood based board, the change in floor length ΔTL is at least 1.0 mm when a force F of 100 kg/m of the joint edge is used, the change in floor length ΔTL is at least 1.5 mm when a force F of 200 kg/m of the joint edge is used, the average joint gaps do not exceed 0.15 mm when the force F is 100 kg/m of joint edge and they do not exceed 0.20 mm when the force F is 200 kg/m of joint edge.  
   
   
       7 . The semi-flooring floor as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the wood based board is MDF or HDF.