Installation comprising a polymeric grout for bonding tiles to each other and an underlayment to produce a floating floor and method of manufacture

Abstract

A floating floor tile installation and method of manufacturing the tile installation are provided. The floating floor tile installation contains tiles bonded together with a polymeric grout on an underlayment. The tile installation provides for a fast and economic method of installing a floating tile floor over an existing floor.

1 . A tile installation comprising an underlayment and at least two tiles bonded with a polymeric grout to produce a floating floor. 
     
     
         2 . The tile installation as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the underlayment is a rigid material, a flexible material or an adhesive material and wherein the underlayment is optionally a moisture barrier. 
     
     
         3 . The tile installation as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the at least two tiles bonded with a polymeric grout are bonded to the underlayment with a polymeric grout, an adhesive or an adhesive tape. 
     
     
         4 . The tile installation as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the at least two tiles bonded with a polymeric grout are not bonded to the underlayment. 
     
     
         5 . The tile installation as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the polymeric grout is non-porous, water-proof, mildew resistant and stain resistant. 
     
     
         6 . The tile installation as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the polymeric grout is at least one selected from the group consisting of a urethane grout, an epoxy grout, a polyester grout or an acrylic grout. 
     
     
         7 . The tile installation as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the at least two tiles are selected from the group consisting of ceramic tiles, porcelain tile, terra cotta tile, marble tiles, concrete tile, metal tile, plastic tile, granite tile, slate tile, wood tile, glass tile, engineered stone tile and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The tile installation as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the underlayment is at least one selected from the group consisting of plywood, wood particle board, wood planking, a metal sheet, cement, a fiber glass sheet, a plastic sheet, a foam sheet, a composite sheet and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The tile installation as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the underlayment is a composite comprising a polymeric resin and a fibrous material. 
     
     
         10 . The tile installation as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the polymeric resin is at least one selected from the group consisting of polyester resin, epoxy resin, urethane resin, polysulfone resin, polyphenylsulfone resin, polyethersulfone resin, polyphthalamide resin, polyaryiamide resin, polyphenylene sulfide resin, aromatic polyketone resin, polyamide-imide resin, polycarbonate resin, styrenic resin, ABS resin, acrylic resin and PET resin. 
     
     
         11 . The tile installation as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the fibrous material is at least one selected from the group consisting of synthetic fibers such as but not limited to fiber-glass, carbon fiber, polyethylene fiber, polypropylene fiber, nylon fiber, polyester fiber, and polyamide fiber and natural fibers such as but not limited to hemp, cotton fiber, linen fiber, wool fiber, and combinations synthetic and natural fibers thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The tile installation as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the underlayment is a composite comprising a cement material and a fibrous material. 
     
     
         13 . The tile installation as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a decorative particle covering and bonded to or dispersed in to the polymeric grout. 
     
     
         14 . The tile installation as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the decorative particle is at least one selected from the group consisting natural materials such as sand, minerals, crushed stone, crushed shell, metal flake, titanium dioxide and natural pigments and synthetic materials such as ceramic and ceramic coated particles, crushed glass, synthetic pigments and cured resin particulates such as polyester flake, and combinations of natural and synthetic materials thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The tile installation as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the underlayment is an adhesive and the adhesive is at least one selected from the group consisting of Plioseal®, urethane adhesives and epoxy adhesives. 
     
     
         16 . A method of manufacturing the tile installation as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising:
 placing an underlayment over an existing floor;   placing at least two tiles separated by a space on the underlayment;   applying an uncured polymeric grout in the space between at least two tiles;   optionally striking the polymeric grout to give a desired contour and allowing the uncured polymeric grout to cure to produce the tile installation as a floating floor.   
     
     
         17 . The method of manufacturing the tile installation as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein a spacer is utilized to provide the space separating the at least two tiles. 
     
     
         18 . The method of manufacturing the tile installation as claimed in  claim 16 , further comprising bonding the at least two tiles to the underlayment prior to applying the polymeric grout. 
     
     
         19 . The method of manufacturing the tile installation as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the underlayment and the at least two tiles are not bonded together. 
     
     
         20 . The method of manufacturing the tile installation as claimed in  claim 16 , further comprising applying a decorative particle to the uncured polymeric grout in the space between the at least two tiles wherein the decorative particle is bonded to the polymeric grout after curing. 
     
     
         21 . The method of manufacturing the tile installation as claimed in  claim 16 , further comprising taping or applying a flexible film to the surface of at least two tiles prior to applying the uncured polymeric grout and removing the tape or film after the polymeric grout is applied into the space between the at least two tiles before the polymeric grout cures. 
     
     
         22 . The method of manufacturing the tile installation as claimed in  claim 16 , further comprising application of a release agent to the tile surface prior to applying the uncured polymeric grout and then removing the excess partially cured polymeric grout from the surface of the tile followed by removal of the release agent after the polymeric grout is completely cured. 
     
     
         23 . The method of manufacturing the tile installation as claimed in  claim 16 , further comprising of preformed tile sections manufactured according to the method in  claim 16 .