Flush or near-flush flooring transitions

Abstract

The invention is a joint cover assembly for covering a gap adjacent an edge of a panel that covers a sub-surface, and a method of covering such a gap. The assembly can be installed to be a flush or near-flush arrangement with adjacent flooring elements.

1 . An assembly for covering a gap adjacent a first flooring element comprising:
 at least one track, said at least one track comprising a substantially planar section and an upstanding section, said upstanding section defining a groove; and   a molding component, comprising an upper section and at least one depending section;   wherein said at least one depending section is sized and shaped to fit in said groove.   
   
   
       2 . The assembly of  claim 1 , comprising two tracks and wherein said molding component comprises two depending sections, wherein each of said depending sections is sized and shaped to fit in one of said grooves. 
   
   
       3 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said molding component is a T-molding. 
   
   
       4 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said upper section and said at least one depending section are substantially perpendicular. 
   
   
       5 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said substantially planar section and said upstanding section are substantially perpendicular. 
   
   
       6 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said molding component comprises a first material selected from the group consisting of fiberboard, flaxboard, metal, composites, gypsum, strandboard, plywood, wood, plastic, stone, high density reinforced plaster, cork and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       7 . The assembly of  claim 6 , wherein said molding component comprises a second material affixed to said first material and forming an exposed surface of said upper section, wherein said second material is at least one selected from the group consisting of paint, varnish, polyurethane, hard surfaces, laminate, veneer, foil, paper, vinyl, metal, composites, plastic, ceramic and wood tiles. 
   
   
       8 . The assembly of  claim 7 , wherein said second material has a décor which matches a décor of said first flooring element. 
   
   
       9 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said second material has a surface texture which enhances a visual pattern thereof. 
   
   
       10 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said upper section of said molding component has a length corresponding to:
 ((a width of said upstanding section)×4)+((a width of said groove)×2).   
   
   
       11 . The assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a reducer, sized and shaped to mate with a second track. 
   
   
       12 . The assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the reducer transforms the assembly into a hard surface reducer. 
   
   
       13 . The assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the reducer transforms the assembly into an end molding. 
   
   
       14 . The assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the reducer transforms the assembly into a stair nose. 
   
   
       15 . The assembly of  claim 11 , further comprising a shim, positioned between said reducer and said second track. 
   
   
       16 . The assembly of  claim 11 , wherein said reducer comprises joining elements sized and shaped to mate with joining elements positioned on said second track. 
   
   
       17 . The assembly of  claim 11 , wherein said reducer comprises an outer face comprising at least one material selected from the group consisting of paint, varnish, polyurethane, hard surfaces, laminate, veneer, foil, paper, vinyl, metal, composites, plastic, ceramic and wood tiles. 
   
   
       18 . The assembly of  claim 11 , wherein an exposed surface of said upper section molding component comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of paint, varnish, polyurethane, hard surfaces, laminate, veneer, foil, paper, vinyl, metal, composites, plastic, ceramic and wood tiles, wherein said material of said exposed surface of said upper section of said molding component matches said material of said outer face of said reducer. 
   
   
       19 . The assembly of  claim 18 , wherein said molding component matches said material of said outer face of said reducer in at least one of décor and texture. 
   
   
       20 . A floor comprising:
 a first flooring element having a substantially planar upper surface and the assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said upper section of said molding component and said upper surface of said flooring element are substantially co-planar.   
   
   
       21 . A structure comprising the floor of  claim 20 , wherein the structure is selected from the group consisting of a residential structure, a commercial structure, a public structure and an industrial structure. 
   
   
       22 . The floor of  claim 11 , further comprising a second flooring element having a substantially planar upper surface, wherein said upper surface of said second flooring element and said upper section of said molding component are substantially co-planar. 
   
   
       23 . A floor comprising:
 a flooring element having a upper surface with a texture; and   molding, said molding comprising:
 a longitudinal carrier comprising:
 at least one selected from the group consisting of fibre board, wood, wood veneer, and metal; and 
 an upper surface with a texture; 
 
   wherein said texture of said flooring element is aligned with and extends to said texture of said molding.   
   
   
       24 . A molding component comprising:
 a longitudinal carrier and   a decorative surface affixed thereon,   wherein said decorative surface comprises a texture in register with an underlying visual pattern.   
   
   
       25 . The molding component of  claim 24 , wherein said decorative surface is embossed-in-register. 
   
   
       26 . A structure comprising a floor comprising the molding of  claim 24 , wherein the structure is selected from the group consisting of a residential structure, a commercial structure, a public structure and an industrial structure.