Variable texture floor covering

Abstract

A floor covering has an exposed surface with substantially the same gloss level and at least two portions having different tactile surface characteristics. The difference in the tactile surface characteristics between the two portions is at least an average RPc of 4. The floor covering includes a substrate and a high performance coating overlying the substrate. The high performance coating comprises texture particles, which may be organic polymer particles. The floor covering is made by forming a high performance coating including the texture particles on a substrate, at least partially curing the high performance coating, and then while controlling the temperature of the high performance coating below the melting point temperature or softening point temperature of the texture particles and above the temperature at which the texture particles deform under the applied mechanical embossing pressure, subjecting the first and second portions to different mechanical embossing conditions.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A floor covering, comprising:
 a variable tactile surface comprising a coating and texture particles;   wherein the coating is partially cured to a uniform gloss, and   wherein the texture particles include polyetheretherketone particles, polyimide particles, nylon particles, polytetrafluoroethylene particles, or polycarbonate particles.   
     
     
         2 . The floor covering of  claim 1 , wherein the texture particles include the etheretherketone particles. 
     
     
         3 . The floor covering of  claim 1 , wherein the texture particles include the polyimide particles. 
     
     
         4 . The floor covering of  claim 1 , wherein the texture particles include the nylon particles. 
     
     
         5 . The floor covering of  claim 1 , wherein the texture particles include the polytetrafluoroethylene particles. 
     
     
         6 . The floor covering of  claim 1 , wherein the texture particles include the polycarbonate particles. 
     
     
         7 . The floor covering of  claim 1 , wherein the coating is positioned on a substrate. 
     
     
         8 . The floor covering of  claim 1 , wherein the coating is deform under an applied mechanical embossing pressure. 
     
     
         9 . The floor covering of  claim 1 , wherein the variable tactile surface varies by at least an average RPc of 4. 
     
     
         10 . The floor covering of  claim 1 , wherein the coating has a difference in the 60° gloss level across that is no greater than about 5. 
     
     
         11 . The floor covering of  claim 1 , wherein the coating is ultra-violet radiation cured.