Laminated foam composite backer board for wet space construction

Abstract

A composite backer board for wet space construction is disclosed, along with a method of producing the backer board. The board includes a rigid foam core of a suitable thickness for wet space construction. A first fabric layer is fixed to at least one face of the rigid foam core with a polymeric adhesive. A first polymer layer is on the first fabric layer in which the polymer layer is dimensionally stable parallel to the face of the rigid foam core. A second fabric layer is on the first polymer layer opposite the first fabric layer and forms a first face that is amenable to thin set mortar and related compositions in wet space construction.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of making a composite board that is particularly suited for thin set mortar and wet space construction, the method comprising:
 feeding two fabric layers with a melted polymer there between to a pair of nip rollers to join the fabric layers and the melted polymer; and   curing the melted polymer between the two fabric layers to produce a dimensionally stable composite facer structure.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising applying a first composite facer structure to one face of a foam core board to add strength and rigidity to the foam core board and to provide the foam core board with a surface that is bondable to thin set mortar and related wet space adhesive and construction materials. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising applying a second composite facer structure to one face of a foam core board opposite said first composite facer structure. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said melted polymer is dimensionally stable upon curing. 
     
     
         5 . A method of bonding a dimensionally stable polymeric film with little to no mechanical bonding sites to polymer foam, the method comprising:
 fixing a fabric layer to said dimensionally stable polymeric film with a polymeric adhesive or resin; and   fixing said fabric layer to said polymer foam with said polymeric adhesive or resin opposite said dimensionally stable polymeric film.   
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein said fabric has a thickness sufficient to prevent adhesive used to attach said fabric to said dimensionally stable polymeric film from entirely saturating said fabric's bonding sites but less than a thickness that decreases said fabric's lateral stability. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein said fabric has a porosity sufficient to provide mechanical bonding sites for said adhesive to adhere to but less than a porosity that decreases said fabric's lateral stability. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein said polymeric adhesive layer has a thickness sufficient to bond said fabric layer to said dimensionally stable polymeric film but less than a thickness that would exceed the thickness of said fabric.