Method For Producing Floorboards, and Method For Sealing Connection Regions of a Floor Covering

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing floorboards for a floor covering with at least partly coated end faces. A plurality of floorboards are provided, each of which has multiple end faces, and at least one of the end faces of the plurality of floorboards is at least partly coated with a material which can be biologically grown or a component of a material which can be biologically grown in order to form a respective at least partly coated end face. The invention additionally relates to a method for sealing connection regions of a floor covering which has multiple floorboards, wherein multiple floorboards are produced for a floor covering with at least partly coated end faces using an aforementioned method for producing floorboards, and the floorboards are arranged on an underlying surface such that one of the coated end faces of the floorboards contacts a respective other end face of another floorboard of the floorboards while at least partly forming a connection region. The material which can be biologically grown or a material which is made of the aforementioned component can be biologically grown is biologically grown, and the connection region between the coated end face and the other end face is sealed.

1 . A method for producing floorboards for a floor covering having end sides which are coated at least in portions;
 wherein provided are a plurality of floorboards which have in each case a plurality of end sides;   wherein at least one of the end sides of the plurality of the floorboards is at least in portions coated with a material capable of biological growth, or with a component of a material capable of biological growth, so as to form in each case one end side which is coated at least in portions.   
     
     
         2 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the material capable of biological growth, or the component of the material capable of biological growth, is designed to alter surface tension of the end side which is coated at least in portions. 
     
     
         3 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the material capable of biological growth comprises a fungus mycelium. 
     
     
         4 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the component of the material capable of biological growth comprises fungal spores. 
     
     
         5 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least one further one of the end sides of the floorboards is coated at least in portions with a nutrient for the material capable of biological growth so as to form in each case one further end side which is coated at least in portions. 
     
     
         6 . The method as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the further end side which is coated at least in portions is arranged opposite the end side which is coated at least in portions. 
     
     
         7 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the material capable of biological growth, or the component of the material capable of biological growth, is provided in liquid form for coating. 
     
     
         8 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the floorboards after coating are radiated with electromagnetic radiation so as to activate growth of the material capable of biological growth. 
     
     
         9 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the floorboards after coating and/or after radiation with electromagnetic radiation are packed in such a manner that the biological growth of the material capable of biological growth is impeded. 
     
     
         10 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the material capable of biological growth grows biologically on the end side and forms a compressible coating. 
     
     
         11 . A method for sealing connection regions of a floor covering having a plurality of floorboards;
 wherein a plurality of floorboards for a floor covering having end sides which are coated at least in portions are produced by a method as claimed in  claim 1 ;   wherein the floorboards are arranged on a substrate in such a manner that one of the coated end sides of the floorboards contacts in each case one further end side of another one of the floorboards while at least partially forming a connection region;   wherein a material capable of biological growth, or a material capable of biological growth formed from the component, grows biologically and seals the connection region between the coated end side and the further end side.   
     
     
         12 . The method as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the end sides of the floorboards have in each case one tongue element or one groove element, and a tongue-and-groove connection is formed in the connection region when arranged on the substrate. 
     
     
         13 . The method as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the end sides of the floorboards have in each case one mechanical coupling element and a force-fitting connection of two coupling elements is formed in the connection region when arranged on the substrate. 
     
     
         14 . The method as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the floorboards prior to arrangement on the substrate are retrieved from a pack that impedes the biological growth of the material capable of biological growth. 
     
     
         15 . The method as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein a nutrient and/or a growth-promoting substance are/is applied to the floorboards and/or the connection regions so as to activate and/or promote the growth of the material capable of biological growth. 
     
     
         16 . The method as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the nutrient and/or the growth-promoting substance are/is applied to the floorboards and/or the connection regions after arranging the floorboards on the substrate. 
     
     
         17 . The method as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the nutrient and/or the growth-promoting substance are/is applied to the coated end sides of the floorboards before arranging the floorboards. 
     
     
         18 . The method as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein thermal energy is introduced into the floorboards and/or the connection regions so as to activate and/or promote the growth of the material capable of biological growth. 
     
     
         19 . The method as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the thermal energy is introduced by means of hot air and/or thermal radiation. 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . The method as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein:
 when coating, the end sides of different floorboards are at least in portions coated with different components of a material capable of biological growth; and   when arranging the floorboards on the substrate, different components of the material capable of biological growth are brought in contact with one another in the connection region and form the material capable of biological growth.