Hard surface veneer and wood polymer composite flooring tile

Abstract

An apparatus includes a first floor tile that includes a bottom layer that is composed of a wood polymer composite and having a main portion, a tongue portion extending beyond a first edge of the main portion, a groove portion extending within the main portion at a second edge of the main portion opposite the first edge, the base portion having a width. The first floor tile includes a top layer that is composed of ceramic and having a width greater than the width of the main portion, the top layer fixed to the bottom layer such that (1) a first edge of the top layer extends beyond the first edge of the main portion and covers a portion of the tongue portion, (2) a second edge of the top layer extends beyond the second edge of the main portion and covers a portion of the tongue portion.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A floor tile system, comprising:
 a first floor tile and a second floor tile; 
 the second floor tile including:
 a bottom layer that is composed of a wood polymer composite and having a main portion and a groove portion extending within the main portion at an outermost edge of the main portion; and 
 a top layer composed of ceramic tile and fixed to the bottom layer such that an outermost edge of the top layer extends beyond the outermost edge of the bottom layer, 
 
 the first floor tile including:
 a bottom layer that is composed of a wood polymer composite and having a main portion, a tongue portion extending beyond a first edge of the main portion, and a groove portion extending within the main portion at a second edge of the main portion opposite the first edge such that the groove portion is disposed between an upper portion of the second edge of the main portion and a lower portion of the second edge of the main portion, the main portion having a width; and 
 a top layer that is composed of ceramic and having a width greater than the width of the main portion, the top layer fixed to the bottom layer such that (1) a first edge of the top layer extends beyond the first edge of the main portion and covers a portion of the tongue portion, (2) a second edge of the top layer extends beyond the second edge of the main portion, 
 
 the tongue portion of the bottom layer of the first floor tile configured to be inserted into the groove portion of the bottom layer of the second floor tile such that (1) an end of the tongue portion of the bottom layer of the first floor tile does not contact an end of the groove portion of the bottom portion of the second floor tile, and (2) the first edge of the top layer of the first floor tile contacts the outermost edge of the top layer of the second floor tile to define a seal. 
 
     
     
       2. The floor tile system of  claim 1 , wherein the seal is water resistant. 
     
     
       3. The floor tile system of  claim 1 , wherein the top layer of the first floor tile is fixed to the bottom layer of the first floor tile such that the first edge of that top layer extends beyond the first edge of the main portion of the bottom layer of the first floor tile by about 0.5 mm. 
     
     
       4. The floor tile system of  claim 1 , wherein the top layer of the first floor tile is composed of porcelain. 
     
     
       5. The floor tile system of  claim 1 , wherein the seal is a first seal, the floor tile system further comprising:
 a third floor tile including:
 a bottom layer that is composed of a wood polymer composite and having a main portion, a tongue portion extending beyond the main portion at an edge of the main portion; and 
 a top layer composed of ceramic tile and fixed to the bottom layer such that an edge of the top layer extends beyond the edge of the bottom layer 
 
 the tongue portion of the bottom layer of the third floor tile configured to be inserted into the groove portion of the bottom layer of the first floor tile such that (1) an end of the tongue portion the bottom layer of the third floor tile does not contact an end of the groove portion of the bottom portion of the first floor tile, and (2) the second edge of the top layer of the first floor tile contacts the edge of the top layer of the third floor tile to define a second seal. 
 
     
     
       6. The floor tile system of  claim 1 , wherein the top layer of the first floor tile is fixed to the bottom layer of the first floor tile with an adhesive. 
     
     
       7. The floor tile system of  claim 1 , wherein the tongue portion of the bottom layer of the first floor tile has a substantially rectangular cross-section. 
     
     
       8. An apparatus, comprising:
 a first floor tile configured to be interlocked with a second floor tile that includes (1) a bottom layer that is composed of a wood polymer composite and having a base portion, a groove portion extending within the base portion at an outermost edge of the base, and (2) a top layer composed of ceramic tile and fixed to the bottom layer such that an edge of the top layer extends beyond the outermost edge of the bottom layer; 
 the first floor tile including:
 a bottom layer that is composed of a wood polymer composite and having a base portion, a first tongue portion extending beyond a first outermost edge of the base portion, a second tongue portion extending beyond a second outermost edge of the base portion that is perpendicular to the first outermost edge of the base portion, a first groove portion extending within the base portion at a third outermost edge of the base portion opposite the first outermost edge such that the first groove portion is disposed between an upper portion of the third outermost edge of the base portion and a lower portion of the third outermost edge of the base portion, and a second groove portion extending within the base portion at a fourth outermost edge of the base portion opposite the second outermost edge of the base portion, the base portion having a width and a height; 
 a top layer that is composed of ceramic and having (1) a width greater than the width of the base portion and (2) a length greater than the length of the base portion, the top portion fixed to the base portion such that (1) a first edge of the top layer extends beyond the first outermost edge of the base portion and covers a portion of the first tongue portion, (2) a second edge of the top layer extends beyond the second outermost edge of the base portion and covers a portion of the second tongue portion, (3) a third edge of the top layer extends beyond the third outermost edge of the bottom layer, and (4) a fourth edge of the top layer extends beyond the fourth outermost edge of the bottom layer; 
 
 the first tongue portion of the first tile configured to be inserted into the groove portion of the second tile such that (1) an end of the first tongue portion of the first tile does not contact an end of the groove portion of the second tile, and (2) the first edge of the top layer of the first tile contacts the edge of the top layer of the second tile to define a seal. 
 
     
     
       9. The floor tile of  claim 8 , wherein the seal is water resistant. 
     
     
       10. The floor tile of  claim 8 , wherein the top layer of the first floor tile is composed of porcelain. 
     
     
       11. The floor tile of  claim 8 , wherein the top layer of the first floor tile is fixed to the bottom layer of the first floor tile with an adhesive. 
     
     
       12. The floor tile of  claim 8 , wherein the tongue portion of the bottom layer of the first floor tile has a substantially rectangular cross-section. 
     
     
       13. The floor tile of  claim 8 , wherein the top layer of the first floor tile is square and has a thickness of between approximately 3 mm and approximately 10.5 mm. 
     
     
       14. The floor tile of  claim 8 , wherein the top layer of the first floor tile is fixed to the bottom layer of the first floor tile such that the first edge of that top layer extends beyond the first outermost edge of the base portion of the bottom layer of the first floor tile by about 0.5 mm. 
     
     
       15. The floor tile system of  claim 1 , wherein, when the tongue portion of the bottom layer of the first floor tile is inserted into the groove portion of the bottom layer of the second floor tile such that the first edge of the top layer of the first floor tile contacts the outermost edge of the top layer of the second floor tile to define a seal, the outermost edge of the bottom layer of the second floor tile does not contact the first edge of the bottom layer of the first floor tile. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the first floor tile is configured such that when the first tongue portion of the first tile is inserted into the groove portion of the second tile and the first edge of the top layer of the first tile contacts the edge of the top layer of the second tile to define a seal, the first outermost edge of the bottom layer of the first floor tile does not contact the outermost edge of the bottom layer of the second floor tile. 
     
     
       17. The floor tile system of claim 1, wherein the bottom layer of the first floor tile and the bottom layer of the second floor tile are each composed of a wood polymer composite. 
     
     
       18. The floor tile system of claim 1, wherein the top layer of the first floor tile and the top layer of the second floor tile are each composed of ceramic. 
     
     
       19. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the bottom layer of the first floor tile and the bottom layer of the second floor tile are each composed of a wood polymer composite. 
     
     
       20. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the top layer of the first floor tile and the top layer of the second floor tile are each composed of ceramic.