A hybrid structural member for an insulated structural panel includes a core member surrounded on at least two sides by a high-density structural foam. The hybrid structural member may be manufactured by placing a core member in a cavity of an injection mold and surrounding the core member by insulating foam on at least two sides. The core member may be held in place by screws, posts, pins, a vacuum, or other suitable means.

Described herein is a coating composition suitable for application to a building panel. The coating composition comprises inorganic pigment, liquid carrier, and a humectant comprising a first ester-containing compound. The liquid carrier may be present in an amount ranging from about 10 wt. % to about 30 wt. % based on the total weight of the coating composition. Described herein are also building panels coated with the coating composition and methods of their production.

The invention relates to a method for the automated decoration of a building board, comprising at least one smoothing compound layer and preferably at least one colour coat. The method comprises the steps of smoothing and decorating the building board, wherein the smoothing includes the steps of (i) calibrating the building board to a nominal thickness, so that a surface of the building board has a height difference of at most 1 mm, (ii) applying a layer of a smoothing compound, (iii) pressing the smoothing compound into the surface structures of the building board, and (iv) recalibrating to the nominal thickness. Preferably, a plurality of smoothing compound layers are pressed into a calibrated surface of the building board and partially ground away again. The method is particularly well suited for the production of fire-resisting building boards.

Disclosed herein are tiles, systems, and methods related to manufacturing bullnose or other non-straight edge tiles. In a method of manufacturing a bullnose tile, the method comprises the steps of providing a tile, wherein said tile is a fired ceramic tile comprising a base and a decoration; cutting or milling the tile to form a bullnose edge; transporting the tile to at least a first printing station; printing at least one print layer of print media on the bullnose edge; transporting the tile to a curing station and curing the print media to provide the bullnose tile.

A fiber reinforced surface covering for application to a structure, comprising at least one structural body comprising a resilient construction material with a top side and a bottom side, a flexible base coupled to the bottom side of the structural body, a spaced gap disposed between the at least one structural body and an adjacent second body, and wherein the spaced gap has a portion of the base that is substantially overlaid with the resilient construction material and configured to receive a filler material.

A decorative concrete with a very uniform finish surface and a method of fabricating the same is disclosed. A concrete mixture is poured over a subgrade which defines an exposed surface. The exposed surface is finished with any of several techniques, and the surface is then worked with an abrasive material, and additional techniques are used to color and seal the concrete.

Disclosed herein are tiles, systems, and methods related to manufacturing bullnose or other non-straight edge tiles. The tiles can comprise a non-straight edge with one or more printed layers. The printed layers can comprise radiation curable inks or other fast-drying coatings. Upon exposure to a curing station, the layers cure quickly. This provides a printed and cured surface that very closely matches the rest of the tile. The tiles, systems, and methods disclosed herein can be of higher quality and can involve more efficient manufacturing than existing tiles, systems, and methods.

A waterproof board for use as a backing surface comprising a top face, a bottom face, a plurality of sides, a core layer having a thickness of about 5 millimeters, and a sound layer having a thickness of about 2 millimeters. The sound layer is generally interconnected to the core layer. The core layer may comprises at least two faces, either of which may comprise a textured surface. The textured surface may comprise either a substantially smooth finish or a substantially abrasive finish. The core layer comprises a densified foam material having a density of 490 kg/m.sup.3 to about 520 kg/m.sup.3, and a specific material composition, both of which enhance waterproofing and attain an optimal balance between rigidity and severability.

A prefabricated building product structure made of sintered expanded polystyrene includes a composite assembly formed by aggregating steel to the sintered expanded polymeric mass, preferably of high density, and by embedding therein rod-like steel elements, preferably pre-assembled and forming a cage of electrowelded elements. A method of related production includes positioning the rod-like steel elements, preferably pre-assembled forming a cage of electrowelded elements, in the mold for the expansion of the polystyrene, pouring in the mold incoherent granules or pearls obtained from the polymerization of the styrene, with grain size and volume appropriate for the attainment of a high density finished product, expanding and sintering or amassing the incoherent polystyrene through contact with water vapor at a temperature higher than ninety degrees centigrade, and trapping the armor in the monolithic mass thus obtained to attain a solid geometry, according to the mold, of armored sintered expanded polystyrene.

A work-station utilizes sound absorbing, translucent enclosure panels that allows light from outside of the work-station to enter. The translucent enclosure panels have an outside panel, and intermediate panel and an inside panel of a translucent plastic sheet material that form cells for dampening sound transmission through the enclosure panels. The inside panel has a plurality of apertures to allow sound to enter and be dissipated within the internal cells. A sound masking device is configured within the work-station and projects a dampening sound into the work-station, such as along the opening to work-station to produce a masking sound curtain for sound entering the work-station.