A non-wicking underlayment board and methods for forming the same. The non-wicking underlayment board includes a foam core formed of closed cell foam with reinforcement layers encapsulated within the foam core. Outer facings formed of mineral coated nonwoven fibers are positioned on opposite faces of the non-wicking underlayment panel. The non-wicking underlayment board is useful for efficient and cost effective installation of barriers and surfaces in water-resistant and waterproof environments.

A flooring material having a textile pad substructure with a density of greater than 10 pounds per cubic foot is provided. The textile pad has reinforcement and binding fibers. The binding fibers are thermoplastic and are used to bind the reinforcement fibers together. The pad is created by heating and compressing a fibrous textile batt so that it has a density of greater than 13 pounds per cubic foot.

An underlayment for use between a veneer material and a foundation surface includes a base layer and a series of individual supports extending upwardly from the base layer. The supports are configured to create voids in a layer of bonding material used to adhere the veneer material to the underlayment. Each support includes at least one outer wall extending upwardly from the base layer and terminating at an upper lip, a bowl area defined adjacent a center of each of the individual supports, and an internal wall extending downwardly and inwardly from the upper lip toward the center of each of the individual supports to at least partially define the bowl area within each of the individual supports, the internal wall comprising a plurality of surfaces extending from the upper lip.

An uncoupling mat includes an uncoupling layer; a layer of adhesive underlying the uncoupling layer, the adhesive layer having a subfloor-bonding surface; and an entangled filament sheet overlying the uncoupling layer, the entangled filament sheet being a resilient three-dimensional web of extruded polymer monofilaments, the polymer monofilaments being heat welded at junctions to form an open network of tangled monofilament.

A decoupling mat (1) for a surface covering structure that can be covered by covering elements has a strip- or plate-shaped compensation element (2) which has upwardly projecting formations (4) arising from a lower support plane (3), which formations from an upper covering plane (6) at a distance from the lower support plane (3) and are arranged spaced apart from one another and have at least in sections an undercut (8) along their periphery. A water-permeable cover is fixed on a bottom side (12) of the lower support plane (3) and prevents penetration by a viscous adhesive into the upwardly projection formations (4). On at least some formations (4), the undercuts (8) are arranged along a region, extending in a curved manner, along a side wall of the upwardly projecting formations. A plurality of the first undercuts (8) is oriented in a first direction and a plurality of second undercuts (8) is oriented in a second direction. The cover may have a perforation or consist of a water permeable textile woven fabric or sheet, or of a water permeable non-woven fabric (13). A plurality of adjacent formations (4) are respectively connected to one another by ventilation ducts (7) projecting from the lower support plane (3), wherein the ventilation ducts (7) do not extend up to the upper covering plane (6).

Moisture barrier membranes for use in flooring structures are provided. The moisture barrier membrane can suppress water vapor emission from a flooring substrate (such as a concrete floor) up to about 99% relative humidity. The moisture barrier membrane may include a top layer (e.g., a polyester layer), a rubberized copolymer bottom layer, and an optionally removable liner (e.g., polyethylene or nylon film). Methods of installing the moisture barrier membrane are provided.

A construction method for protecting a surface of a structure is provided to protect interior and exterior surfaces of the structure before construction starts. The construction method is executed by laying a soft base material on the surfaces of the structure and covering the base material with a quick setting cement material to form a leveled cement plate with great wear resistance and pressure resistance whereby the surfaces are not damaged by any improper force derived from the construction. Thus, the construction efficiency is increased. The base material on which the quick setting cement material is laid can be easily removed from the surfaces of the structure without tools because the base material is not adhered to the surfaces. The base material can also be reused after being separated from the quick setting cement material to prevent the occurrence of environmental pollution and reduce the cost of construction.

Described herein are methods for installing field-assembled flooring systems wherein the underlayment is a hybrid design that includes a combination of structural board and cementitious product. The hybrid design is configured to reduce or eliminate the curing time requirement after pouring the cementitious product (e.g., gypsum concrete). The field-assembled flooring systems can reduce or eliminate the chances of the onset of mold due to high moisture levels by removing the cementitious product from the prone areas and replacing it with structural boards. The structural boards (e.g., cellulose fiberboards) can be installed in non-critical areas such as underneath cabinets, around the perimeter of the floor, under bathtubs, in non-walk-in closets, anywhere drywall reaches the floor, or the like.

An insulating underlay element for arranging between a subfloor and floor coverings laid thereon. The underlay element comprises a push-in connection on at least two sides of the insulating underlay element for connecting the insulating underlay elements to form an extensive insulating underlay in a gap-free and extensive manner, wherein an adhesive strip is arranged on the underside of the insulating underlay element in the region of the push-in connection, such that the adhesive surface is facing upward in the receptacles of the push-in connections and is in contact with the undersides of the pushed-in protrusions. The adhesive strip comprises a backing material coated with a release adhesive, and the insulating underlay elements being coated on their underside with a permanent adhesive in the region of the arrangement of the adhesive strips to establish a permanent adhesive connection between the adhesive strips and the underside of the insulating underlay element.