A load distributing and absorbing system that lies below a barrier layer that is exposed to percussive and/or point-applied forces. The load distributing and absorbing system has one or more load distributing and absorbing tiles. At least some of the tiles have an underlayment infrastructure positioned below a barrier layer. The underlayment infrastructure includes one or more hat-shaped absorbing members. Each has a ceiling primarily for load distribution and a curvilinear wall primarily for load absorption extending from the ceiling. A transition feature is provided to smoothly graduate from one height and type of load distributing and absorbing tile to a load distributing and absorbing tile of another type and height. He system distributes and absorbs forces applied to the barrier layer over a broad area when applied either on a seam between adjacent tiles or within a tile.

The invention relates firstly to a waterproof laminated sound insulation system, in particular for flooring. This system provides sound insulation, in particular against impact noise, in compliance with current regulations, and also satisfactory pressure resistance and satisfactory deformability. The invention also relates to a kit comprising the waterproof laminated system, to the use of fillers having a density of less than 1.2 g/cm.sup.3 in an adhesive composition for increasing the sound insulation of floors, and to the method of laying a waterproof laminated sound insulation system.

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 sheet rock reaches the floor, or the like.

A wide-format tile shim includes a shim body, a plurality of length grooves, a plurality of width grooves, and a plurality of openings. The plurality of length grooves is evenly distributed along the shim body and traverses into the shim body. The plurality of width grooves is evenly distributed across the shim body and traverses into the shim body. Each of the plurality of length grooves is positioned perpendicular to each of the plurality of width grooves as the plurality of openings traverses from a front surface of the shim body to a rear surface of the shim body. Each of the plurality of opening is positioned adjacent to an intersecting length groove from the plurality of length grooves and an intersecting width groove from the plurality of width grooves thus evenly spacing the plurality of opening within the shim body.

A system for a leveling spacer including a spacer assembly, a tile assembly and a mosaic assembly is disclosed. The leveling spacer is used to level tiles on an uneven surface. The spacer includes cross members that define perforations therebetween. Adhesive of the tile assembly is placed on the uneven surface. The spacer is mounted onto the adhesive which seeps through the perforations. Tiles of the tile assembly are then secured onto the spacer with the adhesive that seeped through. The tiles are leveled on the spacer to a height that matches surrounding tiles. The spacer comes in various heights to allow leveling as needed.

A flooring underlayment includes a base membrane and a cover membrane. The base membrane is configured to be installed between a subfloor and floor tiles to allow movement of the floor tiles relative to the subfloor. The cover membrane is configured to be coupled to the base membrane to form a flat surface for supporting the floor tiles. The cover membrane is configured to be coupled to the base membrane using at least one of a snug fit and a snap fit.

An uncoupling mat includes a flexible plastic layer having indentations provided with undercuts on a first, top side and cavities positioned between the indentations on an opposite bottom side. A fleece or fabric is securely connected to the second side and covering the cavities. A plurality of weakening zones is formed in the top surface of the film-like plastic, which each extend between two rows of indentations in a straight line between opposing side edges of the plastic layer and allow the plastic layer to move substantially transversely to the direction of extension of the weakening zones. Some of a first group of weakening zones extend parallel to one another across the top surface of the film-like plastic. Some of a second group of weakening zones extend parallel to one another across the top surface of the film-like plastic and intersecting the first group of parallel weakening zones.

The invention relates to a floor covering element comprising an insulation layer (1) facing the floor when laid, a backing layer (2) of canvas, provided on the insulation layer (1) and connected to said insulation layer (1), at least the upper face of the backing layer (2) being coated with a primer (3a), wherein a primed layer (4) for at least partially optically designing the floor covering is applied to the primer (3a) on the upper face; and a transparent sealing coat (5) is provided on the printed layer (4), the surface structure of the sealing coat (5) being predetermined by the backing layer (2) of canvas and having a surface roughness (8a) of at least 7.5 μm, in particular at least 8.0 μm, preferably at least 9.4 μm.

An underlayment system is provided that includes a plurality of bosses that emanate form a common base member. The bosses and bases preferably include an opening therethrough that will allow for subsequent layers of adhesive to interact and bond to each other. The bosses are also spaced in such a way to help secure a wire snugly therebetween.

A support for installing facing materials such as ceramic tiles on a substrate such as floors, walls and ceilings wherein the support plate has a plurality of spaced apart recesses in the plate material, with the recesses being open at the top surface and have solid sidewalls and a base, and a plurality of slots in the non-recessed portions of the plate material extending through the top surface and bottom surface, the slots joining one or more adjacent recesses. The support plate of the invention is used for tile installations between the substrate and such tile. Thin-set mortar that is used to secure the tile to the support plate flows into the recesses and into the slots forming a continuous bond between the mortar and the adjacent slots providing for a strong bond between the support plate, mortar and the tiles.