Floor covering, made of floor elements, which, at least at two opposite sides, comprise a male and a female coupling part, which allow that two of such floor elements can be interconnected at the respective sides at the respective sides by pushing one of these floor elements with the associated male coupling part, by means of a downward movement, home into the female coupling part of the other floor element, wherein at least one of said coupling parts, either the male coupling part or the female coupling part, is made as least partially in a filled synthetic material composite, such as extruded wood.

Methods of and apparatuses for making a photovoltaic cell are provided. The photovoltaic cell is able to have a substrate made of a composite material. The composite material is able to be formed by mixing a binder and a physical property enhancing material to form a mixer. The binder is able to be pitch, such as mesophase pitch. The physical property enhancing material is able to be fiber glass. The substrate of the photovoltaic cell is able to be flexible, such that the photovoltaic cell is able to be applied on various surfaces.

The panel includes a water resistant barrier layer secured atop its outward facing surface. The water resistant barrier layer includes a skid resistant surface. The panels are made of lignocellulosic material. The water resistant and skid resistant surface may include indicia for aligning strips of tape or for aligning fasteners. A method for manufacturing the water resistant building panels is also disclosed and includes the steps of feeding paper onto a forming belt, depositing lignocellulosic material and the binding agent onto the forming belt so as to form a lignocellulosic mat, applying heat and pressure so as to impart the skid resistant surface on the paper, and cutting panels to predetermined sizes.

A method and system for achieving compliance for a fire-rated door assembly. To comply with fire rated door assembly codes and compliance, all components, including hardware must be listed and labeled by a certification agency, such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL). The disclosure may include a hardware preparation filler solution which allows fire-rated doors to maintain fire rating and compliance when removing or modifying hardware, or converting between hardware types.

Building panels provided with a mechanical locking system including a tongue, at first edge of a first building panel, cooperating with a tongue groove, at a second edge of an adjacent second building panel, for vertical locking of the building panels and a method for producing such building panels. The method includes the step of forming the tongue of material of the first edge. The insertion groove may have a sidewall at a third edge, which is adjacent the first edge, and may be open at a fourth edge, which is opposite the third edge.

Prefabricated exterior panels and slab foundation systems are disclosed for use in an integrated simple design procedure for use in low-energy use buildings. The panels include a frame formed from conventional framing methods, an inner layer of sheathing fastened to an outer side of the frame, a layer of insulation adhered to an outer surface of the inner layer of sheathing without using fasteners, and an outer layer of sheathing adhered to an outer surface said layer of insulation without using fasteners. Sets of panels are formed with openings for windows or doors. Jigs are used for constructing the panels including corner panels.

Floor covering, made of floor elements, which, at least at two opposite sides, comprise a male and a female coupling part, which allow that two of such floor elements can be interconnected at the respective sides at the respective sides by pushing one of these floor elements with the associated male coupling part, by means of a downward movement, home into the female coupling part of the other floor element, wherein at least one of said coupling parts, either the male coupling part or the female coupling part, is made as least partially in a filled synthetic material composite, such as extruded wood.

A device for fixing a frame in a through-hole extending between two opposite faces of a panel the frame including a peripheral wall having an upper and lower edges and configured to cover a structure of the panel delimiting the through-hole the upper edge including an edge configured to rest against a first face of the panel, wherein the device includes a clamping element including an arm integral with a perpendicular tab and an assembly structure configured to secure the tab on the second face of the panel in the vicinity of the through-hole, the arm configured to exert, a force on the peripheral wall adapted to flatten the peripheral wall against the structure of the panel defining the through-hole and to exert a force on a stop of the peripheral wall adapted to flatten the ledge of the frame against the first face of the panel when the tab is fixed on the second face of the panel.

A fire rated door includes a core, a first decorative panel and a second decorative panel. The core includes: (a) a fire resistant center panel having a bottom, a top, a first side, a second side, a first end and a second end, wherein the fire resistant center panel is made of a first fire resistant material, and (b) an extruded fire resistant border attached to the first side, the second side, the first end and the second end of the fire resistant center panel, wherein the extruded fire resistant border is made of a second fire resistant material having a higher density than the first fire resistant material. The first decorative panel is attached to the top of the fire resistant center panel and the extruded fire resistant border. The second decorative panel is attached to the bottom of the fire resistant center panel and the extruded fire resistant border.

A system for constructing wall panels comprising a plurality of structural members includes: a source of structural members of predetermined size; a horizontal table configured to support planks as they are being formed into a wall panel, the table including a stationary section and a movable carriage that is configured to move in a longitudinal direction toward and away from the stationary section; an articulated arm unit having a gripper, the articulating arm unit positioned to retrieve boards from the source with the gripper and place them on the table; at least one first clamping unit mounted to the stationary section for clamping structural members thereto; at least one second clamping unit mounted to the movable carriage for clamping structural members thereto; and a controller that controls the movement of the articulating arm unit and the movable carriage.