A floor, wall or ceiling panel comprises a core and a decorative top layer provided on the core. The core comprises a magnesium oxide-based board material, and wherein the aforementioned panel, on at least two opposite edges, is provided with coupling means allowing that two of such panels can be interlocked at the respective edges.

Disclosed are composite building boards and associated manufacturing methods. The composite boards may include, for example, one or more slurry layers with embedded fibrous mats. An exterior plastic coating is mechanically adhered to the underlying slurry layer. The plastic layer chemically bonds and cross-links with polymer additives within the slurry layer. The result is an integrated polymer matrix with greatly improved durability and surface strength.

Reinforced concrete structures and assemblies, building systems, and methods of fabrication.

A cementitious composite includes a first layer, a second layer, and a cementitious mixture disposed between the first layer and the second layer. The cementitious mixture includes (i) cementitious materials and (ii) a viscosity modifier and/or an accelerator. The cementitious materials provide a void fraction between 0.64 and 1.35. The void fraction is defined as the ratio of the volume of the voids within the cementitious mixture per unit area of the cementitious composite to the volume of the cementitious materials per unit area of the cementitious composite. The cementitious mixture is configured to absorb a mass of water that provides a maximum 28 day compressive strength of the cementitious composite. A ratio of the mass of the water relative to the mass of the cementitious materials of the cementitious mixture per unit area of the cementitious composite that provides the maximum 28 day compressive strength of the cementitious composite is between 0.25 and 0.55.

Gypsum panels and methods for their manufacture are provided herein. The gypsum panels include a gypsum core having a first surface and a second opposed surface and a first fiberglass mat associated with the first surface of the gypsum core, such that gypsum from the gypsum core penetrates at least a portion of the first fiberglass mat.

A resin composition is provided, which includes 1 part by weight of a thermally conductive resin, 0.001 to 0.05 parts by weight of radical initiator, and 0.05 to 0.30 parts by weight of crosslinking agent. The chemical structure of the thermally conductive resin is ##STR00001##
in which R.sup.1 is CH.sub.2, C(O), or (CH.sub.2)(C.sub.6H.sub.5), and R.sup.2 is H or CH.sub.3.

Self-sealing fasteners and associated building panels, systems, and methods are provided. In one aspect, a fastener includes an elongated fastener body with an external surface extending between the first end and the second end, and a coating material disposed on at least a portion the external surface. In another aspect, a fastener includes an elongated fastener body with an external surface extending between the first end and the second end, and a polymer annulus surrounding at least a portion of the external surface of the of the elongated fastener body at or adjacent the head of the fastener.

A composite structure for use in tiling surfaces is disclosed. The composite structure can include a fiber matrix impregnated with a water-activated setting material. The composite structure can be wet and then compressed between a tile and an application surface. The composite structure can cure to provide a support surface for the tile.

A knitted spacer fabric has a tightly knitted bottom layer, a more loosely knitted upper layer and linking fibres extending across the space between the lower and upper faces. Settable material, e.g. cement, is introduced into the space between the upper and lower faces and can be caused to set by the addition of a liquid, e.g. water. Until set, the fabric is flexible and can be shaped but after the material in space has set, the fabric is rigid and can be used as a structural element in a wide range of situations. The bottom layer has an extension that extends beyond the upper face and is connected to the upper face by elastic connecting fibres that draw the extension towards the other face, thereby at least partly closing the space at the edge of the cloth and preventing the settable material from spilling out. In addition, the packing of the settable material and maximum space between the faces are such that only a predetermined amount of liquid can be accommodated within the space and that amount is matched to the water required to set the cement.

Coated nonwoven fibrous mats, building panels, and methods for making the same are provided. A coated nonwoven fiber mat includes a nonwoven fibrous mat having a continuous barrier coating on a surface thereof. The continuous barrier coating includes a set composition of gypsum and a binder. A building panel includes a panel core associated with a coated nonwoven fiber mat. A method of making a coated nonwoven fibrous mat includes depositing a composition of water, gypsum stucco, and a binder onto a surface of a nonwoven fibrous mat and setting the composition to form a continuous barrier coating.