A method of forming a surface covering includes supplying a surface covering raw material. The surface covering raw material includes a substrate and a foamable layer formed on the substrate. A foaming inhibiting composition is applied in a predetermined pattern to the foamable layer formed on the substrate. The foaming inhibiting composition is a non-aqueous composition.

A heating apparatus includes an emitter that emits light to a thermal expansion sheet that expands according to a heating amount absorbed, the light being converted into heat by the thermal expansion sheet; a relative mover that causes the thermal expansion sheet to move relative to the emitter in a predetermined direction or that causes the emitter to move relative to the thermal expansion sheet in the predetermined direction; and a controller that gradually changes an amount of the light emitted by the emitter according to a rise in temperature in the emitter, the rise in temperature being caused by the emission of light by the emitter, when the relative mover causes the thermal expansion sheet to move relative to the emitter in the predetermined direction or causes the emitter to move relative to the thermal expansion sheet in the predetermined direction while the light is being emitted by the emitter.

There is provided a molded body including a main portion and a bank portion each of which is formed by foaming and molding a foam material. The main portion is made of urethane material which is softer than the material for the bank portion. At a boundary portion between the main and bank portions, the main portion is formed in a continuous interlocking profile and the bank portion is also formed in another continuous interlocking profile. The interlocking profile and the another interlocking profile are mated to each other so as to prevent separation between the main portion and the bank portion in a direction of an arrow (vehicle width direction). The boundary portion is provided by partitioning the cavity in a single mold with a weir, introducing different foam materials into both sides of the weir and foaming the introduced materials.