In one embodiment, a method of forming an extruded board includes mixing a resin and a foaming agent, melting the mixed resin and foaming agent to form a uniformly colored extrudate, differentially expanding voids formed from the foaming agent within the uniformly colored extrudate by passing the uniformly colored extrudate through a breaker plate, forming a board with the differentially expanded voids and uniformly colored extrudate, and forming lightened portions on an outermost surface of the formed board.

Novel extruded ceiling fan blades, compositions and methods of making the blades from plastic material such as polystyrene are disclosed. The blades can be formed from two extruders so that different colors and/or finishes, such as wood grain looks can be formed on the upper and lower surfaces of the blades.

A process and associated system for creating color effects using extrudable material, such as plastic and metal for example, are presented. Flows of first and second viscous materials of respective colors are provided and then combined in a predetermined pattern to form a stream of combined viscous material. In a first aspect, the flow rate of the first viscous material is caused to vary over time in order to vary an amount of the first viscous material in the stream. In a second aspect, which may be used alone or in combination with the first aspect, the first and second viscous materials have distinct viscosities to reduce an amount of color blending between the first color and the second color in the stream of combined viscous material. A static mixer may then be used to apply a predetermined dividing, overturning and combining motion to the stream of combined viscous material to partially mix the first viscous material and the second viscous material, such that upon exiting the static mixer, the first material of the first color and the second material of the second color form a color pattern in the stream of combined viscous material. Sheets of extrudable material may be created using such process and used in the manufacturing of many different products including for example kayaks and stand-up paddle boards.

Flows of first and second viscous materials of respective colors are provided and then combined in a predetermined pattern to form a stream of combined viscous material. A dynamic mixer is the then used to apply a predetermined dividing, overturning and combining motion to the stream of combined viscous material to partially mix the first viscous material and the second viscous material, such that upon exiting the dynamic mixer, the first material of the first color and the second material of the second color form a color pattern in the stream of combined viscous material. The dynamic mixer has elements configured for acquiring a specific radial orientation in a range of radial orientations that may be varied during the application of the dividing, overturning and combining motion to the stream of combined viscous material to cause variations in the color pattern in the stream of combined viscous material.

A synthetic roofing tile is provided that includes features enhancing the impact resistance as well as the ease of installation and/or use of the roofing tile or panel on a building structure. The roofing tile is formed in an improved color variation process which effectively simulates the appearance of the natural material represented by the synthetic roofing tile. The roofing tile also can be compression molded such as in a method for manufacturing a synthetic roofing tile or panel is provide in which a number of inserts representing the desired appearance for the roofing tile or panel can be utilized in the manufacturing process to provide roofing tiles or panels with the desired appearance. The inserts can be interchanged within the molds in order to provide different appearances to roofing tiles or panels formed using the same molds.

The invention is directed to a method for manufacturing a foil having a variable strip geometry, which makes it possible to supply a foil that bears a complex security feature. The varying of the geometry is effected by means of an adaptation of a melt flow of the extruder.

In one embodiment, an extruded board includes an extruded core having an outer circumference, the outer circumference including a first side and a second side opposite to the first side, the core including foamed high density polyethylene (HDPE). A cap layer is co-extruded on the first side, the cap layer including at least one co-extruded streak portion at an outer surface of the cap layer, the at least one co-extruded streak portion including HDPE which is colored differently from an adjacent co-extruded HDPE portion of the outer surface.

A floor may include a substrate having a top side and a bottom side. A top layer may be provided on the substrate. The top layer may consist of a printed thermoplastic film and a thermoplastic transparent or translucent layer provided on the printed thermoplastic film. The top layer may be directly adhered to the substrate by heat welding the printed thermoplastic film and the top side of the substrate, in the absence of a glue layer. The substrate may be a synthetic material board including a filler. The substrate at least at two opposite edges may include coupling means provided in the synthetic material board. The thermoplastic transparent or translucent layer may be provided with a structure.

A method of injecting a colorant into an extruded material and an artificial wood plank formed from said method. The method includes steps of extruding the material from an extruder to at least one die, shaping the material into a board via the at least one die, injecting the colorant into the material with at least one color injector in a pre-defined pattern, and forming a bubble in the material to impart a simulated woodgrain appearance into the material downstream of the at least one die.