Slip-resistant floor coverings

Abstract

The invention provides a synthetic slip-resistant floor-covering material comprising a layer of synthetic material which contains one or more degradable polymeric particles wherein the one or more degradable polymeric particles comprise: (a) one or more hard degradable polymeric particles which have a hardness which is greater than the hardness of the layer of synthetic material; and optionally (b) one or more soft degradable polymeric particles which have a hardness which is the same as or less than the hardness of the layer of synthetic material; and wherein the one or more hard degradable polymeric particles comprise one or more exposed hard degradable polymeric particles which are exposed at an upper surface of the synthetic floor-covering material to provide slip-resistance; and a method of preparing a synthetic floor-covering which method comprises the steps of: Providing a layer of synthetic material; Applying the one or more degradable polymeric particles to the layer of synthetic material; and Applying pressure to the layer of synthetic material to ensure that the one or more degradable polymeric particles are incorporated into the layer of synthetic material.

Claims

1. A synthetic slip-resistant floor-covering material comprising a layer of synthetic material which contains one or more degradable polymeric particles wherein the one or more degradable polymeric particles comprise: (a) one or more hard degradable polymeric particles which have a hardness which is greater than the hardness of the layer of synthetic material; and optionally (b) one or more soft degradable polymeric particles which have a hardness which is the same as or less than the hardness of the layer of synthetic material; and wherein the one or more hard degradable polymeric particles comprise one or more exposed hard degradable polymeric particles which are exposed at an upper surface of the synthetic floor-covering material to provide slip-resistance.

2. The floor-covering material as defined in claim 1 which has a layer of one or more hard degradable polymeric particles which are partially embedded in an upper surface of the floor-covering material.

3. The floor-covering material as defined in claim 1 wherein the one or more hard degradable polymeric particles comprise one or more degradable polymeric particles which are entirely embedded in a layer of synthetic material.

4. The floor-covering material as defined in claim 1 wherein the one or more degradable polymeric particles are transparent or partially opaque.

5. The floor-covering material as defined in claim 1 wherein the one or more hard degradable polymeric particles are formed from a polyester.

6. The floor-covering material as defined in claim 1 wherein one or more soft degradable polymeric particles are entirely embedded in a layer of synthetic material.

7. The floor-covering material as defined in claim 1 wherein one or more soft degradable polymeric particles comprise one or more decorative soft degradable polymeric particles.

8. The floor-covering material as defined in claim 1 wherein one or more soft degradable polymeric particles are formed from a polyhydroxyalkanoate and/or an acrylic copolymer.

9. The floor-covering material as defined in claim 1 wherein the one or more degradable polymeric particles may have a principal dimension of from 15% to 90% of the thickness of the layer of synthetic material.

10. The floor-covering material as defined in claim 1 wherein the layer of synthetic material and the one or more degradable polymeric particles are pigmented.

11. The floor-covering material as defined in claim 1 wherein the one or more degradable polymeric particles is formed from a polymer which has a melting point greater than 120° C.

12. The floor-covering material as defined in claim 1 which comprises a protective coating layer on an upper surface of the layer of synthetic material to form an upper layer of the floor-covering material.

13. The floor-covering material as defined in claim 1 which additionally includes one or more of the following layers: a foamed layer, a support layer, a decorative layer, a topcoat layer, and/or an external protective coating layer.

14. The floor-covering material as defined in claim 1 which is in the form of a luxury vinyl tile comprising a decorative layer and wherein the layer of synthetic material is provided on an upper surface of the decorative layer and wherein the layer of synthetic material is substantially transparent.

15. The floor-covering material as defined in claim 1 wherein the layer of synthetic material includes one or more partial degradable polymeric particles.

16. The floor-covering material as defined in claim 1 wherein the layer of synthetic material is pigmented or is substantially transparent.

17. The floor-covering material as defined in claim 1 wherein the layer of synthetic material is a wear layer.

18. The floor-covering material as defined in claim 1 wherein the one or more hard degradable polymeric particles and/or the one or more soft degradable polymeric particles are biodegradable, oxidatively degradable, UV-degradable, and/or thermally degradable.

19. A method of preparing a synthetic floor-covering which method comprises the steps of: Providing a layer of synthetic material; Applying the one or more degradable polymeric particles to the layer of synthetic material; and Applying pressure to the layer of synthetic material to ensure that the one or more degradable polymeric particles are incorporated into the layer of synthetic material.

20. The method of preparing a synthetic floor-covering as defined in claim 19 which method comprises the step of: applying a protective coating layer wherein this step is carried out after the step of applying pressure to the layer of synthetic material.

21. The floor-covering material as defined in claim 10 wherein the pigment of the one or more degradable polymeric particles is the same as the pigment for the layer of synthetic material.

22. The floor-covering material as defined in claim 14 which comprises a lower foamed layer.

23. The floor-covering material as defined in claim 14 which has a substantially smooth cut edge.

Description

[0049] The invention will now be described with reference to the following Figures of the accompanying drawings which are not intended to limit the scope of the invention in which:

[0050] FIG. 1 shows a schematic cross-section of a first embodiment of a floor-covering material according to the invention;

[0051] FIG. 2 shows a schematic cross-section of a second embodiment of a floor-covering material according to the invention;

[0052] FIG. 3 shows a schematic cross-section of a third embodiment of a floor-covering material according to the invention;

[0053] FIG. 4 shows a schematic cross-section of a fourth embodiment of a floor-covering material according to the invention

[0054] FIG. 5 shows a schematic cross-section of a fifth embodiment of a floor-covering material according to the invention in the form of a luxury vinyl tile;

[0055] FIG. 6 shows a schematic cross-section of a sixth embodiment of a floor-covering material according to the invention in the form of a tile;

[0056] FIG. 7 shows a schematic cross-section of a first comparative embodiment of a floor-covering material which is not according to the invention wherein the first comparative embodiment is in the form of a luxury vinyl tile; and

[0057] FIG. 8 shows a schematic cross-section of a second comparative embodiment of a floor-covering material which is not according to the invention wherein the second comparative embodiment is in the form of a tile.

[0058] The first embodiment of a floor-covering material according to the invention is indicated generally at 30 on FIG. 1. Floor-covering material 30 comprises a lower layer 32 in the form of a foam-forming plastics material comprising a plasticised PVC composition and an azodicarbonamide, a support layer 33 in the form of a non-woven glass fibre layer arranged on an upper surface of the lower layer 32, an impregnation layer 35 formed of plastics material arranged on an upper surface of the support layer 33, a pigmented printing layer 37 (formed from a pigmented plasticised PVC composition having a white pigment) on an upper surface of the impregnation layer 35, a printed decorative layer 34 on an upper surface of the pigmented printing layer 37, a layer of synthetic material in the form of clear wear layer 36 on an upper surface of the decorative layer 34, and a polyacrylate protective coating layer 38 on an upper surface of the clear wear layer 34. The clear wear layer 36 includes a transparent polymeric particle layer 50 formed from one or more exposed hard transparent degradable polymeric particles 52A which are partially embedded in the wear layer 36 and one or more embedded hard transparent degradable polymeric particles 52B which are entirely embedded in the wear layer 36. Thus, some of the hard transparent degradable polymeric particles 52A,B of the layer of degradable polymeric particles 50 is exposed at the surface of the floor-covering material 30 to provide a non-slip effect. The one or more degradable polymeric particles 52A,B are referred to as being hard as they have a wear resistance which is substantially greater than that of the wear layer 36.

[0059] In an alternative embodiment, the lower layer 32 may be mechanically foamed e.g. by incorporation of one or more compressible plastic spheres. In a further alternative embodiment, the hard degradable particles 52A,B may be partially opaque.

[0060] The wear layer 36 may be formed from plasticised PVC, polyolefin, polyurethane, ionomers (such as Dupont Surlyn), EVA, or any other flexible polymer that is substantially transparent. The wear layer may have a thickness of from 0.3 mm to 1 mm. The one or more degradable polymeric particles 52A,B may be formed from a polymer which is transparent, is harder than the wear layer, and which has a melting point greater than 140° C. such that it retains its shape during the formation and embossing of the wear layer 36.

[0061] Suitable materials for forming the one or more hard degradable polymeric particles 52A,B include a polyester (such as polyglycolic acid, a terephthalate copolymer, a polycarbonate and/or polylactic acid) or nylon. The one or more degradable polymeric particles 52 may be selected to have a principal dimension (such as a diameter) of from 25% to 90% of the thickness of the wear layer 36. The floor-covering material 30 is embossed with a surface emboss (not shown) to provide the floor-covering material 30 with a non-slip surface. The surface emboss has a maximum depth of from 10 to 500 μm. The protective coating layer 38 comprises a cured polymer layer and has a thickness of from 5 to 50 μm.

[0062] The printed decorative layer 34 may be applied by any known suitable printing technique such as digital printing or gravure printing on the pigmented printing layer 37. The pigmented printing layer 37 is formulated to be suitable for receiving the printed decorative layer 34. In an alternative embodiment, the pigmented printing layer 37 may be pigmented with a pigment having a colour other than white such as a colour which contrasts or complements the printed decorative layer 34.

[0063] Suitable polymers for use in the protective coating layer 38 include polyurethane, polyacrylate, urethane acrylate or a PVDF based composition. A suitable coating composition for forming protective coating layer 38 is a UV curable mixture containing an oligomeric acrylic (the binder), monomeric acrylics (the solvent) and a photoinitiator, where each component is cross-linked.

[0064] In an alternative embodiment, the lower layer 32 may be formed from an un-foamed plasticised PVC composition such that lower layer 32 is a compact lower layer 32. In a further alternative embodiment, the one or more transparent degradable polymeric particles 52A,B may be entirely embedded in the wear layer 36 such that they are not exposed at the surface of the floor-covering material 30. As a result of the one or more degradable polymeric particles 52A,B being entirely embedded in the wear layer 36, the maintenance of the floor-covering material 30 is not affected by the one or more degradable polymeric particles 52A,B.

[0065] The second embodiment of a floor-covering material according to the invention is indicated generally at 130 on FIG. 2. Like features of the second embodiment to the first embodiment of the floor-covering material are identified by like reference numerals. Floor-covering material 130 comprises the layers of a floor-covering material 30 according to the first embodiment which are the lower layer 32 in the form of a foamed PVC layer, a support layer 33, an impregnation layer 35, a pigmented printing layer 37, a printed decorative layer 34, a layer of synthetic material in the form of wear layer 36 incorporating an embedded particle layer 50B of one or more embedded hard transparent degradable polymeric particles 52B, and a protective coating layer 38. In addition, the protective coating layer 38 comprises a non-slip layer 40. The clear wear layer 36 includes a transparent polymeric particle layer 50 formed from one or more hard transparent degradable polymeric particles 52B which are entirely embedded in the wear layer 36.

[0066] Non-slip layer 40 comprises one or more exposed hard transparent degradable polymeric particles 42A and one or more non-slip particles 42D suitable for providing a non-slip surface wherein such non-slip particles 42A,D are at least partially embedded in the protective coating layer 38 and the wear layer 36. The non-slip particles 42D may comprise one or more inorganic particles (such as aluminium oxide, silicon carbide, quartz and/or glass) and/or one or more organic particles (such as nylon, acrylic, and/or polyurea). The non-slip particles 42A,D may have a principal dimension (such as a diameter) of from 5 to 110 μm. The floor-covering material 130 is suitable for use as a covering material for a floor as the non-slip surface is intended to reduce the risk of a person slipping when walking on the floor-covering material. In an alternative embodiment, the non-slip layer 40 of the protective coating layer 38 may only comprise one or more exposed hard transparent degradable polymeric particles 52A.

[0067] In situations where high product wear is experienced, the one or more embedded hard degradable polymeric particles 52B will be exposed due to the difference in wear resistance between the one or more embedded hard degradable polymeric particles 52B and the wear layer 36. Exposure of the one or more embedded hard degradable polymeric particles 52B will create surface roughness which produces slip resistance.

[0068] In an alternative embodiment, the one or more exposed hard transparent degradable polymeric particles 42A and non-slip particles 42D may be partially embedded only in the protective coating layer 38. In a further alternative embodiment, the embedded particle layer 50B may be a particle layer 50 which comprises in addition to the one or more embedded hard transparent degradable polymeric particles 52B, one or more exposed hard transparent degradable polymeric particles 52A which are partially embedded in the wear layer 36 such that they are exposed at the surface of the floor-covering material 130.

[0069] The third embodiment of a floor-covering material according to the invention is indicated generally at 230 on FIG. 3. Like features of the third embodiment to the second embodiment of the floor-covering material are identified by like reference numerals. Floor-covering material 230 comprises the layers of a floor-covering material 130 according to the second embodiment which are the lower layer 32 in the form of a foamed PVC layer, a support layer 33, an impregnation layer 35, a pigmented printing layer 37, a printed decorative layer 34, a layer of synthetic material in the form of wear layer 36 incorporating the embedded particle layer 50B, and a protective coating layer 38 where the protective coating layer 38 comprises a non-slip layer 40. In addition, a fabric backing layer 31 is provided on the lower surface of the lower layer 32. Fabric backing layer 31 is in the form of a fleece layer having an exposed nap suitable for providing sound and/or heat insulation to the floor-covering material 230. The floor-covering material 230 is suitable for use as a covering material for a floor.

[0070] The fourth embodiment of a floor-covering material according to the invention is indicated generally at 330 on FIG. 4. Like features of the fourth embodiment to the first, second, and third embodiments of the floor-covering material are identified by like reference numerals. Floor-covering material 330 is a simpler surface-covering which does not include an impregnation layer 35, a pigmented printing layer 37 and a printed decorative layer 34. Instead a pigmented topcoat layer 236 is provided directly on the support layer 33. Floor-covering material 230 comprises a lower layer 232 of synthetic material, a support layer 33 in the form of a scrim complex arranged on an upper surface of the lower layer 232, a layer of synthetic material in the form of pigmented topcoat layer 236 on an upper surface of the support layer 33, a polyacrylate protective coating layer 38 incorporating the non-slip layer 40 on an upper surface of the pigmented topcoat layer 236. The surface-covering 230 incorporates an embedded pigmented particle layer 150B in pigmented topcoat layer 236. The pigmented particle layer 150 includes pigmented hard embedded degradable polymeric particles 152B and pigmented soft embedded degradable polymeric particles 152C. The pigment of the one or more hard embedded degradable polymeric particles 152B and pigmented soft decorative embedded degradable polymeric particles 152C may be the same colour as the pigment for the pigmented topcoat layer 236 or may have a different pigment with a different (such as a contrasting) colour. The pigment of the one or more hard embedded degradable polymeric particles 152B and of the pigmented soft embedded degradable polymeric particles 152C may be the same or different. The lower layer 232 is a compact lower layer 232 as it is not foamed. The pigmented soft embedded degradable polymeric particles 152C may have a hardness which is the same as or less than the hardness of the pigmented topcoat layer 236. The pigmented soft embedded degradable polymeric particles 152C may be formed from a polyhydroxyalkanoate (e.g. PHA and/or PHB) and/or an acrylic copolymer.

[0071] In an alternative embodiment, the embedded particle layer 50B may be a particle layer 50 which in addition to the one or more embedded hard transparent degradable polymeric particles 52B, comprises one or more exposed hard transparent degradable polymeric particles 52A which are partially embedded in the wear layer 36 such that they are exposed at the surface of the floor-covering material 130.

[0072] The fifth embodiment of a floor-covering material according to the invention is indicated generally at 430 on FIG. 5. Like features of the fourth embodiment 430 to the second embodiment of the floor-covering material 130 are identified by like reference numerals. Floor-covering material 430 is in the form of a luxury vinyl tile and has been cut from the floor-covering material 130 according to the second embodiment of the invention along the vertical line A-A′ indicated on FIG. 2. Floor-covering material 430 comprises the layers of a floor-covering material 130 according to the second embodiment which are the lower layer 32 in the form of a foamed PVC layer, a support layer 33, an impregnation layer 35, a pigmented printing layer 37, a printed decorative layer 34, a layer of synthetic material in the form of wear layer 36, and a protective coating layer 38 which comprises a non-slip layer 40. Vertical line A-A′ cuts through an embedded hard degradable polymeric particle 52, forming a partial embedded hard degradable polymeric particle 254B. The luxury vinyl tile 430 has a vertical substantially smooth cut edge 332. As a result, surface covering material 430 includes an embedded particle layer 250B which comprises one or more transparent embedded hard degradable polymeric particles 2526 and a partial transparent hard embedded degradable polymeric particle 254B. The embedded particle layer 250B is provided in wear layer 36. In an alternative embodiment, cut line A-A′ may be at an angle (e.g. an acute or an oblique angle) such that smooth cut edge 332 is a bevelled edge.

[0073] The sixth embodiment of a floor-covering material according to the invention is indicated generally at 530 on FIG. 6. Like features of the sixth embodiment 530 to the fourth embodiment of the floor-covering material 330 are identified by like reference numerals. Floor-covering material 530 is in the form of a tile or a cut piece of floor-covering material and has been cut from the floor-covering material 330 according to the fourth embodiment of the invention along the vertical line B-B′ indicated on FIG. 4. Floor-covering material 430 comprises the layers of a floor-covering material 130 according to the second embodiment which are a lower layer 232 of synthetic material, a support layer 33 in the form of a scrim complex arranged on an upper surface of the lower layer 232, a layer of synthetic material in the form of pigmented topcoat layer 236 on an upper surface of the support layer 33, a polyacrylate protective coating layer 38 incorporating the non-slip layer 40 on an upper surface of the pigmented topcoat layer 236. The floor-covering material 430 incorporates an embedded pigmented particle layer 35013 comprising one or more pigmented embedded hard degradable polymeric particles 3526 and pigmented embedded soft degradable polymeric particles 352C in pigmented topcoat layer 236. Vertical line B-B′ cuts through an embedded pigmented hard degradable polymeric particle 352B, forming a partial embedded hard pigmented degradable polymeric particle 3546 and the luxury vinyl tile 530 has a vertical smooth cut edge 432. As a result, the particle layer 350 comprises a plurality of one or more pigmented embedded hard degradable polymeric particles 352B, one or more pigmented embedded soft degradable polymeric particles 352C and a partial degradable polymeric particle 354B. The embedded particle layer 35013 is provided in topcoat layer 236. In an alternative embodiment, cut line B-B′ may be at an angle such that smooth cut edge 432 is a bevelled edge.

[0074] In an alternative embodiment, the pigmented printing layer 37 of floor-covering material 30,130,230,430 may be a foamed pigment printing layer 37 such that the pigment printing layer 37 is formed from a plasticised polymer composition which comprises a foaming or expanding additive and the printed decorative layer 34 may be printed with one or more inks which selectively inhibit the foaming or expanding additive such that the floor-covering material 30,130,230,430 may be chemically embossed.

[0075] A first comparative embodiment of a floor-covering material is indicated generally at C30 on FIG. 6. Like features of the first comparative embodiment to the second embodiment of the floor-covering material are identified by like reference numerals. Comparative floor-covering material C30 is in the form of a luxury vinyl tile and has been shown as if cut from a comparative floor-covering material (not shown) along a vertical line (not shown). Comparative floor-covering material C30 comprises the layers of a floor-covering material 330 according to the fourth embodiment which are the lower layer 32 in the form of a foamed PVC layer, a support layer 33, an impregnation layer 35, a pigmented printing layer 37, a printed decorative layer 34, a wear layer 36, and a protective coating layer 38 which comprises a non-slip layer 40. Polymeric particle layer 250 has been replaced by a inorganic particle layer 60 comprising inorganic particles 62. Cutting the tile C30 down the said vertical line dislodged a inorganic particle 62, forming a partial void 66 such that the comparative luxury vinyl tile C30 has a rough cut edge C32. As a result, the inorganic particle layer 60 comprises a plurality of a inorganic particles 62 and a partial void 66. The inorganic particle layer 60 is provided in wear layer 36. In an alternative embodiment, inorganic particle layer 60 may have one or more protruding particles 68 (as illustrated in FIG. 7 for the second comparative embodiment of a floor-covering material D30) at rough cut edge C32.

[0076] A second comparative embodiment of a floor-covering material is indicated generally at D30 on FIG. 7. Like features of the first comparative embodiment to the fifth embodiment of the floor-covering material 430 are identified by like reference numerals. Comparative floor-covering material D30 is in the form of a tile or a cut piece of floor-covering material and has been shown as if cut from a comparative floor-covering material (not shown) along a vertical line (not shown). Comparative floor-covering material D30 comprises the layers of a floor-covering material 430 according to the fifth embodiment which are a lower layer 232 of synthetic material, a support layer 33 in the form of a scrim complex arranged on an upper surface of the lower layer 232, a pigmented topcoat layer 236 on an upper surface of the support layer 33, a polyacrylate protective coating layer 38 incorporating the non-slip layer 40 on an upper surface of the pigmented topcoat layer 236. Polymeric particle layer 350 has been replaced by an inorganic particle layer 60. Cutting the tile D30 down the said vertical line dislodged an inorganic particle 62, forming a partial void 66 such that the comparative tile D30 has a rough cut edge D32. As a result, the inorganic particle layer 60 comprises a plurality of inorganic particles 62 and a partial void 66. The inorganic particle layer 60 is provided in wear layer 36.

[0077] The floor-covering material 30,130,230,330,430 may optionally be embossed. The floor-covering material 30,130,230 may be provided as a roll of floor-covering material or may optionally be cut up into tiles.

[0078] The invention will now be illustrated with reference to the following Examples which are not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention.

EXAMPLE 1

[0079] The method of the invention was performed to prepare a floor-covering material 30,130,230 according to the invention having a printed decorative layer 34 by carrying out the following steps: [0080] a. coating a non-woven glass fibre with an impregnation layer of plastics material and gelling (the coating) with temperatures higher than 120° C., particularly on a heated drum; [0081] b. Applying a printing layer formed from a pigmented plasticised PVC composition which may optionally comprise one or more foaming or expanding additives; [0082] c. gelling the pigmented printing layer on a heated drum; [0083] d. Printing onto the surface of the pigmented printing layer using gravure printing one or more pigmented inks to form a decorative layer, where the pigmented ink could be transparent or opaque and wherein one or more of the pigmented inks include an inhibitor for the foaming or expanding additive in the printing layer for preparing a chemically embossed floor-covering material; [0084] e. Drying the printed ink with heat; [0085] f. Inverting the product; [0086] g. Applying a backing layer comprising either a foam-forming plastics material comprising a plasticised PVC composition, or a compact-forming plastics material comprising a plasticised PVC composition to form an alternative embodiment to the floor-covering material 30,130,230 where the lower layer is a compact lower layer; [0087] h. Optionally applying a fleece layer to the backing layer (to form a floor-covering material 230 according to a third embodiment of the invention); [0088] i. Gelling the backing layer on a heated drum; [0089] j. Inverting the product; [0090] k. Applying a wear layer comprising a clear plastics material having a plasticised PVC composition; [0091] l. Scattering the polymeric material into the surface of the plasticised PVC composition [0092] m. Gelling the wear layer either on a heated drum or in an oven to form a floor-covering material according to the first embodiment of the invention; [0093] n. Embossing the wear layer physically, optionally using sufficient temperature and pressure to ensure that at least some of the degradable polymeric particles are entirely incorporated into the wear layer and do not protrude; [0094] o. Cooling the embossed floor-covering material according to the first embodiment of the invention; [0095] p. Applying a protective coating layer (optionally containing slip resistant particles to form a surface covering 130 according to the second embodiment of the invention) and curing it to form a floor-covering material according to the second embodiment of the invention; [0096] q. Winding the product into a roll of the required length; and optionally [0097] r. Cutting the product into tiles to form a floor-covering material 430 according to the fifth embodiment of the invention or a variant thereof.

EXAMPLE 2

[0098] The method of the invention was performed to prepare a floor-covering material 330 according to the fourth embodiment of the invention by carrying out the following steps: [0099] a. Coating a scrim complex with a lower layer comprising an unfoamed PVC plastisol to form a compact lower layer; [0100] b. Gelling the plastisol in an oven; [0101] c. Inverting the product; [0102] d. Applying a pigmented topcoat layer having a plasticised PVC composition; [0103] e. Scattering a layer of the degradable polymeric particles into the surface of the plasticised PVC composition [0104] f. Gelling the pigmented topcoat layer in an oven to form an alternative embodiment of the floor-covering material according to the fourth embodiment of the invention which lacks a protective coating layer; [0105] g. Embossing the pigmented topcoat layer, optionally using sufficient temperature and pressure to ensure that at least some of the degradable polymeric particles are entirely incorporated into the pigmented topcoat layer and do not protrude; [0106] h. Cooling the embossed floor-covering material; [0107] i. Applying a polyacrylate protective coating layer containing slip resistant particles and curing it to form a floor-covering material according to the fourth embodiment of the invention; [0108] j. Winding the product into a roll of the required length; and optionally [0109] k. Cutting the product into tiles to form a floor-covering material 530 according to the sixth embodiment of the invention. This may include cuts which are perpendicular to the surface of the flooring (e.g. to cut the product into the shape of the required tile) or cuts at an angle to the surface of the flooring (e.g. to provide a bevelled edge to a tile).