| abstract |
Methods for creating relatively wide surface coverings and surface covering components by seaming together relatively narrow surface coverings and surface covering components are disclosed. The surface coverings are seamed together with a barely visible or invisible seam by lining up two sheets together and taping them together on one surface at the seam. In one embodiment, the taped surface is the top surface of a surface covering, i.e., the surface that includes the design. The sheets can include thermoplastic polymers. The taped surface is placed downward, and a gluing surface is exposed. The gluing surface is the surface on the two surface coverings to be joined that are in contact with each other. The gluing surface can either be exposed by raising the taped region or by lowering one or both sides adjacent the taped region. A suitable adhesive is applied to the gluing surface, and the raised region is lowered or the lowered sides are raised to the original height. Excess adhesive is optionally but advantageously removed, for example, by wiping or skiving the excess off of the non-taped surface, and the adhesive is allowed to set. The method is advantageously used to join together two pieces of thermoplastic sheeting, particularly flooring. If the two pieces are aligned so that they have a pattern similar to the printed pattern of the sheeting, the resulting surface covering appears virtually seamless. |