| abstract |
A process for forming an embossed surface on a laminar floor material which has at least one foam layer. A floor material is formed consisting of a wear layer joined with an expanded foam cushion backing. The floor material is heated rapidly by a high temperature, hot air heater so that primarily the wear layer is heated with very little heating of the cushion backing. The floor material passes between an embossing roll and a back-up roll where the embossing roll engages the surface of the heated vinyl wear layer in proper registration with a printed pattern therebelow. The floor material is cooled and the resultant product has an embossed wear layer with the cushion backing thereunder retaining a substantial portion of its original resiliency. |