| abstract |
A breathable, decorative wallcovering having a smooth, continuous, aesthetically appealing exposed surface which can be printed with a design or pattern having sharply defined edges, and having a relatively high moisture permeability, includes a porous polymeric ply fused to and supported by a nonwoven substrate ply which consists of an array of hydroentangled fibers. The porous polymeric ply is formed by thermally fusing a plastisol coating, which is applied to the nonwoven substrate ply, and which has a thickness sufficiently low to permit localized variations in fiber orientation and small variations in the thickness of the nonwoven substrate ply to cause the formation of a multiplicity of miniature discontinuities which are substantially invisible to the unaided eye and which are randomly distributed throughout the coating. The plastisol coating is, however, thick enough to allow the formation of a coating which upon thermal fusion provides a polymeric ply having a smooth continuous appearance. Upon heating the plastisol coating to a temperature which is sufficient to cause fusion of resins contained therein, a highly permeable polymeric ply having the appearance of a smooth, continuous film is formed. The wallcovering is particularly useful where a smooth surface is desired for aesthetic reason and where high moisture permeability is also desired. |