Decorative wood surfaces

Abstract

A decorative wood surface system having permanent decorative marking wherein the marking is made with a decorative strip inserted between pieces of interlocking wood surface such that the decorative strip conforms to the interlocking pieces and engages with them. Typically, the interlocking wood surface system is tongue and groove hardwood, and the decorative strip is a brass, steel, aluminum, plastic or resin strip adapted such that is conforms to the tongue and groove, and engages with it to provide a permanent decorative wood surface.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A permanent decorative wood surface system comprising interlocking wood surfaces with a decorative strip, wherein the decorative strip is inserted into and engaged with the interlocking surfaces to provide a permanent decorative wood surface system.  
     
     
         2 . The decorative wood surface system of  claim 1 , wherein the interlocking wood surface is hardwood floorboard.  
     
     
         3 . The decorative wood surface system of  claim 2 , wherein the hardwood floorboard is tongue and groove floorboard.  
     
     
         4 . The decorative wood surface system of  claim 3 , wherein the hardwood floorboard is made of hickory, oak, maple or pine.  
     
     
         5 . The decorative wood surface system of  claim 4 , wherein the decorative strip is metallic.  
     
     
         6 . The decorative wood surface system of  claim 1 , wherein the decorative strip is selected from the group consisting of brass, steel, aluminum, plastic or resin.  
     
     
         7 . A decorative flooring system comprising tongue and groove hardwood floorboards with a decorative brass strip inserted into and engaged with the tongue and groove of the floorboards to provide a decorative flooring system.  
     
     
         8 . The flooring system of  claim 1 , wherein the decorative strip is a contrasting color strip, suitable for marking flooring for sporting events.  
     
     
         9 . The flooring system of  claim 8 , wherein the interlocking flooring is hardwood floorboard.  
     
     
         10 . The flooring system of  claim 9 , wherein the hardwood floorboard is tongue and groove floorboard.  
     
     
         11 . A method of preparing decorative wood surface comprising placing a decorative strip between two pieces of interlocking wood pieces so as to engage the strip in the interlocking pieces thereby providing a permanent decorative surface.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the interlocking wood pieces are tongue and groove floorboards.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the decorative strip is selected from the group consisting of steel, aluminum, brass, plastic or resin.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the wood is selected from the group consisting of hickory, oak, maple or pine.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the two pieces of wood are a first strip of hardwood floorboard and a second strip of hardwood floorboard, wherein when the second strip of boarding is installed, the decorative strip is engaged between the first strip and the second strip to provide a permanent decorative hardwood floor.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the interlocking floorboard is tongue and groove floorboard  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the hardwood floorboard is selected from the group consisting of hickory, oak, maple or pine.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the decorative strip is selected from the group consisting of steel, aluminum, brass, plastic and resin.