Methods of providing water protection to floor structures and floor structures formed by the same

Abstract

The present invention relates to methods of providing water protection to floor structures as well as the improved floor structures formed by the methods. The methods comprise providing one or more water resistant floor sheathing panels and installing the floor sheathing panel(s) on a floor structure of a building. Each of the floor sheathing panels comprises a wood sheet product and a nonwoven fabric mat adhered to at least one side of the wood sheet product.

1 . A method of providing water protection to a floor structure of a building comprising the steps of: 
 (a) providing one or more water resistant floor sheathing panels, each panel comprising a wood sheet product and a nonwoven fabric mat adhered to the wood sheet product,    wherein each panel is produced by subjecting a wood sheet product and a “B” stage condition nonwoven fabric mat to sufficient heat and pressure to complete the cure of the binder in the mat and to adhere the mat to the wood sheet product, the “B” stage condition mat comprising fibers bonded together with a resin binder that is only partially cured; and    (b) installing the floor sheathing panel(s) on a floor structure of a building such that the nonwoven mat of each panel faces upwardly.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising installing flooring material on top of the nonwoven mat(s) of the floor sheathing panel(s).  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fibers are glass fibers and the mat is a glass fiber nonwoven mat.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fibers are polyester fibers and the mat is a polyester fiber nonwoven mat.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wood sheet product is selected from the group consisting of OSB, particle board, chip board, plywood, and hardboard.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the resin binder is selected from the group consisting of a furfuryl alcohol based resin, a phenol formaldehyde resin, a melamine formaldehyde resin, and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of the floor sheathing panels further comprises a second nonwoven fabric mat adhered to the wood sheet product such that the second nonwoven fabric mat faces downwardly when the floor sheathing panels are installed on the floor structure, and wherein each panel is produced by subjecting a wood sheet product placed between two “B” stage condition nonwoven fabric mats to sufficient heat and pressure to complete the cure of the binder in the mats and to adhere the mats to the wood sheet product, the “B” stage condition mats comprising fibers bonded together with a resin binder that is only partially cured.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising installing a flooring material over the nonwoven fabric mats of the floor sheathing panels.  
   
   
       9 . A floor structure of a building comprising: 
 (1) a plurality of water resistant floor sheathing panels attached to a floor frame of a building as a base layer, each panel comprising a wood sheet product and a nonwoven fabric mat adhered to the wood sheet product,    wherein each panel is produced by subjecting a wood sheet product and a “B” stage condition nonwoven fabric mat to sufficient heat and pressure to complete the cure of the binder in the mat and to adhere the mat to the wood sheet product, the “B” stage condition mat comprising fibers bonded together with a resin binder that is only partially cured, and    wherein the nonwoven mat of each panel faces upwardly; and    (2) a flooring material attached over the nonwoven mats of the base layer of floor sheathing panels.    
   
   
       10 . A method of providing water protection to a floor structure of a building comprising the steps of: 
 (a) providing one or more water resistant floor sheathing panels, each panel comprising:    a wood sheet product;    a nonwoven fabric mat adhered to the wood sheet product; and    an organic waterproof coating adhered to the nonwoven fabric mat; and    (b) installing the floor sheathing panel(s) on a floor structure of a building such that the nonwoven mat of each panel faces upwardly.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the nonwoven fabric mat is selected from the group consisting of a glass fiber nonwoven mat and a polyester fiber nonwoven mat.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising installing flooring material on top of the coated nonwoven mat(s) of the floor sheathing panel(s).  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the wood sheet product is selected from the group consisting of OSB, particle board, chip board, plywood, and hardboard.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the mat comprises a glass fiber nonwoven mat and the one or more sheathing panels are produced by subjecting a wood sheet product and a “B” stage condition nonwoven fabric mat to sufficient heat and pressure to complete the cure of the binder in the mat and to adhere the mat to the wood sheet product, the “B” stage condition mat comprising fibers bonded together with a resin binder that is only partially cured.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the resin binder is selected from the group consisting of a furfuryl alcohol based resin, a phenol formaldehyde resin, a melamine formaldehyde resin, and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the mat comprises a glass fiber nonwoven mat comprising glass fibers bonded together with a formaldehyde free binder.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the organic waterproof coating is selected from the group consisting of asphalt, organic silicone, rubber, and polyvinyl chloride.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein each of the floor sheathing panels further comprises a second nonwoven fabric mat adhered to the wood sheet product such that the second nonwoven fabric mat faces downwardly when the floor sheathing panels are installed on the floor structure.  
   
   
       19 . A floor structure of a building comprising: 
 a plurality of water resistant floor sheathing panels attached to a floor frame of a building as a base layer, each panel comprising a wood sheet product, a nonwoven fabric mat adhered to the wood sheet product, and an organic waterproof coating adhered to the nonwoven fabric mat, wherein the waterproof coating of each panel faces upwardly; and    a flooring material attached over the coated nonwoven fabric mats of the base layer of floor sheathing panels.    
   
   
       20 . A method of providing water protection to a floor structure of a building comprising the steps of: 
 (a) providing one or more water resistant floor sheathing panels, each panel comprising a wood sheet product and a nonwoven fabric mat adhered to the wood sheet product,    wherein each panel is produced by: 
 (1) forming a composite mat comprising: 
 (i) a mat formed from a furnish comprising wood particles and a binder, the mat having a first face and a second face; and  
 (ii) a nonwoven fabric mat contacting the first face of the mat formed from the furnish; and  
 
 (2) subjecting the composite mat to sufficient heat and pressure to form a floor sheathing panel comprising a wood sheet product having a first face, a second face, and edges with the nonwoven fabric mat adhered to the first face of the wood sheet product; and  
   (b) installing the floor sheathing panel(s) on a floor structure of a building such that the nonwoven mat of each panel faces upwardly.