Flooring system including a dry glue

Abstract

A flooring system includes a plurality of tongue-and-groove panels, and a preglue. When activated, the preglue has a tensile strength of 7-20 kN/m when measured with a gap less than 0.1 mm and a pull rate of 2 mm/min; a storage stability of at least one year; a low initial tack value; and a set time of at least 45 minutes; as well as a creep strength of between 7 and 20 kN/m, when measured with a gap less than 0.1 mm and a pull rate of 0.02 mm/min.

1 . A surface element, having at least one of a tongue and a groove, comprising:
 a dry glue disposed on at least one surface of the flooring element, wherein, when activated, said dry glue exhibits a creep strength of between 1 and 50 kN/m, when measured with a gap less than 0.1 mm and a pull rate of 0.02 mm/min.   
   
   
       2 . The surface element of  claim 1 , wherein the dry glue is a preglue. 
   
   
       3 . The surface element of  claim 1  or  2 , wherein, when activated, said dry glue exhibits a creep strength of between 7 and 20 kN/m, when measured with a gap less than 0.1 mm and a pull rate of 0.02 mm/min. 
   
   
       4 . The surface element of any of the preceding claims, wherein said dry glue when activated, further exhibits at least one property selected from the group consisting of:
 tensile strength of 7-20 kN/m when measured with a gap less than 0.1 mm and a pull rate of 2 mm/min;   storage stability of at least one year;   low initial tack value; and   set time of at least 45 minutes.   
   
   
       5 . The surface element of any of the preceding claims, wherein said dry glue when activated, further exhibits each of:
 a tensile strength of 7-20 kN/m when measured with a gap less than 0.1 mm and a pull rate of 2 mm/min;   a storage stability of at least one year;   a low initial tack value; and   a set time of at least 45 minutes.   
   
   
       6 . The surface element of any of the preceding claims, wherein said dry glue is positioned on said at least one of a tongue and a groove. 
   
   
       7 . The surface element of any of the preceding claims, wherein said dry glue comprises at least one component selected from the group consisting of:
 a monomer;   an initiator;   an activator; and   a catalyst.   
   
   
       8 . The surface element of  claim 7 , wherein said at least one of said at least one component is encapsulated. 
   
   
       9 . The surface element of  claim 7  or  8 , wherein said at least one component is said monomer. 
   
   
       10 . The surface element of any of  claims 6 - 9 , wherein said dry glue further comprises a second component selected from the group consisting of:
 a monomer;   an initiator;   an activator; and   a catalyst,   
     wherein said second component is not encapsulated with said first component. 
   
   
       11 . The surface element of  claim 10 , wherein said second component is encapsulated. 
   
   
       12 . The surface element of any of  claims 1 - 11 , wherein the surface element is a flooring element, and comprises:
 a core material;   a decorative surface on the core material, and   a wear layer disposed on the decorative surface.   
   
   
       13 . A surface system comprising:
 a plurality of surface elements according to any of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of said plurality of flooring elements comprises a tongue and at least one of said plurality of flooring elements comprises a groove.   
   
   
       14 . The surface system of  claim 13 , wherein said dry glue comprises at least two components selected from the group consisting of:
 a monomer;   an initiator;   an activator; and   a catalyst,   wherein at least one component is present on said tongue and at least one component is present in said groove.   
   
   
       15 . The surface system of  claim 14 , wherein said at least one component on said tongue is different than said at least one component in said groove. 
   
   
       16 . The surface system of  claim 14  or  15 , wherein at least one of said components is encapsulated. 
   
   
       17 . The surface system of  claim 16 , wherein said encapsulated component is said monomer. 
   
   
       18 . The surface system of  claim 15 , wherein said encapsulated monomer is present on one of said tongue and said groove, and at least one selected from the group consisting of an initiator; an activator; and a catalyst is present on the other of said tongue and said groove. 
   
   
       19 . The surface system of any of  claims 11 - 18 , wherein at least one of said tongue and said groove comprise locking elements. 
   
   
       20 . A method of forming a substantially planar surface comprising:
 providing a first surface element of any of  claims 1 - 12 ;   activating said dry glue; and   joining said surface element with a second element.   
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the dry glue further exhibits at least one property selected from the group consisting of:
 tensile strength of 7-20 kN/m when measured with a gap less than 0.1 mm and a pull rate of 2 mm/min;   storage stability of at least one year;   low initial tack value; and   set time of at least 45 minutes.   
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said second surface element is a surface element of any of the preceding claims. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 20  or  21 , wherein said first surface element comprises a tongue and said second surface element comprises a groove, wherein at least first component of said preglue is present on at least one of said tongue and said groove. 
   
   
       24 . The method of any of  claims 20 - 23 , wherein said activating comprises mating said tongue and said groove. 
   
   
       25 . A method of forming a substantially planar flooring system comprising:
 providing a first flooring element having a preglue on at least one surface of said first flooring element thereon, wherein the preglue exhibits a creep strength of between 1 and 50 kN/m, when measured with a gap less than 0.1 mm and a pull rate of 0.02 mm/min;   activating the preglue; and   joining the first flooring element with a second flooring element.   
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the preglue exhibits a creep strength of between 7 and 20 kN/m, when measured with a gap less than 0.1 mm and a pull rate of 0.02 mm/min 
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 25  or  26 , wherein the preglue further exhibits at least one property selected from the group consisting of:
 tensile strength of 7-20 kN/m when measured with a gap less than 0 1 mm and a pull rate of 2 mm/min;   storage stability of at least one year;   low initial tack value; and   set time of at least 45 minutes.   
   
   
       28 . The method of any of  claims 25 - 27 , wherein said activating comprises rupturing microbaloons containing at least one component of the preglue. 
   
   
       29 . The method of any of  claims 25 - 28 , wherein said activating comprises mating a tongue-and-groove system of the first and second flooring elements. 
   
   
       30 . The method of any of  claims 25 - 29 , wherein said activating comprises contacting a first component of the preglue, the first component positioned on the first flooring element, with a second component of the preglue, the second component positioned on the second flooring element.