Subfloor component and method of manufacturing same

Abstract

A subfloor component includes an insulating foam panel having first and second opposing faces and a plurality of intersecting grooves to define, in cross-section, a plurality of pedestals having walls that extend into the panel from the first face toward the second face. The subfloor component also includes a moisture-resistant film attached to the first face of the panel and that conforms to the pedestals, and a hardboard layer on the second face of the panel. A method of manufacturing subfloor components is also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of manufacturing a subfloor component, comprising:
 providing a mold configured to form an insulating foam panel, the mold including pedestal-forming structures for forming the panel to have, in cross-section, a plurality of pedestals with walls that extend into the panel from a first face of the panel toward a second opposing face of the panel;   placing a moisture-resistant film into the mold adjacent to the pedestal-forming structures;   placing heat-expandable beads into the mold against the moisture-resistant film opposite the pedestal-forming structures;   applying heat to the mold to expand the heat-expandable beads to form the panel, wherein the expansion of the heat-expandable beads causes both the film and the expanding beads to enter into conform to the pedestal-forming structures thereby to form the pedestals of the panel with the moisture-resistant film fused thereto;   removing the panel with the fused moisture-resistant film from the mold; and   attaching a hardboard layer to the second face of the panel.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein heat-expandable beads are expandable polystyrene (EPS) beads. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the moisture-resistant film comprises a material selected from the group consisting of: high-impact polystyrene, polyethylene, and ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene). 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein attaching the hardboard layer comprises applying adhesive to one or both of the hardboard layer and the second face of the panel. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the hardboard layer comprises material selected from the group consisting of: OSB (oriented strand board), plywood, fiber cement board, cement board, metal sheeting, and magnesium oxide board. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 prior to attaching the hardboard layer, shaping the hardboard layer with a tongue/groove configuration for connecting to another hardboard layer of another subfloor component.