Subfloor component and method of manufacturing same

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a subfloor component comprises: providing a mold configured to form an insulating foam panel, the mold including pedestal-forming structures for forming the panel to have a plurality of pedestals with walls extending from a first face of the panel toward a second opposing face of the panel; placing a substantially moisture-impervious film into the mold adjacent to the pedestal-forming structures; placing heat-expandable beads into the mold against the film opposite the pedestal-forming structures; applying heat to the mold to expand the heat-expandable beads to form the panel, wherein expansion of the heat-expandable beads causes both the film and the expanding beads to enter into and conform to the pedestal-forming structures thereby to form the pedestals of the panel with the film fused thereto; removing the panel with the fused film from the mold; and attaching a hardboard layer to the second face of the panel.

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 substantially moisture-impervious film into the mold adjacent to the pedestal-forming structures;   placing heat-expandable beads into the mold against the 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 and conform to the pedestal-forming structures thereby to form the pedestals of the panel with the film fused thereto;   removing the panel with the fused film from the mold; and   attaching a hardboard layer to the second face of the panel.   
     
     
         2 . 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 heat-expandable beads into the mold against 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 the expanding beads to enter into and conform to the pedestal-forming structures thereby to form the pedestals of the panel;   placing a substantially moisture-impervious film into the mold adjacent to the pedestal-forming structures;   applying heat to the mold to fuse the film to the panel, the heat causing the film to enter into and conform to the pedestals and fuse thereto;   removing the panel with the fused film from the mold; and   attaching a hardboard layer to the second face of the panel.   
     
     
         3 . 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 heat-expandable beads into the mold against 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 the expanding beads to enter into and conform to the pedestal-forming structures thereby to form the pedestals of the panel;   removing the panel from the mold;   placing a substantially moisture-impervious film adjacent the first face of the panel;   applying heat to one or both of the film and the panel, the heat causing the film to enter into and conform to the pedestals and fuse thereto; and   attaching a hardboard layer to the second face of the panel.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein placing the substantially moisture-impervious film comprises placing the film in contact with and/or in non-contact proximity with the first face of the panel.