SUPPORT MATERIAL

Abstract: A support material for use as a support for a floating moisture-sensitive floor and comprising a fibre layer (4) coated with a bituminous layer (5) surfaced with an impact sound absorbing material in the form of porous plastics bodies (6), the bituminous layer (5) being free of impact sound absorbing material in the edge zones of the support material and the plastics bodies (6) having such size that when laid with overlapping edge zones, a substantially uniform thickness is imparted to the support material all over its surface. When using the support material according to the invention, a planar, stable and durable support for a floating floor is obtained.

Description: SUPPORT MATERIAL The present invention relates to a support material for use as a support for a floating, moisture-sensitive floor, said support material comprising a fibre layer coated with a bituminous layer surfaced with a layer of impact sound absor¬ bing material. When laying wooden floors, such as parquets, as floating floors on a concrete support it is well known to provide an intermediate layer in the form of a support material between the concrete surface and the parquet floor. It is well known to use a plastics film in order to obtain good moisture-protection of the wooden floor. However, such a plastics film does not provide substantial impact sound absorption. Therefore, it has been tried to replace the plastics film with cellular plastic, felt or the like, which, however, has not led to a satisfactory result. DK-A-5 009 discloses a support material consisting of a paper sheet coated on one side with a bituminous layer surfaced with a cork granulate. The use of such support material in the laying of a floating floor has not solved the moisture problem, because the presence of the cork granulate in the overlapping zones necessitates butt-joining of the edges of adjacent sheets of support material which means that the joints obtained are not moisture-proof. The support material according to the invention is charac¬ terized in that the bituminous layer is free of impact sound absorbing material in the edge zones of the support material, and that the impact sound absorbing material consists of porous plastics bodies of such a size that when laid with overlapping edge zones, the support material obtains a substantially uniform thickness all over its surface. When the support material according to the invention is laid with the layer of impact sound absorbing plastics beads facing downwards, a completely planar support for a floating floor is obtained and this imparts a high degree of stability thereto. When a fibre layer in the form of felt is used, a surface is also obtained which is suitable for adhesion of the floating floor, such as a parquet floor. The support also provides a good and lasting impact sound absorption, since the impact sound absorbing plastics bodies are resistant to rot, as opposed to e.g. a cork granulate, and thus they are not influenced by the moisture which inevitably penetrates or is present in the space between the actual support, e.g. a concrete support, and the support material for the floating floor. Moreover, the support material according to the invention presents the particular advantage that vapour-proof joints between adjacent pieces or sheets of the material are obtained by overlapping. Seen from below, the overlapping zones of the support material will thus consist of a bi¬ tuminous layer, a fibre layer, a bituminous layer and a fibre layer. According to the invention, particular good vapour-proofness of the overlapping zones is obtained when the edge zones of the support material is provided with a layer of self- adhesive rubber-containing bitumen. In addition to providing increased vapour-proofness, the rubber-containing bituminous layer contributes to the absorption of impact sounds in the overlapping zones where there are no impact sound absorbing plastics bodies present. According to the invention the self- adhesive layer is preferably covered with a tear-off film, e.g. a plastics film with a thickness of 30μm. A further preferred embodiment of the support layer according to the invention is characterized in that the fibre material is impregnated with bitumen in at least the edge zones. This measure contributes further to obtain a completely vapour- proof surface for the moisture-sensitive floor. Moreover, by sealing the edges with rubber-containing bitumen it is prevented that moisture penetrates into the fibre material through the edges of the support material by capillar suction. Preferably, the fibre layer consists of cellulose fibres and may for instance consist of felt base. However, it may also consist completely or partially of synthetic, organic fibres. When felt base is used, it preferably has a basis weight of between 400 and 600 g/m 2 and particularly preferred of about 500 g/m 2 . The bituminous layer, whose primary function it is to render the support material vapour-proof, preferably has a thickness corresponding to a weight of about 1000 g/m 2 . The bitumen used is preferably selected from a group consisting of oxidized bitumens and polymer-modified distilled bitumens. The impact sound absorbing porous plastics bodies are preferably polystyrene beads with a density in the order of 20 kg/m 3 . However, the density will depend on the desired impact sound absorption and resistance to compression. As stated above, the size of the plastics bodies should be adapted to the thickness of the fibre layer and the bi¬ tuminous layer and when plastics beads are used they typical¬ ly have a diameter of between 3 and 4 mm. The invention also relates to a method of producing a vapour- proof and impact sound absorbing support for a floating moisture-sensitive floor, said method comprising the laying of pieces of the support material described above with over- lapping edges and causing the pieces to adhere to one another in the overlapping zones. The invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the drawing which shows a vertical, sectional view through a preferred embodiment of the support material according to the invention used as a support for a parquet floor provided on a concrete support. In the drawing 1 designates a parquet floor and 2 a concrete support. A support consisting of mutually adhering pieces 3 of a support material is provided between the concrete support 2 and the parquet floor 1. The support material consists of a layer of felt base 4 which is coated on the underside with a bituminous layer 5. The underside of the bituminous layer 5 is surfaced with a layer of porous plastics beads 6 which are partially embedded in the bituminous layer 5. The plastics beads 6 serve to absorb impact sound and to make the parquet floors comfortable to walk on. Moreover, the plastics beads have a certain heat- insulating effect. As will appear from the drawing, the pieces 3 of support material are joined by overlapping, an edge zone 7 on the one piece of support material being located on top of the edge zone 7 of another piece, the two pieces of support material being free of impact sound absorbing plastics beads in the said edge zones 7. The adhesion of said pieces in the overlapping zone is provided by means of the bituminous layer 5 provided between the two layers of felt base 4 and a self-adhesive rubber- containing bitumen layer 8. In order to obtain a particularly efficient vapour-proofness, the felt base 4 is impregnated with bitumen in the edge zones and the bituminous layer extends around the edges 9 of the felt base which are thus sealed. As will appear from the" drawing, the size of the plastics beads 6 is adapted to the thickness of the crude felt 4 and the bituminous layer 5 in such a manner that the same thickness is imparted to the support material in the over¬ lapping zone as well as outside said zone. Thus the support material forms a completely planar support for the parquet floor 1.

Claims: C l a i s 1. A support material for use as a support for a floating moisture-sensitive floor, said surface material comprising a fibre layer (4) coated with a bituminous layer (5) surfaced with a layer of an impact sound absorbing material, c h a ¬ r a c t e r i z e d in that the bituminous layer is free of impact sound absorbing material in the edge zones (7) of the support material, and that the impact sound absorbing material consists of porous plastics bodies of such size that when laid with overlapping zones, the support material obtains a substantially uniform thickness all over its surface. 2. A support material according to claim 1, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that the edge zones (7) thereof are coated with a layer of rubber-containing bitumen. 3. A support material according to claim 2, c h a r a c - t e r i z e d in that the layer of rubber-containing bitumen is provided with a tear-off film. 4. A support material according to claims 1, 2 or 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the fibre material is impregnated with bitumen in the edge zones. 5. A support material according to any one of the prece¬ ding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the layer of fibre material consists of felt base. 6. A support material according to claim 5, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that the felt base has a basis weight of between 400 and 600 g/m 2 . 7. A support material according to any one of the prece¬ ding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the porous plastics bodies consist of polystyrene beads. 8. A method of producing a vapour-proof and impact sound absorbing support for a floating moisture-sensitive floor, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that pieces of a support material according to one of the preceding claims are laid with overlapping edges and that the pieces are caused to adhere to one another in the overlapping zones.

Inventors: HARDER SVEN, HARDER, SVEN
Applicants: VILLADSENS FAB AS JENS, A/S JENS VILLADSENS FABRIKER
Application year: 1993
Main classification: E04F15
IPC codes: E04F15