Stress-free, embossed, ornamented tile surface covering and process for

Abstract

A stress-free embossed, ornamented surface covering, suitable for use as a floor or wall tile, is made by: providing a decorated resinous film on a release carrier, with the decorated surface of the film facing away from the carrier; providing on a release carrier a pre-formed, low-density, reinforced, porous thermoplastic base material, which may include hollow, non-thermoplastic particles; interfacing the decorated surface of the film with the top surface of the base material; perforating the film, after removal of the release carriers; and, subjecting the structure to high frequency electrical energy and pressure in a flatbed press having a cooled embossing plate and a cooled back-up plate, to emboss the structure, fuse the resins and render the film substantially impermeable. The film may be die cut in register with the decoration thereon while it is on the release carrier, without cutting the carrier, prior to lamination of the film to similarly cut and shaped pieces of the base material or, the base material and the decorated film thereon may be simultaneously cut in register with the decoration after removal of the release carriers. An adhesive coating and a releasable paper may be applied to the back of the product to facilitate installation thereof on a surface upon removal of the paper.