Patent Application
20100146879
The present invention pertains to stair systems, and more particularly, to laminate stair treads and a method of manufacture and installation therefor.
Due to their ease of installation and wide availability in a plethora of patterns and colors, laminate flooring systems are increasingly gaining popularity with housing contractors, builders, and particularly “do-it-yourself” home renovators. Laminate flooring systems provide an ideal and economical alternative to solid hardwood flooring systems, as they are less expensive to manufacture, and can be installed quickly and inexpensively without requiring a specific level of technical expertise. Moreover, laminate floors exhibit better stain resistance, wear resistance, ease of cleaning, and have a lesser emission of organic compound vapor over other competing flooring products.
Installation of laminate flooring over discontinuous surfaces such as floors in two levels is achieved by laminate stairs.
The laminate stair treads 114 may be supported by tread subflooring 118 disposed upon the tread-supporting sides 115 of the stringer 112. A layer of vapour barrier 119 can optionally be disposed between the laminate stair treads 114 and the tread subflooring 118 to prevent moisture from penetrating the laminate stair treads 114. Similarly, risers 116 are either directly supported by the riser-supporting sides 115, or affixed to riser subflooring 120 that are attached to the riser-supporting sides 115. The laminate stair tread 114 is complemented by a stair nosing 122 having a curved front side 123 and a rear side 125 that is attached to the front side 127 of the laminate stair tread 114. The stair nosing 122 is typically made of solid hardwood, plastic, metal or similar resilient materials securely attached to the laminate stair tread 114 or the tread subflooring 118 so as to withstand the pressure placed thereupon when a person steps on the stair nosing 122. The stair nosing 122 can protect the edge of the laminate stair treads 114 or the risers 116 from chipping, it can also provide surface continuity between laminate stair treads 114 and risers 116.
The rear side 125 of the stair nosing 122 includes a tongue 135 and the front side 127 of the laminate stair tread 114 may include a groove 137 adapted to receive the tongue 135 therein. The laminate stair tread 114 is secured to the stair nosing 122 by the tongue 135 and groove 137 interlock mechanism, while the riser 116 is secured against the riser subflooring 120. The various components of the stair system 110 are generally held together using adhesive and nails, according to construction code requirements.
Referring now to
It is desirable, however, to have a laminate stair nosing that sits flush with the upper surface of the laminate stair tread to avoid tripping, for example. Any significant discontinuity on the upper surface of the laminate stair tread can also less aesthetically pleasing.
One of the problems associated with the conventional stair systems described in
In order to overcome this problem, various techniques such as the tongue 135 and groove 137 as illustrated in
Furthermore, it is desirable both for aesthetics and safety reasons to make the joint between the stair nosing 122 and the laminate floor 114 as seamless as possible. This requires fashioning the laminate stair tread 114 to ensure that the front side 127 of the laminate stair tread 114 perfectly mates with the rear side 125 of the stair nosing 122. The shaping of these components so that they evenly mate is difficult because the laminate stair tread 114 is fabricated from different materials than the stair nosing 122. Although the overlapping flange 223 in
Lastly, since the nosing 122 or 222 is not made from the same material as the laminate stair tread 114 or 214, the colors may not match. The nosing 122 or 222 being generally made from solid wood is more expensive and is manufactured separately using different techniques than the fabrication of the laminate stair treads 114 or 214.
There is therefore a need in the industry to provide a laminate stair tread that obviates the foregoing problems.
This background information is provided to reveal information believed by the applicant to be of possible relevance to the present invention. No admission is necessarily intended, nor should be construed, that any of the preceding information constitutes prior art against the present invention.
An object of the present invention is to provide a laminate stair tread and method therefor. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided a laminate stair tread for a stair system, the laminate stair tread having a core having a top surface and a bottom surface, and opposing read side and front side, the front side being substantially curved, and a laminate layer affixed to the top surface of the core.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for installing a laminate stair system having laminate stair treads having a core having a top surface and a bottom surface, and opposing read side and front side, the front side being substantially curved, and a laminate layer affixed to the top surface of the core, the method comprising the steps of: (a) Measuring the width of the stair between the outmost stringers; (b) Cutting a piece of laminate stair tread to fit flush with the top of the existing stair tread; (c) Gluing the laminate stair tread in place over the tread subflooring by applying a bead of construction adhesive on a top surface of the tread subflooring and pressing the laminate stair tread thereto; (d) Cutting a piece of laminate riser at the same length as that of the stair laminate tread and at a width corresponding to the distance between the bottom laminate tread and the second laminate tread including the groove; and (e) Slidably inserting the riser into the groove.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for manufacturing a laminate stair tread having a core having a top surface and a bottom surface, and opposing read side and front side, the front side being substantially curved, and a laminate layer affixed to the top surface of the core, the method comprising the steps of: (a) Shaping a side of a core made of HDF into a curved shape for a stair nosing; (b) Applying a layer of glue is to the top surface and the curved side of the core; (c) Heating the core to temperature in the range of 200 to 220 degrees Celsius; (d) Placing a layer of laminate of a substantially the same area as the core on the top surface of the core; (e) Pressing the laminate against the top surface; (f) Bending the laminate against the curved side; and (g) Pressing the laminate against the curved side.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for manufacturing a laminate stair tread having a core having a top surface and a bottom surface, and opposing read side and front side, the front side being substantially curved, and a laminate layer affixed to the top surface of the core, the method comprising the steps of: (a) Shaping a side of a core made of HDF into a curved shape for a stair nosing; (b) Applying a layer of glue is to the top surface and the curved side of the core; (c) Heating the core to temperature in the range of 200 to 220 degrees Celsius; (d) Placing a layer of laminate of a substantially the same area as the core on the top surface of the core excluding the curved side; (e) Pressing the laminate against the top surface; (f) Placing a layer of laminate of a substantially the same area as the curved side on the curved side; and (g) Pressing the laminate against the curved side.
A better understanding of these and other embodiments of the present invention can be obtained with reference to the following drawings which show by way of example embodiments of the present invention, in which:
The term “high density fiberboard” (HDF) is used to define a high-density, moisture-resistant fiber panel manufactured from wood residues (such as sawdust, shavings and wood chips). This ligneous material is ground into a pulp to which a resin (such as melamine-urea-formaldehyde) is subsequently added. This pulp is then dried and pressed into panels of specific width and length. Optionally, the HDF may include an inner core such as a metal mesh or other form of reinforcement for improved rigidity.
The term “laminate” is used to define a thin layer of melamine impregnated decorative paper that is thermo-fused to the surface of the HDF and can be topped with an aluminum-oxide wear layer for improved scratch resistance and durability. A worker skilled in the art would readily understand alternate materials for laminate which can provide similar decorative and physical properties can be used.
The term “AC” is used to define a standardized measure of the hardness of the laminate adopted by The Association of European Producers of Laminate Flooring (ELPF). The AC rating defines the abrasion resistance, impact resistance, resistance to staining and cigarette burns, and thickness swelling along edges of a laminate floor covering. The AC rating is immediately followed by a number designating the actual AC ratings on a scale of 1 to 5. Typically, an AC1 is employed for areas with less frequent travel, such as a bedroom. The AC3 rating is suitable for residential use as well as low traffic commercial applications. The AC5 rating is more durable can withstand the traffic of heavier commercial areas such as department stores and public buildings. Generally, the building codes require an AC3 rating or above for laminate stairs.
As used herein, the term “about” refers to a +/−10% variation from the nominal value. It is to be understood that such a variation is always included in any given value provided herein, whether or not it is specifically referred to.
Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs.
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are now described with reference to accompanying drawings, wherein like elements are designated by like reference numerals throughout the drawings.
The present invention arises from the realization that existing laminate stairs require attachment of a separate stair nosing made from hardwood or other resilient materials that typically overlaps with the stair tread. This configuration of a stair nosing, however, is susceptible to becoming dislodged due to forces applied on the nosing during ascending or descending the stairs. Furthermore the nosing can be made from a different material than that of the laminate stair and therefore may not match the color of the stair, thereby causing a discontinuity in the upper surface of the stair tread which is not esthetically pleasing and may obstruct a person's foot while descending. The present invention seeks to overcome these drawbacks by providing a monolithic laminate stair tread having an integrally formed curved end that serves as the stair nosing, thereby producing a continuous substantially seamless surface. Furthermore, the structural rigidity of the monolithic laminate stair tread of the present invention can provide improved structural integrity when compared with multi-element stair tread and nosing combinations currently used.
Reference is made to
As shown in
Although most stair systems today are constructed with subflooring, tread subflooring 318 may be attached onto the tread-supporting sides 313 to provide additional support for the laminate stair treads 314. Depending on the application, the tread subflooring 318 may be a plywood board, or particle-based products such as particleboard, waferboard, oriented-strand board or composite lumber. In applications where the stair supporting structure is made of concrete, subflooring 318 is generally used in conjunction with a layer of vapour barrier 319 sandwiched between the tread subflooring 318 and the laminate stair treads 314. The vapour barrier 319 can serve to protect the laminate stair treads 314 from moisture transfer from tread-supporting side 313. Alternatively, where tread subflooring 318 is supported by solid stairs such as a concrete stair support (not shown), the layer of vapour barrier 319 may be placed between the tread subflooring 318 and the concrete stair.
Risers 316 are generally attached to riser-supporting side 315 of the stringers 312, or in the alternative, attached to riser subflooring 320 affixed to the riser-supporting sides 315, with an optional layer of vapor barrier 312 placed in between the riser subfloorings 320 and the risers 316. In one embodiment, the risers 316 and the laminate stair treads 314 can have the same color and design to provide consistent stair pattern.
In one embodiment, the laminate stair tread 314 is made from HDF which includes a flat upper surface 344 and a lower surface 345. The upper surface 344 includes a layer of laminate with about an AC3 or AC4 rating to withstand the wear-and-tear caused by persons ascending or descending the stairs. The laminate stair treads 314 are fabricated by sawing a larger HDF board in the desired dimensions. The dimensions of the HDF board are application specific and are typically predicated by the specifications provided by the municipalities or national building codes. In the presently described embodiment of the invention, the laminate stair tread 314 is about 0.3 meter in width, about 1.2 meters in length, and has a thickness of about 12 millimeters to 20 millimeters.
. The laminate stair tread 314 is fabricated from HDF of about 18 mm in thickness. It has been observed that this thickness provides sufficient structural support for the laminate stair tread 314.
Alternate materials can be used to manufacture the laminate stair treads and risers as would be readily understood by a worker skilled in the art.
The laminate stair tread 314 also includes a front side 327 having a curved surface 323, and a rear side 335. Accordingly, the curved surface 323 acts as the stair nosing for the laminate stair tread 314, providing a monolithic laminate stair tread that obviates the need for a separate stair nosing. Moreover, the laminate stair tread 314 of the present invention provides a stair tread having a smooth surface that is free of any interruptions. Advantageously, the laminate surface of the laminate stair tread 314 is scratch-resistant and fade resistant so as to maintain its look regardless of the traffic.
As further illustrated in
In addition to the usual function of step edge protection, the curved surface 323 or 423 renders the front side 327 or 427 of the laminate stair tread 314 or 414 less sharp, therefore less susceptible to scuffs and scratches, and more comfortable while descending. Advantageously, as further illustrated in
In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the surface of the front side 527 may be shaped to be corrugated along a length thereof for improved slip-resistance. Optionally, the non-slip material 524 may be photoluminescent to provide a clearer and safer indication of the stair edge in power failure or darkness induced situations. Furthermore, the non-slip material 524 may be shaped so as to follow the contours of the curved surface 523 and to substantially cover the front side 527.
Referring to
Referring now to
Referring to
Although the steps involved in the manufacture of a laminate stair tread are described in reference with a laminate stair tread having a generally curved no sing, other nosing configurations can be contemplated by skilled artisans, depending on the application. It is obvious that the foregoing embodiments of the invention are exemplary and can be varied in many ways. Such present or future variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/CA2007/001089 | 6/20/2007 | WO | 00 | 3/1/2010 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60814873 | Jun 2006 | US |
