GB2258873A

GB2258873A - Removable tiling system

Info

Publication number: GB2258873A
Application number: GB9120791A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Charles Wynne
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1991-08-23
Filing date: 1991-10-01
Publication date: 1993-02-24
Anticipated expiration: 2011-10-01
Also published as: GB2258873B; GB9120791D0; GB9118203D0

Abstract

A surface covering for a building interior wall (14) comprising a base (10) for mounting on said surface and elements (1) for arrangement in side-by-side relation to overlie the base, the base and each element having co-operating formations (3, 8) for retention of the elements on the base. The elements are typically of decorative quality; they may be of plastics or plastics overlaid with tile. <IMAGE>

Description

SURFACE COVERINGS This invention relates to surface coverings. The invention finds particular, although not exclusive, use in relation to coverings for interior walls including floors and ceilings, particularly decorative coverings.

Surface protection and decoration of building interior walls and like surfaces may be achieved by use of wall paper, textiles or the like. Whilst such coverings may be readily stripped or removed from walls, they have the disadvantage of being susceptible to damage. More hard wearing coverings such as ceramic tiles are also in use, but they have the disadvantage that they need to be fixedly mounted on walls by cement or other paste and are thus difficult to remove thereafter. Particular difficulties arise if it is desired to replace single damaged tiles from within a group of adjacent ones, since in their removal neighbouring tiles are susceptible to damage. In addition, such ceramic materials are brittle and thus difficult to cut for fitting into small spaces or around obstacles.

It is an object of this invention to provide surface coverings which alleviate at least some of the aforementioned drawbacks.

According to an aspect of the invention there is provided a system for surface covering, typically for covering an interior building wall, comprising a base, suitably a board or sheet and for mounting on said surface, said covering further comprising elements, typically of regular shape and having a decorative quality, for arrangement in side-by-side relation to overlie the base, the base and each element having cooperating formations for retention of the elements on the base.

Conveniently, the base and element formations are of respective projection/reception types, and independent withdrawal or removal of the elements is effected by disengagement of the formations. By allowing independent removal of elements such a system can improve adaptability and flexibility of surface coverings, particularly as regards interchanging and rearrangement of elements.

In a particularly convenient arrangement, the base board or sheet has surface projections such as lugs or spigots for engagement in corresponding channels or recesses in the elements, or vice versa. At least in the case where the elements and/or base are made of mouldable material, such as plastics, the formations may be integrally formed and engagement of the corresponding formations may be effected by interference fitting or snap fitting or the like. Such elements are advantageous since plastics materials may readily be cut into a variety of shapes, even by the domestic user.

Typically the elements have surface formations on a rear surface and have an opposite or front surface of decorative quality achieved by, for example, contoured, textured or coloured effects. Alternatively, or in addition thereto decorative quality of the elements may be enhanced by application of further decorative components to the front surface. In this regard the elements may be viewed as carriers for such other decorative components.

According to another aspect of the invention, surface covering, typically for an interior building wall, is facilitated by overlying the surface with a base, such as a board or sheet, suitably with assistance of battens or the like, and application of discrete and preferably decorative elements to said base for retention thereon by way of respective formations, typically to the extent that elements substantially obscure base from view.

Use of battens or other supports is convenient since they may assist in providing a flatter working surface, as compared with surfaces provided by plastering of building interior walls, for example. In addition, securement of base to such surfaces may be facilitated by use of battens.

An embodiment of the invention will now be illustrated in more detail, with reference to the accompanying schematic illustrations.

Fig. 1 is a rear perspective view of an element according to an embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 is a front view of a part of a base; Fig. 3A is a side view of an element and base just prior to interengagement Fig. 3B is a side view of an element and base of an alternative embodiment, prior to interengagement.

Fig. 4 is a base partially covered with elements.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 illustrates an example element or tile 1 of polygonal shape. The tile 1 is moulded from a plastics material and comprises a series of both parallel and mutually perpendicular walls 3 arranged as a grid, having reception components 6 in the form of regularly spaced wells or recesses into the body of the tile 3, provided between adjacent walls 3. An opposite face 4 of the tile 1 has a smooth coloured surface of decorative quality. The base 10 has a substantially planar rear surface with projection components 8 in the form of spigots or annular lugs on an uppermost surface, the projection components 8 being of appropriate dimensions to fit or nest closely within the reception components 3.

In use, the base may be mounted onto a batten 14 or other support to facilitate securement to a wall or other surface.

Such batten 14 may also provide a levelled working surface as compared with possibly uneven plasterwork.

As illustrated in Figure 3 each tile 1 may then be pressed onto the base 8 mounted on batten 14, and secured thereon by engagement of lugs 8 in wells 3, by interference fitting or the like. Further tiles 1 may be mounted onto the base 10, arranged adjacent such that the base 10 is obscured from view. Improved coverage and adaptability is obtainable using regular polygonally shaped tiles, although, of course, curved or other complex shapes are possible.

Removal of the tiles 1 from the base 10 may be effected by levering to achieve disengagement of the lugs 8 and wells 6. For independent removal of a single damaged tile, leverage may be effected by insertion of appropriate tool through the tile, spaced from its edges thereby to reduce risk of damage to adjacent tiles.

It will be appreciated that such tiles may have any number of formations and various forms and arrangements of formations would be appropriate provided sufficiently secure engagement between respective base and tile formations is effected.

Alternative forms and arrangement of formations are illustrated in Figure 3B, in which embodiment the base 20 has frustoconical projection components 28 extending and tapering outwardly from the base 20, adjacent components defining correspondingly frustoconical recesses 29. The base has matching annular projection components 26, each having a deformable annular lip 24 at their free end for nesting closely in recesses 29.

The illustrated tiles have a square boundary or perimeter, conveniently having dimensions of 100 x 100mm or 150 x 150 mm. However, various perimeter shapes are appropriate, provided sufficiently close alignment of adjacent tiles may be effected to substantially obscure the base from view and in this regard regular polygonal tiles having three or more sides are preferred.

In addition, whilst the illustrated tiles 1 and 21 have a smooth front surface of decorative quality, textured effects are clearly an alternative. Furthermore, application of an additional decorative component, for example adhesion of a ceramic tile or the like, to the front surface of an illustrated tile provides a surface covering also having the advantage of improved adaptability, particularly since the combined decorative tile and carrier element may be more readily removed from a base such as previously described than would be the case if the decorative tile were applied directly to a wall or like surface.

Claims

1. A surface covering for a building interior wall comprising a base for mounting on said surface and elements for arrangement in side-by-side relation to overlie the base, the base and each element having co-operating formations for retention of the elements on the base.

2. A covering according to claim 1 wherein the base is a board or sheet.

3. A covering according to claim 1 or 2 wherein each said element has a regular polygonal perimeter.

4. A covering according to any preceding claim wherein the base and element formations are of respective projection/receptive types.

5. A covering according to claim 4 in which the base has annular projections for engagement in corresponding recesses in the elements.

6. A covering according to claim 4 or 5 wherein the element formations are a series of parallel and perpendicular walls arranged as a grid on a rear surface of the element, adjacent walls defining chambers for accommodating base formations.

7. A covering according to claim 4 or 5 wherein the element formations are annular frustoconical projections tapering outwardly from the element, adjacent projections defining chambers for accommodating base formations.

8. A covering according to claim 6 wherein each frustoconical formation has an annular lip at its free end.

9. A covering according to any preceding claim wherein the respective formations are integrally formed on the elements and/or on the base.

10. A covering according to any preceding claim wherein each said element has a front surface of decorative quality.

11. A covering substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

12. A method of covering a surface of a building interior wall which comprises overlying the surface with a base and application of discrete elements to said base for retention thereon by way of respective formations, to the extent that the elements substantially obscure base from view.

13. A method according to claim 12 in which battens are used for securing the base to the surface.

14. A method according to claim 12 or 13 in which a further decorative component is applied to an uppermost surface of at least one said element.