GB2347381A

GB2347381A - A method of producing a wood board section with a smooth surface undulation

Info

Publication number: GB2347381A
Application number: GB0000169A
Authority: GB
Inventors: William Machell
Original assignee: Machell & Sons Ltd W
Current assignee: Machell & Sons Ltd W
Priority date: 1999-02-18
Filing date: 2000-01-05
Publication date: 2000-09-06
Also published as: GB0000169D0; GB9903677D0

Abstract

A method of producing a wood board section, eg an oak board section 2, having at least one surface which is to be exposed to view in premises in which it is installed. The method comprises the steps of planing the at least one surface so as to provide the surface with a smooth undulation 6, sanding the surface, and staining the surface. A planer blade (22, fig 2) may be used whose width is greater than or equal to the width of the board section to be planed, where the cutting edge of the blade (26, fig 2) is arcuate so as to provide the wood board surface with a corresponding but inverse arcuate profile. A panel for a floor or door may be manufactured from timber sections adjacently disposed and attached to one another by suitable means along their edges, eg tongue 18 and groove 20 formations, which are provided with undulations running in a direction substantially parallel to the edges by which the respective board sections are attached.

Description

Method and Apparats for Wood Board Manufacture This invention relates to a method and apparatus for wood or timber board manufacture, and most particularly to a method and apparatus for board manufacture where there is requirement that the finished board be aesthetically pleasing.

Within domestic and more salubrious office premises, there is an insatiable desire among the owners of such premises for antique or antique-style timber panelling, doors, feature exposed beams, and flooring. It will be instantly appreciated that such materials provide a room within such premises with an antiquated, rustic feel, redolent of imperial or regal residences, and it is well known that the use of coloured timber within a particular room can provide a desirable warm atmosphere and ambience within that room.

A visit to any building of antiquity in the United Kingdom and elsewhere would instantly demonstrate that persons formerly in a position of power and wealth often furnished their residences with solid oak and other timber work (most commonly oak because of the rich, warm colour it exudes after having been stained and polished), and accordingly the use of such timber for flooring, wall panelling, and doors has in certain circles come to signify a degree of opulence.

Additionally, it is indisputable that the use of original wooden timber in domestic and office premises significantly increases the character possessed by those premises. The fact that the price of houses and other premises which have such"character"features is significantly elevated above similarly sized properties without such features is suitable evidence of this fact.

There are two intractable problems involved in providing antique timber work, both of which serve to increase the cost of same.

Firstly, the desire of persons wishing to avail themselves of antique timber work necessarily increases the demand therefor, and ultimately the cost.

Conversely, a primary source of such antique timber is from reclamations conducted on derelict and demolished premises which may have been originally constructed using such timber. The relative paucity of buildings provided internally or externally with such timber work, and the fraction of this already small number which are demolished or become derelict renders the availability of usable antique timber particularly scarce. Henceforth, not only is there a high demand for said timber, but such is in extremely short supply.

These factors contribute to increasing the price of the timber beyond the means of the majority of homeowners.

A further problem associated with antique timber reclamation is that the size of the pieces of timber which are reclaimed vary significantly. Although ultimately this increases the character of a room in which varyingly sized timber pieces are arranged, perhaps to form a panel or a door, the provision of antique timber flooring is made difficult. In particular, the width of timber sections recovered is seldom above 4 inches, and the lengths vary considerably.

One of the most attractive features of antique timber sections is the exposure of knots and grain structures on the surface of the panel.

Furthermore, the wear and gradual abrasion of the surface of the section, especially where such is incorporated in flooring, increases the overall aesthetic effect by exposing different grain structures on the same section after same has been stained. It is this effect which is so sought after and which heretofore has been impossible to reproduce or recreate effectively, efficiently and inexpensively in a recently cut timber board section.

It is an object of the invention to provide a method of enhancing the appearance of conventionally available oak and other wood and timber board sections, and provide them with an aesthetically pleasing and antique appearance.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a timber board section with an antique appearance.

According to the invention there is provided a method of producing wood board section having at least one surface which is to be exposed to view in premises in which it is installed, said method comprising the steps of planing the said at least one surface, sanding said surface, and staining said surface, characterised in that the planing step is effected so as to provide the said surface with smooth undulations.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a planer blade for planing the surface of wood board sections, the width of said blade being of a greater width or an equal width to the board section to be planed, characterised in that the cutting edge of said blade undulates across its width.

In a third aspect of the invention there is provided a timber board section having tongue and groove or the like formations in a thickness direction and in opposing edges thereof, characterised in that at least one surface of the board is provided with smooth undulations between the said opposing edges.

In a forth aspect of the invention, there is provided a flooring section or door manufactured from timber board sections adjacently disposed and attached to one another by suitable means along their edges, characterised in that said board sections are provided with undulations defining troughs and peaks in the said surfaces, said troughs and peaks running in a direction parallel to the edges by which respective board sections are attached.

The timber is preferably oak, the thickness of the sections is preferably 15cm (3/4 inch), and the means of attaching adjacent board sections is preferably the provision of tongue and groove formations in the edges of said section.

Preferably the vertical separation of the peaks and the troughs of the undulations is of the order of 1-4mm.

Preferably the edges at which respective board sections are attached to one another are sanded so as to provide a"v"section along their line of attachment, which further enhances the aesthetic effect of articles manufactured from the said board sections.

The provision of undulations in the exposed surface of the board has the surprising effect, after sanding and staining, of immediately enhancing the aesthetic appearance of the board. The result of planing the board surface with an undulating blade is to vary the grain structure and pattern and exposure of knots and anomalies within the material of the board, and after this has been highlighted with staining liquor, the resulting effect is at least very similar if not identical to that of an antique board section.

The invention will be understood with reference to the following specific embodiment provided by way of example with reference to the accompanying diagrams wherein: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a timber board section provided with an undulating upper surface, and Figure 2 shows a perspective view of a blade for use in a planer for planing board sections according to the invention.

Referring firstly to Figure 1 there is shown an oak board section 2 having a planar under surface 4 and an undulating upper surface 6 which is shown in the Figure as having knots 8 and grain lines 10 highlighted thereon. The undulating surface 6 defines peaks 12 and troughs 14 in the surface of the board, and it is the variation in the thickness of the board resulting from said undulations that produces the aesthetic effect. On the one hand the variation in thick results in the variation of the grain structure and pattern over the surface thereof, and secondly but equally importantly, the provision of peaks and troughs in the surface of the board 2 may give rise to shadowing effects under different lighting conditions which further enhance the aesthetic appeal of the board.

It is to be further mentioned that in conventionally flat planed planks, the grain pattern is essentially uniform and linear, except around knots within the body of the plank which are exposed on the planed surface. The act of planing such a plank with an arcuate or undulating blade edge has the effect of inducing a curvature into the grains over the length of the plank in the regions of greatest curvature of the plank surface after being so planed.

The vertical separation 16 between the peaks and troughs is ideally between lmm and 4mm.

The board 2 is additionally provided with tongue 18, and groove 20 formations to allow for adjacent attachment of similar boards, and in general the aesthetic effect of the board is appreciated instantaneously when multiple board sections of the type shown in Figure 1 are arranged edge to edge to form an article, such as a door or wall or floor panelling.

In Figure 2 there is shown a blade 22 having a thickness 24, a linear lower edge 26 by which the blade is gripped in a planing machine, and an undulating cutting edge 26 which contacts a conventional planar board section to provide one surface of same with undulations as shown in Figure 1.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that alterations and modifications may be made to the invention without departing from the scope or exceeding the spirit thereof, and such are to be considered as covered hereby.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A method of producing a wood board section having at least one surface which is to be exposed to view in premises in which it is installed or mounted, said method comprising the steps of planing the said at least one surface, sanding said surface, and staining said surface, characterised in that the planing step is effected so as to provide the said surface with a smooth undulation.
2. A planer blade for planing the surface of wood board sections, the width of said blade being greater than or equal to the width of the board section to be planed, characterised in that the cutting edge of said blade is arcuate so as to provide the said wood board surface with a corresponding but inverse arcuate profile.
3. A planer blade according to claim 2 characterised in that the arc on the blade edge defines a convex edge over a portion of the blade width and a concave edge over a further portion of the blade width thus defining an undulating blade edge.
4. A wood board section having interengaging formations in a thickness direction and in opposing edges thereof along the length of said section, characterised in that at least one surface of the board is provided with a smooth arcuate profile between the said opposing edges by means of passing an arcuate planning blade thereover.
5. A panel for floor or door manufactured from timber board sections adjacently disposed and attached to one another by suitable means along their edges, characterised in that said board sections are provided with undulations defining troughs and peaks in the said surfaces, said troughs and peaks running in a direction substantially parallel to the edges by which respective board sections are attached.
6. A wood board section as used or defined in any of the preceding claims characterised in that the wood is oak.
7. A wood board section as used or defined in any of the preceding claims characterised in that the thickness of the sections is 15mm (3/4 inch).
8. A wood board section as used or defined in any of the preceding claims characterised in that the means of attaching adjacent board sections is preferably the provision of tongue and groove formations in the edges of said section.
9. A wood board section as used or defined in any of the preceding claims characterised in that the vertical separation, i. e. amplitude of the peaks and the troughs of the undulations is of the order of 1-4mm.
10. A wood board section as used or defined in any of the preceding claims characterised in that the edges at which respective board sections are attached to one another are sanded so as to provide a"v"section along their line of attachment, which further enhances the aesthetic effect of articles manufactured from the said board sections.