Panel-type subfloor assembly for anchored/resilient hardwood floor
A panel-type subfloor assembly for an anchored/resilient floor includes a plurality of elongated panels laid end-to-end in parallel rows along a first direction, the panels having elongated slots formed therein that are oriented at an oblique angle relative to the first direction. For the entire floor, this results in a plurality of aligned rows of elongated slots oriented at an oblique angle relative to the first direction. Each slot cooperates with an elongated fastener, namely an elongated dual flanged channel held by at least one pin. The fastener is positioned within the respective slot and adapted to hold the respective panel to the base along two longitudinal edges of the slots, in a manner that limits upward movement of the panel while permitting downward deflection. The slots are longitudinally and transversely oversized relative to the flanges of the fastener, and preferably each fastener is secured to the base via only a single pin. This promotes self-alignment of fasteners and the floor in response to lateral sheer forces, thereby resulting in floor with a high degree of structural integrity that is able to withstand substantial lateral sheer forces and/or vertically directed forces. An upper wear layer is secured to the panel-type subfloor. Compared to other panel-type anchored/resilient floors, the floor of this invention simplifies and reduces installation and handling time, resulting in reduced labor costs. The structure itself also provides high strength and durability, but with reduced quantity and cost of materials.
1. An anchored/resilient floor comprising:
an upper wear surface residing over a base;
a subfloor layer of panels supporting the upper wear surface over the base, the panels arranged end-to-end in parallel rows oriented in a first direction;
a spacer layer supporting the subfloor layer a desired distance above the base; and
a plurality of elongated fasteners holding the subfloor layer of panels at the desired distance above the base, such that the held panels have a predetermined number of elongated slots and the fasteners cooperate with the slots to hold the panels to the base, the slots aligned in parallel rows along a second direction that is oriented at an oblique angle relative to the first direction, whereby the orientation of the panels in the first direction relative to the orientation of the slots in the second direction enhances the structural integrity of the floor.
2. The anchored/resilient floor of claim 1 wherein the upper wear surface further comprises a plurality of floorboards, and each floorboard has a tongue and groove configuration.
3. The anchored/resilient floor of claim 1 wherein the upper wear surface further comprises plurality of floorboards laid end-to-end in parallel rows that are aligned along a third direction that is perpendicular to the second direction.
4. The anchored/resilient floor of claim 1 wherein each of the elongated fasteners further comprises:
an elongated channel having a generally U-shaped transverse cross-sectional shape, with two opposing outwardly extending elongated flanges, the slots being counterbored to define ledges that contact the flanges, thereby to hold the panel to the base along the two opposing ledges of the slot.
5. The anchored/resilient floor of claim 1 wherein the spacer layer comprises a compressible pad that substantially covers and contacts the base.
6. The anchored/resilient floor system of claim 1 wherein at least some of the panels have more than one slot.
7. The anchored/resilient floor system of claim 6 wherein for the panels that have more than one slot, said slots are parallel and are not coextensive in a direction perpendicular to the second direction.
8. The anchored/resilient floor of claim 1 wherein the lengths of the slots are oversized relative to the lengths of the elongated fasteners, thereby to permit lateral movement of the wear surface and the panels relative to the base along the second direction.
9. The anchored/resilient floor of claim 1 wherein the slots are oversized in transverse and longitudinal directions, and further comprising:
one anchor pin securing the elongated fastener to the base, whereby the longitudinal and transverse oversizing of the slot and the single pin per elongated fastener allows the floor to self-align in response to lateral forces, thereby to enhance the overall structural integrity of the floor.
10. The anchored/resilient floor of claim 4 wherein the slots are oversized in transverse and longitudinal dimension, and further comprising:
one anchor pin securing each elongated channel to the base, whereby the longitudinal and transverse oversizing of the slots relative to the fasteners and the single pin per elongated channel allows the floor to self-align in response to lateral forces, thereby to enhance the overall structural integrity of the floor.
11. The anchored/resilient floor of claim 1 wherein the subfloor layer of panels results in a plurality of aligned and parallel rows of elongated slots oriented in the second direction.
12. The anchored/resilient floor of claim 1 wherein at least some of the slots are defined by complementary open-ended slot portions of two adjacently located panels.
13. The anchored/resilient floor of claim 1 wherein the rows of panels are generally uniform in width and are spaced transversely by a distance of at least a quarter of the width.
14. A subfloor for an anchored/resilient floor comprising:
a panel supported above a base, the panel having a first longitudinal direction and at least one elongated slot formed therein that is open to the base, said at least one slot oriented at an oblique angle relative to the first direction;
a spacer supporting the panel a desired distance above the base; and
for each of the slots, an elongated fastener supported on the spacer and cooperating with opposing longitudinal edges of the respective slot to hold the panel to the base, the slot being longitudinally and transversely oversized relative to the fastener, thereby to accommodate sheer forces and enhance the structural integrity of the subfloor.
15. The subfloor of claim 14 , wherein each elongated fastener further comprises:
an elongated channel sized to cooperate with the slot; and
one anchor pin securing the elongated channel to the base, whereby the longitudinal and transverse oversizing of the slots relative to the fasteners and the single pin per channel fastening arrangement allows the floor to self-align in response to lateral forces, thereby to enhance the overall structural integrity of the floor.
16. The subfloor of claim 14 , wherein for each of the panels that includes more than one slot, said slots are parallel and aligned in a second direction, and said slots are not coextensive in a direction perpendicular to the second direction.
17. An anchored/resilient floor comprising:
a wear layer residing over a subfloor layer, the subfloor layer comprising a plurality of panels of the type recited in claim 14 , wherein the subfloor layer of panels results in a plurality of aligned and parallel rows of slots oriented in the second direction.
18. An anchored/resilient floor comprising:
an upper wear surface residing over a base;
a subfloor layer of panels supporting the upper wear surface over the base, the panels arranged end-to-end in parallel rows oriented in a first direction;
a spacer layer supporting the subfloor layer a desired distance above the base; and
a plurality of elongated fasteners holding the subfloor layer of panels at the desired distance above the base, such that each of the held panels has a predetermined number of elongated slots and the fasteners cooperate with the slots to hold the panels to the base along first and second sides of the slot, the slots aligned in parallel rows along the first direction.
19. The anchored/resilient floor of claim 18 wherein the upper wear surface further comprises a plywood sublayer.
20. The anchored/resilient floor of claim 18 wherein each of the elongated fasteners further comprises:
an elongated channel having a generally U-shaped transverse cross-sectional shape, with two opposing outwardly extending elongated flanges, the slots being counterbored to define ledges that contact the flanges, thereby to hold the panel to the base along the two opposing ledges of the slot.
21. The anchored/resilient floor of claim 18 wherein, for each of the rows of panels, at least one of the slots is longitudinally offset relative to the first direction.
22. The anchored/resilient floor of claim 18 wherein the lengths of the slots are oversized relative to the lengths of the elongated fasteners, thereby to permit lateral movement of the wear surface and the panels relative to the base along a second direction.
23. The anchored/resilient floor of claim 18 wherein the slots are oversized in transverse and longitudinal directions, and further comprising:
one anchor pin securing the elongated fastener to the base, whereby the longitudinal and transverse oversizing of the slot and the single pin per elongated fastener allows the floor to self-align in response to lateral forces, thereby to enhance the overall structural integrity of the floor.
24. The anchored/resilient floor of claim 18 wherein the slots are oversized in transverse and longitudinal dimension, and further comprising:
one anchor pin securing each elongated channel to the base, whereby the longitudinal and transverse oversizing of the slots relative to the fasteners and the single pin per elongated channel allows the floor to self-align in response to lateral forces, thereby to enhance the overall structural integrity of the floor.