SUBFLOOR COMPONENT AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SAME

1 . A method of manufacturing a subfloor component, comprising:

providing a mold configured to form an insulating foam panel, the mold including pedestal-forming structures for forming the panel to have, in cross-section, a plurality of pedestals with walls that extend into the panel from a first face of the panel toward a second opposing face of the panel;

placing a moisture-resistant film into the mold adjacent to the pedestal-forming structures;

placing heat-expandable beads into the mold against the moisture-resistant film opposite the pedestal-forming structures;

applying heat to the mold to expand the heat-expandable beads to form the panel, wherein the expansion of the heat-expandable beads causes both the film and the expanding beads to enter into and conform to the pedestal-forming structures thereby to form the pedestals of the panel with the moisture-resistant film fused thereto;

removing the panel with the fused moisture-resistant film from the mold; and

attaching a hardboard layer to the second face of the panel.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the heat-expandable beads are expandable polystyrene (EPS) beads.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the moisture-resistant film comprises a material selected from the group consisting of: high-impact polystyrene, polyethylene, and ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene).

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein attaching the hardboard layer comprises applying adhesive to one or both of the hardboard layer and the second face of the panel.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the hardboard layer comprises material selected from the group consisting of: OSB (oriented strand board), plywood, fiber cement board, cement board, metal sheeting, and magnesium oxide board.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

shaping the hardboard layer with a tongue/groove configuration for connecting to another hardboard layer of another subfloor component.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

forming grooves on at least two sides of said hardboard layer, each groove for connecting to at least one connector.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein each connector is a connector strip comprising opposing tongues, the connector strip being configured for connecting adjacent subfloor components.

9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein said forming comprises forming grooves on four sides of said hardboard layer.

10 . A method of manufacturing a subfloor component, comprising:

providing a mold configured to form an insulating foam panel, the mold including pedestal-forming structures for forming the panel to have, in cross-section, a plurality of pedestals with walls that extend into the panel from a first face of the panel toward a second opposing face of the panel;

placing heat-expandable beads into the mold against the pedestal-forming structures;

applying heat to the mold to expand the heat-expandable beads to form the panel, wherein the expansion of the heat-expandable beads causes the expanding beads to enter into and conform to the pedestal-forming structures thereby to form the pedestals of the panel;

placing a moisture-resistant film into the mold adjacent to the pedestal-forming structures;

applying heat to the mold to fuse the film to the panel, the heat causing the film to enter into and conform to the pedestals and fuse thereto;

removing the panel with the fused moisture-resistant film from the mold; and

attaching a hardboard layer to the second face of the panel.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the heat-expandable beads are expandable polystyrene (EPS) beads.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the moisture-resistant film comprises a material selected from the group consisting of: high-impact polystyrene, polyethylene, and ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene).

13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein attaching the hardboard layer comprises applying adhesive to one or both of the hardboard layer and the second face of the panel.

14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the hardboard layer comprises material selected from the group consisting of: OSB (oriented strand board), plywood, fiber cement board, cement board, metal sheeting, and magnesium oxide board.

15 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

shaping the hardboard layer with a tongue/groove configuration for connecting to another hardboard layer of another subfloor component.

16 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

forming grooves on at least two sides of said hardboard layer, each groove for connecting to at least one connector.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein each connector is a connector strip comprising opposing tongues, the connector strip being configured for connecting adjacent subfloor components.

18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein said forming comprises forming grooves on four sides of said hardboard layer.

19 . A method of manufacturing a subfloor component, comprising:

providing a mold configured to form an insulating foam panel, the mold including pedestal-forming structures for forming the panel to have, in cross-section, a plurality of pedestals with walls that extend into the panel from a first face of the panel toward a second opposing face of the panel;

placing heat-expandable beads into the mold against the pedestal-forming structures;

applying heat to the mold to expand the heat-expandable beads to form the panel, wherein the expansion of the heat-expandable beads causes the expanding beads to enter into and conform to the pedestal-forming structures thereby to form the pedestals of the panel;

removing the panel from the mold;

placing a moisture-resistant film adjacent the first face of the panel;

applying heat to one or both of the moisture-resistant film and the panel, the heat causing the film to enter into and conform to the pedestals and fuse thereto; and

attaching a hardboard layer to the second face of the panel.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein said placing comprises placing the moisture-resistant film in contact with and/or in non-contact proximity with the first face of the panel.

21 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the heat-expandable beads are expandable polystyrene (EPS) beads.

22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the moisture-resistant film comprises a material selected from the group consisting of: high-impact polystyrene, polyethylene, and ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene).

23 . The method of claim 19 , wherein attaching the hardboard layer comprises applying adhesive to one or both of the hardboard layer and the second face of the panel.

24 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the hardboard layer comprises material selected from the group consisting of: OSB (oriented strand board), plywood, fiber cement board, cement board, metal sheeting, and magnesium oxide board.

25 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising:

shaping the hardboard layer with a tongue/groove configuration for connecting to another hardboard layer of another subfloor component.

26 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising:

forming grooves on at least two sides of said hardboard layer, each groove for connecting to at least one connector.

27 . The method of claim 26 , wherein each connector is a connector strip comprising opposing tongues, the connector strip being configured for connecting adjacent subfloor components.

28 . The method of claim 26 , wherein said forming comprises forming grooves on four sides of said hardboard layer.