Nonwoven joint tape having low moisture expansion properties and method for using same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9783998-B2
Application number	US-201615165926-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 26, 2016
Priority date	Dec 12, 2006
Publication date	Oct 10, 2017
Grant date	Oct 10, 2017

Abstract

The invention is directed to a joint tape for finishing a joint between boards comprising a nonwoven substrate that does not swell substantially in the presence of water. The invention further provides a method of finishing a joint between boards comprising (i) applying a joint tape of the invention to a joint between boards by embedding the joint tape in a first coat of joint compound, (ii) applying a second coat of joint compound over the tape, wherein step (ii) is carried out before the joint tape and joint compound applied in step (i) have substantially dried, and optionally (iii) applying a third fill or finish coat of joint compound over the tape, wherein step (iii) is carried out before the joint tape and second coat have substantially dried.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A joint tape, comprising a nonwoven substrate comprising natural pulp fibers and at least about 30 wt. % or more synthetic polymeric fibers,
wherein the synthetic polymeric fibers are selected from the group consisting of polyester, polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon, polyacetate, polyacrylic, polystyrene, polyvinyl acetate, rayon, polyvinylchloride, copolymers thereof and combinations thereof,
wherein the natural pulp fibers are wood pulp fibers,
wherein the nonwoven substrate comprises less than about 1 wt. % but greater than 0 wt. % natural pulp fibers,
wherein the nonwoven substrate has a thickness of about 0.012 inches or less, and has as determined according to ASTM C474-05:
(a) a crosswise percent expansion of less than about 1.3%;
(b) a lengthwise percent expansion of less than about 0.2%; and
(c) a tensile strength of at least about 15 pounds-force per inch in the cross direction, and

wherein the joint tape has a fluid permeability measured as air resistance according to TAPPI T-460 of about 6 seconds or less.

2. The joint tape of claim 1 , wherein the nonwoven substrate has as determined according to ASTM C474-05:
(a) a crosswise percent expansion of less than about 0.8%;
(b) a lengthwise percent expansion of less than about 0.1%; and
(c) a tensile strength of at least about 20 pounds-force per inch in the cross direction.

3. The joint tape of claim 2 , wherein the nonwoven substrate comprises a binder.

4. The joint tape of claim 1 , wherein the fibers comprise polyester fibers.

5. The joint tape of claim 4 , wherein the nonwoven substrate comprises binder selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate, polyethylene vinyl acetate, polyvinylchloride, starch, cross-linked starch, and combinations thereof.

6. The joint tape of claim 1 , wherein the nonwoven substrate comprises a binder.

7. The joint tape of claim 6 , wherein the nonwoven substrate is coated at least in part with a bond enhancing agent.

8. The joint tape of claim 6 , wherein the binder is selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate, polyethylene vinyl acetate, polyvinylchloride, starch, cross-linked starch, and combinations thereof.

9. The joint tape of claim 8 , wherein the nonwoven substrate is coated at least in part with a bond enhancing agent selected from the group consisting of polymers formed from vinyl acetate, vinyl alcohol, vinyl chloride, acrylic acid, ethyl vinyl acetate, and ethyl vinyl chloride, starch, and combinations thereof.

10. The joint tape of claim 8 , wherein the nonwoven substrate has as determined according to ASTM C474-05:
(a) a crosswise percent expansion of less than 0.8%;
(b) a lengthwise percent expansion of less than 0.1%; and
(c) a tensile strength of at least 20 pounds-force per inch in the cross direction.

11. The joint tape of claim 1 , wherein the nonwoven substrate is coated at least in part with a bond enhancing agent.

12. The joint tape of claim 11 , wherein the bond enhancing agent is selected from the group consisting of polymers formed from vinyl acetate, vinyl alcohol, vinyl chloride, acrylic acid, ethyl vinyl acetate, and ethyl vinyl chloride, starch, and combinations thereof.

13. The joint tape of claim 1 , wherein the wood pulp fibers are selected from the group consisting of softwood pulp fibers, hardwood pulp fibers, straw fibers, plant pulp fibers, grass pulp fibers, cotton pulp fibers, and combinations thereof.

14. A method of finishing a joint between boards, comprising:
(i) applying a joint tape comprising a nonwoven substrate comprising less than about 1 wt. % but greater than 0 wt. % wood pulp fibers and at least about 30 wt. % synthetic polymeric fibers to the joint between boards by at least partially embedding the joint tape in a first coat of joint compound, wherein the nonwoven substrate has a thickness of about 0.012 inches or less and has as determined according to ASTM C474-05 a crosswise percent expansion of less than 1.3%, a lengthwise percent expansion of less than 0.2%; a tensile strength of at least 15 pounds-force per inch in the cross direction, and wherein the nonwoven substrate has a fluid permeability measured as air resistance according to TAPPI T-460 of 6 seconds or less, the synthetic polymeric fibers selected from the group consisting of polyester, polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon, polyacetate, polyacrylic, polystyrene, polyvinyl acetate, rayon, polyvinylchloride, copolymers thereof and combinations thereof; and
(ii) applying a second coat of joint compound over the tape, wherein step (ii) is carried out before the first coat of joint compound applied in (i) has substantially dried;
wherein the method optionally comprises (iii) applying a third coat of joint compound over the tape, wherein step (iii) is carried out before the second coat has substantially dried;
and wherein the nonwoven substrate optionally comprises an adhesive on at least a back side of the nonwoven substrate.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the nonwoven substrate includes an adhesive on at least a back side of the nonwoven substrate.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the nonwoven substrate comprises a binder selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate, polyethylene vinyl acetate, polyvinylchloride, starch, cross-linked starch, and combinations thereof; and the nonwoven substrate is coated at least in part with a bond enhancing agent selected from the group consisting of polymers formed from vinyl acetate, vinyl alcohol, vinyl chloride, acrylic acid, ethyl vinyl acetate, and ethyl vinyl chloride, starch, and combinations thereof.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the nonwoven substrate comprises a binder selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate, polyethylene vinyl acetate, polyvinylchloride, starch, cross-linked starch, and combinations thereof.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the nonwoven substrate is coated at least in part with a bond enhancing agent selected from the group consisting of polymers formed from vinyl acetate, vinyl alcohol, vinyl chloride, acrylic acid, ethyl vinyl acetate, and ethyl vinyl chloride, starch, and combinations thereof.

19. The method of claim 14 , wherein the nonwoven substrate is coated at least in part with a bond enhancing agent selected from the group consisting of polymers formed from vinyl acetate, vinyl alcohol, vinyl chloride, acrylic acid, ethyl vinyl acetate, and ethyl vinyl chloride, starch, and combinations thereof.

20. The method of claim 14 , wherein the wood pulp fibers are selected from the group consisting of softwood pulp fibers, hardwood pulp fibers, straw fibers, plant pulp fibers, grass pulp fibers, cotton pulp fibers, and combinations thereof.

Assignees

• United States Gypsum Co

Inventors

• Neill Paul H
• Immordino Salvatore C
• Stevens Richard B
• Miller Charles J

Classifications

• C09J2400/263

  in the substrate · CPC title

• D04H1/4218

  Glass fibres · CPC title

• D04H13/008

  Glass fibre products; Complete installations for making them · CPC title

• D04H1/425

  Cellulose series · CPC title

• Y10T442/2738

  Coating or impregnation intended to function as an adhesive to solid surfaces subsequently associated therewith · CPC title