Surface covering material having improved dimensional stability

Claim 1

A surface covering material comprising: a. a layer of felted asbestos fibers, b. about 22 to 37% by weight of said asbestos fiber layer of a resinous binder impregnating said felted asbestos fiber layer, c. a plasticized resinous wear layer applied to said felted asbestos fiber layer and formed of synthetic resins selected from the group consisting of polymerized vinyl halide resins, polymerized vinyl acetates, polymerized acrylic acid, polymerized alkyl esters of acrylic acid, and polymerized alkyl esters of methacrylic acid, and d. said resinous binder consisting essentially of a mixture of a synthetic rubber and about 2% to about 20% by dry weight of said felted asbestos fibers layer of a reactive resin selected from the group consisting of hexamethoxymethylmelamine; 1-hydroxymethyl-3,5-dimethoxymethylmelamine; N,N-dimethylol urea; dihydroxymethylolethylene urea; N,N-bis(methoxymethyl) urea; N,N'dimethylolpropylene urea; 5,5-dimethyl-N,N'-dimethylolpropylene urea; and N,N'-dimethylolethylene urea; and e. whereby said reactive resin improves the dimensional stability of said asbestos fiber layer and reduces softening of said asbestos fiber layer in the presence of said plasticizer.