Process of forming an embossed surface covering

Claim 1

A process of forming an embossed surface covering comprising forming a cross-linkable foam on a backing, the cross-linkable foam comprising: (a) at least one thermoplastic resin homopolymer, copolymer, polymer blend, or polymer mixture; a polyfunctional reactive monomer which will cross-link; and an activator to facilitate cross-linking; or (b) at least one thermoplastic polyfunctional resin which contains sufficient functionality to cross-link and an activator to facilitate cross-linking; depositing a deactivator composition on at least a portion of the cross-linkable foam surface in an amount sufficient to inhibit cross-linking in the portions of the cross-linkable foam affected by the deposition of the deactivator composition upon the subsequent application of heat; and heating the resulting cross-linkable foam-containing sheet to a temperature sufficient to cross-link the portions of the foam not affected by the deposition of deactivator composition and melt the portions of the foam affected by the deposition of deactivator composition, thereby producing an embossed surface having raised, cellular, cross-linked portions and lower melted portions of higher density than the raised portions.