Flotation method for orienting chips in the manufacture of surface covering

A substantially non-overlapping tightly packed layer of plastic chips is formed and attached to the surface of a substrate by a method in which the chips are dispersed onto the surface of a liquid, flowing from a first location to a second location. The rate of flow of the surface of the liquid is reduced at the second location to cause the chips to pack together in a single-chip-thickness layer. The layer of chips is then removed from the liquid by passing a porous web upward at an angle from below the liquid surface through the chip layer-liquid interface. The chip layer is then transferred to a heat-sensitive transparent adhesive coating on a suitable prepared substrate and secured thereon by means of heat and pressure. A resinous wear layer which is transparent after fusion is then applied. Prior to fusion of the wear layer, it may be passed beneath a smoothing blade or, if a more embossed surface texture is desired, beneath an air knife to move some of the resinous wear layer material from between the chips onto the surfaces thereof.