This invention relates to a trim strip which may be used as an edging for tiles and other coverings for walls, floors and other surfaces.

A trim strip of this kind usually comprises a base part by which it is able to be fixed to the surface on which the tiles or other coverings with which the trim strip is to be used are mounted, and a stem part which projects from the base part to extend alongside exposed edges of the mounted tiles or other coverings. The stem part may have a head portion, or carry a head part, which is intended to be presented adjacent to or to extend over front surfaces of the tiles or other coverings adjacent to the exposed edges.

Tiles and other coverings with which such trim strips may be used may be supplied in more than one thickness. It has been the practice to provide trim strips having stem parts of different heights to suit the different thicknesses of the tiles or other coverings.

The present invention aims to provide a trim strip which may be used with tiles and other coverings of more than one thickness.

The present invention consists in a trim strip for use with tiles and other coverings comprising a base part able to be fixed to a surface on which the tiles or other coverings are mounted and a stem part which projects from the base part to extend alongside exposed edges of the tiles or other coverings, characterised in that first and second base parts are provided, the stem part being joined to the first base part and the second

base part being joined to an intermediate portion of the stem part and spaced from the first base part, and the stem part being adapted to be severed adjacent to the second base part for removal of the first base part and the intervening portion of the stem part between the two base parts.

When the first base part is included the trim strip may be used with tiles or other coverings of one thickness, and when the stem part is severed to remove the first base part and intervening portion of the stem part the trim strip may be used with tiles or other coverings of a lesser thickness. Thus the trim strip is adaptable for tiles or other coverings of different thicknesses.

A line of weakness, for example as a V-groove, may be formed in the stem part at which it may be readily severed. The severing may be arranged to be done by bending the stem part about the line of weakness.

There may be one or more further base parts on the stem part, spaced from the second base part, and from each other if there are two or more, and the stem part may be arranged to be severable adjacent to the or each further base part as well to enable the trim strip to be adapted to suit tiles or coverings of a range of thicknesses.

The stem part may have a head portion, or carry a head part, to be presented adjacent to, or to extend over, front surfaces of the tiles or coverings with which the trim strip is used.

Preferably the trim strip is made of a plastics material, conveniently as an extrusion.

The trim strip may take the form of a listello for use between tiles or other coverings on a surface. In such a form the first base part may have oppositely extending portions, or there may be two oppositely directed first base parts, to be fixed behind tiles or other coverings at either side of the trim strip, and there may be two oppositely-directed second base parts, and further base parts if desired, on the stem part to which the stem part may be shortened if required for tiles or other coverings of lesser thicknesses at either side of the trim strip. In another form, as a listello, the trim strip may have two laterally spaced stem parts each with its own base parts and each severable to be adapted for tiles or other coverings of different thicknesses.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawing which is a perspective view of a trim strip in accordance with the present invention.

In this embodiment the trim strip, indicated generally at 1, is in the form of a listello to be used between rows of ceramic wall tiles 2, as a decorative break between them. The trim strip . is a plastics extrusion, for example, of polyvinyl chloride. It is of a generally U-section comprising two parallel limbs which form stem parts 3 of the trim strip, a web portion joined to and overhanging the stem parts which forms a head part 4 of the trim strip, and at the opposite ends of the stem parts from the head part oppositely-directed flanges which form first base parts 5 of the trim strip. The first base parts 5 extend at right angles to the stem parts 3 and are aligned. Formed on one side of each stem part 3, spaced from and parallel to the respective first base

part 5, is a second base part 6 which projects in the same direction as the respective first base part but for a shorter distance, the distance being similar to the adjacent overhang 7 of the head part 4. A V-shaped groove 8 is formed in each stem part in the opposite side surface from the second base part 6, extending parallel to the two base parts. The inner end of the V-shaped groove 8 in each stem part is directly opposite the surface of the second base part 6 which is nearest to the associated first base part.

The V-shaped grooves 8 form lines of weakness along the stem parts 3 at which the stem parts may be severed to remove the first base parts and the intervening portions of the stem parts between the first and second base parts of the trim strip. The severing can be done readily by hand by bending the stem parts 3 about the grooves 8.

The trim strip described may be used with tiles 3 of two different thicknesses, typically the standard 9mm and 6mm tile thicknesses. For the thicker tiles the trim strip is used in its complete form, the first base parts 5 being secured to the mounting surface behind the tiles which can be laid over the base parts and grouted into the trim strip. For the thinner tiles the stem parts are severed at the grooves 8, the second base parts then being secured to the mounting surface. In either case the overhangs 7 of the head part 4 of the trim strip abut against the edges of the tiles adjacent to their front surfaces.

It will be appreciated that the adaptable trim strip now provided avoids the need for different trim strips to be manufactured and stocked for tiles, or other coverings, of different thicknesses, and that the

trim strip can be readily adjusted for different tile thicknesses.