the length direction the length direction fully shrinks about 0 4 0 6 whereas the cross direction shrinks about 0 7 0 9 depending on the above mentioned variables hence rectangular tiles will be produced after repeated pressings if starting with a square tile artwork therefore the key to obtaining square tiles of the desired dimensions in the final laminate product is to begin the process with stable rectangular tiles in the starting artwork where said tiles are properly sized being slightly wider than they are long how oversized the tiles in the beginning artwork should be is dependent on the established length and width shrinkage coefficients as well as the number of pressing steps or replications required between the artwork or its precursor u201c pre artwork u201d which will be described below and the final decorative laminate pressing which also shrinks about 0 10 in the length direction and 0 15 in the cross direction out of press relative to the dimensions of the texturing plate it was pressed against as tensile stresses relax it is preferred to use the method of u s pat no 3 718 496 issued to willard for the preparation of the texturing plate wherein the texturing plate used to produce the final decorative laminate is obtained directly from an original artwork more complicated replication processes have evolved designed to preserve protect and extend the.