Composite building material

Abstract

This invention generally pertains to a composite building material comprising a lightweight core with a thin fiber cement facing on one side of the core and a second facing material on the other side. The fiber cement facing that is used on at least one of the faces of the building material is {fraction (3/16)}″ or less, more preferably ⅛″ or less. The green fiber cement facing is preferably formed by a slurry-dewatering process to form a sheet that is in a plastic, uncured, state prior to manufacture of the composite. The composite building material is assembled in an uncured state and then cured.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A building material, comprising: 
 at least a first component and a second component provided adjacent said first component, wherein said first component is provided as pre-formed, uncured fiber cement, wherein the fiber cement is reinforced with individualized fibers, and wherein the uncured fiber cement is cured after providing the first component adjacent to the second component.    
     
     
         2 . The building material of  claim 1 , wherein the second component is made of a curable material.  
     
     
         3 . The building material of  claim 2 , wherein the first component and the second component are simultaneously cured.  
     
     
         4 . The building material of  claim 2 , wherein the first component and the second component are sequentially cured.  
     
     
         5 . The building material of  claim 1 , wherein the first component is partially dried before providing the first component adjacent the second component.  
     
     
         6 . The building material of  claim 1 , wherein the second component has a density less than that of the fiber cement.  
     
     
         7 . The building material of  claim 1 , wherein the second component is fiber-reinforced.  
     
     
         8 . The building material of  claim 1 , wherein one of the components at least partially surrounds the other component.  
     
     
         9 . The building material of  claim 8 , wherein the first component at least partially surrounds the second component.  
     
     
         10 . The building material of  claim 1 , further comprising a third component provided adjacent said first component such that the first component is located between the second component and the third component.  
     
     
         11 . The building material of  claim 1 , wherein the individualized fibers have a substantially planar orientation.  
     
     
         12 . The building material of  claim 1 , wherein the individualized fibers are substantially oriented in the direction of loading.  
     
     
         13 . The building material of  claim 1 , wherein the fibers are oriented parallel to the fiber cement a surface of the first component.  
     
     
         14 . The building material of  claim 1 , wherein the fiber cement of the first component includes cellulose fibers.  
     
     
         15 . The building material of  claim 1 , wherein the fiber cement of the first component includes natural inorganic fibers.  
     
     
         16 . The building material of  claim 1 , wherein the fiber cement of the first component includes synthetic fibers.  
     
     
         17 . The building material of  claim 1 , wherein the fiber cement of the first component includes engineered fibers.  
     
     
         18 . The building material of  claim 1 , wherein the second component is a lightweight material.  
     
     
         19 . The building material of  claim 1 , wherein the second component is a fire resistive material.  
     
     
         20 . The building material of  claim 1 , wherein the fiber cement of the first component is pressed.  
     
     
         21 . The building material of  claim 1 , wherein the fiber cement of the first component is unpressed.  
     
     
         22 . The building material of  claim 1 , wherein the fiber cement of the first component is moldable.  
     
     
         23 . The building material of  claim 1 , wherein the fiber cement of the first component is embossed.  
     
     
         24 . The building material of  claim 1 , further comprising a sub layer between the first component and the second component to improve bonding therebetween.  
     
     
         25 . The building material of  claim 1 , wherein the second component is a lightweight core having a first side and a second side, and the first component is a pre-formed fiber cement facing on at least the first side of the core.  
     
     
         26 . The building material of  claim 25 , further comprising a second facing on the second side of the core.  
     
     
         27 . The building material of  claim 25 , wherein the fiber cement facing wraps around both the first side and the second side of the core.  
     
     
         28 . The building material of  claim 25 , wherein the facing has a thickness of less than about {fraction (3/16)}″.  
     
     
         29 . The building material of  claim 26 , wherein the second facing is made from a material selected from the group consisting of fiber cement, a fibrous mat, paper, and a polymeric coating  
     
     
         30 . The building material of  claim 25 , wherein the core is cementitious.  
     
     
         31 . The building material of  claim 25 , wherein the core is solid.  
     
     
         32 . The building material of  claim 25 , wherein the core is open.  
     
     
         33 . The building material of  claim 25 , wherein the core is homogeneous.  
     
     
         34 . The building material of  claim 25 , wherein the core is non-homogeneous.  
     
     
         35 . The building material of  claim 32 , wherein the core has a honeycomb configuration.  
     
     
         36 . The building material of  claim 32 , wherein the core includes a plurality of vertical symmetrically opposed corrugated core layers.  
     
     
         37 . The building material of  claim 32 , wherein the core includes a horizontal, single corrugated layer.  
     
     
         38 . The building material of  claim 25 , wherein the building material is a single plank.  
     
     
         39 . The building material of  claim 25 , wherein the building material is a trim board.  
     
     
         40 . A method of manufacturing a building material, comprising: 
 pre-forming a fiber cement component of predetermined size and shape such that the fiber cement component is in a plastic state and is uncured;    forming a second component made from a curable material adjacent the fiber cement component; and    curing at least the fiber cement component while the fiber cement component is adjacent to the second component to form the building material.    
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the second component is made of a curable material.  
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the first component and the second component are simultaneously cured.  
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the first component and the second component are sequentially cured.  
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 40 , further comprising partially drying the fiber cement component after forming the second component and before curing at least the fiber cement component.  
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 40 , further comprising providing the fiber cement component on one side of the second component.  
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 45 , further comprising providing a third component adjacent a second side of the second component.  
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the third component is made of fiber cement.  
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the fiber cement component has a thickness of less than about {fraction (3/16)}″.  
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the pre-formed fiber cement component comprises fibers that are substantially aligned along the same plane.  
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the fiber cement component includes individualized fibers.  
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 40 , further comprising providing the fiber cement component at least partially around the second component.  
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the second component is a made of a lightweight cementitious material.  
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the second component is a made of a fire resistive material.  
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 40 , further comprising molding the pre-formed fiber cement component into a desired shape while the component is in its uncured, plastic state.