Clapboard siding panel with built in fastener support

Abstract

A generally rectangular siding panel is provided having a front and rear faces, The rear face has a first area proximate to a top end of the rear face and shaped such that at least a portion of the area sits substantially flush with a portion of a vertical wall when the siding panel is secured to the vertical wall and angled to overlap at least a portion of a second siding panel secured to the vertical wall.

1 . A generally rectangular siding panel having a front and rear faces, said rear face having a first area proximate to a top end of said rear face shaped such that at least a portion of said area sits substantially flush with a portion of a vertical wall when said siding panel is secured to said vertical wall and angled to overlap at least a portion of a second siding panel secured to said vertical wall.  
   
   
       2 . The siding panel of  claim 1 , wherein said siding panel is a clapboard siding panel.  
   
   
       3 . The siding panel of  claim 1 , wherein said siding panel is a fiber cement or wood clapboard siding panel.  
   
   
       4 . The siding panel of  claim 1 , wherein said first area comprises a reinforced area  
   
   
       5 . The siding panel of  claim 4 , wherein said reinforced area comprises a protruding area that extends substantially along the entire length of said rear face.  
   
   
       6 . The siding panel of  claim 4 , wherein said reinforced area includes a planar first face that is disposed to contact said portion of said vertical wall, said planar first face having a height of about at least one inch.  
   
   
       7 . The siding panel of  claim 4 , wherein said reinforced area includes a planar face a planar face that is disposed to sit substantially flush with said portion of said vertical wall when said rear face overlaps said second siding panel such that a major portion of said rear face forms an angle with said vertical wall between about 1-10 degrees.  
   
   
       8 . The assembly of  claim 4 , wherein said reinforced area comprises: a thickened portion, a resinous, fibrous or particulate reinforcement, a fabric, scrim or panel.  
   
   
       9 . A siding panel assembly, comprising: 
 at least a first and a second siding panels attached to a vertical wall of a structure, each of said siding panels being a generally rectangular shaped panel having a front and rear faces, said first siding panel angled to overlap at least a portion of said second siding panel, said rear face of at least said first siding panel having a reinforced area proximate to a top end of said rear face shaped such that at least a portion of said area sits substantially flush with a portion of said vertical wall.    
   
   
       10 . The assembly of  claim 9 , wherein said reinforced area extends substantially along the entire length of said rear face.  
   
   
       11 . The assembly of  claim 9 , wherein said siding panels are fiber cement clapboard siding panels.  
   
   
       12 . The assembly of  claim 9 , wherein said siding panels are installed using a blind nail method using a plurality of nails and at least some of said nails are disposed through said reinforced area.  
   
   
       13 . The assembly of  claim 9 , wherein said siding panels are installed using a face nail method using a plurality of nails and at least some of said nails are disposed through said reinforced area.  
   
   
       14 . The assembly of  claim 9 , wherein said siding panels are secured to said vertical wall at least in part by a series of fasteners extending through said respective siding panels and into said vertical wall, wherein at least some of said fasteners are disposed through said reinforced area.  
   
   
       15 . The assembly of  claim 9 , wherein said reinforced area includes a planar first face that contacts said portion of said vertical wall, said planar first face having a height of at least about one inch.  
   
   
       16 . The assembly of  claim 9 , wherein said reinforced area includes a planar face that contacts said portion of said vertical wall, said planar face extending from a top edge of said first siding panel at an angle that substantially matches an angle between said rear face of said first panel and said wall created by said overlap.  
   
   
       17 . A method of installing a siding panel assembly on a structure, comprising the following steps: 
 providing at least a first and second siding panels, each of said siding panels being a generally rectangular shaped panel having a front and rear faces, said rear face of at least said first siding panel having a first area proximate to a top end of said rear face shaped such that at least a portion of said area sits substantially flush with a portion of said vertical wall when said first siding panel is secured to said wall and angled to overlap at least a portion of said second siding panel; and    attaching said first and second siding panels to said structure such that a rear face of said first siding panel partially overlaps a front face of said second siding panel.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said first area is a reinforced area.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein: 
 said attaching step utilizes a blind nail attachment method comprising driving a series of nails through said first siding panel, through said reinforced area and into said vertical wall.    
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein: 
 said attaching step utilizes a face nail attachment method comprising driving a series of nails through said first siding panel, through said reinforced area and into said vertical wall.    
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said attaching step includes the step of driving a series of nails fasteners through said first area of said first siding panel.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said siding panels are clapboard siding panels.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said siding panels are fiber cement clapboard siding panels.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said first area includes a planar face that contacts said portion of said vertical wall and a major portion of said rear face forms an angle with said vertical wall between about 1-10 degrees.  
   
   
       25 . A generally rectangular shaped clapboard siding panel having a front and rear faces, said rear face having a protruding area proximate to a top end of said rear face shaped such that at least a portion of said area sits substantially flush with a portion of a vertical wall when said siding panel is secured to said vertical wall and angled to overlap at least a portion of a second siding panel secured to said vertical wall, such that said vertical wall provides support for said rear face when fasteners are driven through said clapboard siding panel and into said vertical wall through said protruding area.  
   
   
       26 . The siding panel of  claim 25 , wherein said protruding area includes a planar face that is disposed to sit substantially flush with said portion of said vertical wall when said rear face overlaps said second siding panel such that a major portion of said rear face forms an angle with said vertical wall between about 1-10 degrees.  
   
   
       27 . A siding panel having front and rear faces and a longitudinal length, said rear surface having a first portion forming and oblique angle with respect to a vertical wall to which said siding panel is affixed, said rear surface of said siding panel also including a second portion which is disposed in substantially flush contact with said vertical wall when said siding panel is affixed to said vertical wall.