System and method for filling joints between exterior cement panels

Abstract

Buildings and walls are commonly constructed with exterior walls composed of fiber exterior panels, such as fiber cement panels or glass reinforced gypsum exterior sheeting. The spaces between the exterior panels are sealed using the system and method of the present invention. The space is first filled with an acrylic flexible joint compound. A thermally set, spunbonded, reinforced, polyester non-woven joint tape is then applied. The tape is then covered with a ceramic mud. After curing of the ceramic mud an acrylic elastomeric coating is sprayed, brushed or rolled on the fiber cement panels. A cement-free stucco coating or a variety of other coatings may then be applied over the exterior panels.

1 . A method for sealing the spaces between panels on exterior walls comprising the steps of: 
 filling the joint with an acrylic based flexible joint compound;    taping over said acrylic based flexible joint compound with a reinforced spunbonded joint tape;    applying a layer of a ceramic mud over said tape;    covering the entire panel with an acrylic elastometric coating;    
     
     
         2 . The method as defined in  claim 1  wherein the acrylic elastometric coating is tinted to a desired color.  
     
     
         3 . A method for repair of imperfections in exterior wall panels comprising steps of: 
 filling the imperfection with an acrylic based flexible joint compound;    smoothing the filled imperfection with a ceramic mud;    applying layering an acrylic elastometric coating over said ceramic mud;    
     
     
         4 . A method for sealing the spaces between exterior panels used in the construction of exterior walls comprising the steps of: 
 filling the space with acrylic flexible joint compound,    covering the said acrylic flexible joint compound with thermally set, spunbonded polyester nonwoven reinforced joint tape; and    applying an acrylic elastomeric coating.    
     
     
         5 . The system as defined in  claim 4  wherein said acrylic elastomeric coating is tinted to a desired color.  
     
     
         6 . A wall constructed of a plurality exterior panels affixed to an internal frame in which the spaces between said exterior panels are filled and sealed by the method of  claim 4 .  
     
     
         7 . The wall as defined in  claim 6  further including a cement free stucco exterior finish.  
     
     
         8 . A building comprising: 
 a plurality of exterior panels affixed to the building, said exterior panels having spaces there between wherein:    the spaces between said exterior panels are filled with an    acrylic flexible joint compound over which is layered a thermally set,    spunbonded polyester nonwoven reinforced joint tape which optionally may be covered with ceramic mud to which an acrylic elastomeric coating is added.    
     
     
         9 . The building as defined in  claim 8  further including a cement free stucco exterior finish.  
     
     
         10 . A system for filling and sealing the spaces between fiber cement panels attached to a building frame comprising a dual acrylic rubber-like gasket sandwich with or without a ceramic core.