Building panel

Abstract

An insulated, one-side finished, building panel light enough to be handled by no more than two people during installation. The panel has an inner, relatively thick, insulation base and an outer, relatively thin, finish layer. The finish layer comprises a stucco-like material securely adhered to one surface of the insulation base. The panel has outer and inner surfaces and top and bottom edges, with the outer surface of the panel formed by the outer surface of the finish layer. The top and bottom sides of the finish layer form part of the top and bottom edges of the panel. The siding panel is provided with interlocking means for securely interlocking the top and bottom edges of adjacent siding panels together. The outer surface of the panel has finished groove forming sections at both the top and bottom edges. The groove forming sections of adjacent panels form a finished groove with the joint between the panels in the groove.

1 . An insulated, one-side finished, building panel light enough to be manually handled by no more than two people during installation, the panel having: an inner, relatively thick, insulation base and an outer, relatively thin, finish layer; the finish layer comprising a finish material securely adhered to one surface of the insulation base; the panel having outer and inner surfaces and top, bottom and side edges, with the top and bottom sides of the finish layer forming part of the top and bottom edges of the panel; the outer surface of the panel, extending between the top and bottom edges, being formed by the outer surface of the finish layer to provide an outer finished surface on the panel; top and bottom interconnecting means on the top and bottom of the panel, the interconnecting means integral with the base; the corners between the outer surface of the panel and the top and bottom edges shaped into groove forming sections.  
   
   
       2 . A building panel as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the groove forming sections are designed to form a groove when adjacent panels are interconnected with their top and bottom edges abutting to form a joint, the joint located in the groove.  
   
   
       3 . A building panel as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the base is made from slightly compressible material and the finish layer is made from relatively incompressible material.  
   
   
       4 . A building panel as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the top and bottom edges of the panel are angled downwardly and forwardly from the inner surface of the panel.  
   
   
       5 . A building panel as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the outer surface of the panel is formed to provide an imitation brick facing with grooves between the bricks, the finished groove, formed between adjacent panels, providing a groove between adjacent rows of bricks in adjacent panels.  
   
   
       6 . A building panel as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the outer surface of the panel is formed to provide an imitation stone facing with grooves between the stones, the finished groove, formed between adjacent panels, providing a groove between adjacent rows of stones in adjacent panels.  
   
   
       7 . A building panel as claimed in  claim 5  wherein the panel is relatively wide, and at least one sub-panel is formed in the panel intermediate its top and bottom edges to provide access through the panel, the sub-panel formed by a cut in a groove surrounding at least one brick, the sub-panel removable to provide a cutout in the panel, and a fastener insertable through the panel in the cutout to fasten the panel to a building frame, the sub-panel replaceable and adhered within the cutout after the fastener is applied,  
   
   
       8 . A building panel as claimed in  claim 6  wherein the panel is relatively wide, and at least one sub-panel is formed in the panel intermediate its top and bottom edges to provide access through the panel, the sub-panel formed by a cut in a groove surrounding at least one stone, the sub-panel removable to provide a cutout in the panel, and a fastener insertable through the panel in the cutout to fasten the panel to a building frame, the sub-panel replaceable and adhered within the cutout after the fastener is applied,  
   
   
       9 . A building panel as claimed in  claim 1  including water collecting and directing channel forming means on the top back corner of the panel, the channel forming means extending in opposite directions from about the center of the panel to the side edges of the panel to help direct water from the top center of the panel to its top sides, and water directing channel forming means on the side back corners of the panel to help direct water from the top of the panel to the bottom of the panel.  
   
   
       10 . A building panel as claimed in  claim 2  including water collecting and directing channel forming means on the top back corner of the panel, the channel forming means extending in opposite directions from about the center of the panel to the side edges of the panel to help direct water from the top center of the panel to its top sides, and water directing channel forming means on the side back corners of the panel to help direct water from the top of the panel to the bottom of the panel.  
   
   
       11 . A building panel as claimed in  claim 5  including water collecting and directing channel forming means on the top back corner of the panel, the channels extending in opposite directions from about the center of the panel to the side edges of the panel to help direct water from the top center of the panel to its top sides, and water directing channel forming means on the side back corners of the panel to help direct water from the top of the panel to the bottom of the panel.  
   
   
       12 . A building panel as claimed in  claim 6  including water collecting and directing channel forming means on the top back corner of the panel, the channels extending in opposite directions from about the center of the panel to the side edges of the panel to help direct water from the top center of the panel to its top sides, and water directing channel forming means on the side back corners of the panel to help direct water from the top of the panel to the bottom of the panel.  
   
   
       13 . An insulated, one-side finished, relatively wide building panel light enough to be manually handled by no more than two people during installation, the panel having: an inner, relatively thick, insulation base and an outer, relatively thin, finish layer; the finish layer comprising a finish-material securely adhered to one surface of the insulation base; the panel having outer and inner surfaces and top, bottom and side edges, with the outer surface of the panel formed by the outer surface of the finish layer to provide an outer finished surface on the panel, the outer surface of the panel formed to provide imitation building elements with grooves between the elements, and at least one sub-panel formed in the panel intermediate its top and bottom edges to provide access through the panel, the sub-panel formed by a cut in a groove surrounding a building element, the sub-panel removable to provide a cutout in the panel, and a fastener insertable through the panel in the cutout to fasten the panel to a building frame, the sub-panel replaceable and adhered within the cutout after the fastener is applied,  
   
   
       14 . A building panel as claimed in  claim 13  wherein the finish layer has top and bottom sides, the top and bottom sides forming part of the top and bottom edges of the panel, the corners between the outer surface of the panel and the top and bottom edges shaped to provide groove forming sections on the front of the panel  
   
   
       15 . An insulated, one-side finished, building panel, the panel having: an inner, relatively thick, insulation base and an outer, relatively thin, finish layer; the finish layer comprising a finish material securely adhered to one surface of the insulation base; the panel having outer and inner surfaces and top, bottom and side edges, with the outer surface of the panel formed by the outer surface of the finish layer to provide an outer finished surface on the panel, water collecting and directing channel forming means on the top back corner of the panel, the channel forming means extending in opposite directions from about the center of the panel to the side edges of the panel to help direct water from the top center of the panel to its top side edges, and water directing channel forming means on the side back corners of the panel to help direct water from the top of the panel to the bottom of the panel.  
   
   
       16 . A building panel as claimed in  claim 15  wherein the top and side channel forming means are formed by beveling the top, back corner of the base of the panel and beveling the side, back corners of the base of the panel.  
   
   
       17 . a building panel as claimed in  claim 15  wherein the finish layer has top and bottom sides, the top and bottom sides forming part of the top and bottom edges of the panel, the corners between the outer surface of the panel and the top and bottom edges shaped to provide groove forming sections on the front of the panel.  
   
   
       18 . An insulated, one-side finished, building panel, the panel having: an inner, relatively thick, insulation base and an outer, relatively thin, finish layer; the finish layer comprising a finish material, the finish layer securely adhered to one surface of the insulation base; the panel having outer and inner surfaces and top, bottom and side edges, the outer surface of the panel formed by the outer surface of the finish layer to provide an outer finished surface on the panel; top and bottom interconnecting means on the top and bottom of the panel, the top interconnecting means having an upwardly directed top flange with one side of the flange formed by the inner surface of the panel, the other side of the flange extending downwardly; a slot adjacent the other side of the flange below the top of the flange and extending downwardly, narrowing toward its bottom; the top of other side of the slot connected by an angled top surface that extends downwardly and outwardly from the slot to the front surface of the panel; and a groove forming section provided at the corner between the angled top surface and the front surface of the panel.  
   
   
       19 . A panel as claimed in  claim 18  wherein the bottom interconnecting means has a recess on the panel at its back bottom corner, the recess sized to receive the flange on the top interconnecting means of an adjacent panel; the bottom of the panel adjacent the recess formed with a rib adjacent the recess sized to fit snugly in the slot on an adjacent panel; the side of the rib opposite the recess connected to the front of the panel with an outwardly and downwardly angled bottom surface and a groove forming section provided at the corner between the angled surface and the front surface of the panel.  
   
   
       20 . A panel as claimed in  claim 19  wherein the finish layer has top and bottom sides, the top and bottom sides forming part of the top and bottom angled surfaces respectively.  
   
   
       21 . A building panel as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the top interconnecting means comprises a top flange extending up from the inside portion of the top edge, the top flange about half as wide as the panel, the top flange having one side wall formed by an extension of the inner surface, the other side wall extending downwardly to the top edge, and an angled top wall extending downwardly and inwardly toward the one side wall from the other side wall, and a top recess adjacent the top flange, the top recess defined by the other side wall of the flange and the top edge of the panel.  
   
   
       22 . A building panel as claimed in  claim 21  wherein the bottom interconnecting means comprise: a bottom recess formed in the bottom inner corner of the panel, the bottom recess about half as wide as the panel and sized to receive the top flange, the bottom recess defined by a side wall extending upwardly from the bottom edge of the panel, and an angled bottom wall extending downwardly an inwardly from the side wall to the inner surface; and a bottom flange adjacent the bottom recess, the bottom flange defined by the side wall, the bottom edge and the outer surface and sized to fill the top recess.  
   
   
       23 . A building panel as claimed in  claim 22  wherein the top and bottom edges are angled upwardly and inwardly from the front surface.  
   
   
       24 . A building panel assembly comprising first and second panels, each panel having: an inner, relatively thick, insulation base and an outer, relatively thin, finish layer; the finish layer comprising a finish material securely adhered to one surface of the insulation base; the panel having outer and inner surfaces and top, bottom and side edges, with the top and bottom sides of the finish layer forming part of the top and bottom edges of the panel; the outer surface of the panel, extending between the top and bottom edges, being formed by the outer surface of the finish layer to provide an outer finished surface on the panel; top and bottom interconnecting means on the top and bottom of the panel, the interconnecting means integral with the base; the corners between the outer surface of the panel and the top and bottom edges shaped into groove forming sections; the bottom interconnecting means of the second panel connected to the top interconnecting means of the first panel to have bottom edge of the second panel abut the top edge of the first panel and to have the groove forming sections form a groove between the panels with the joint between the panels located in the groove.