Faux-stone architectural panel system

Abstract

A set of faux-stone architectural panel members can be installed to create a stone-look wall or facade. Each panel member is cast from a concrete mixture of a cement or bonding agent and a light-weight aggregate. The various panel member may have one, two or three courses, i.e., rows, with the courses being offset at their ends, so as to achieve mating tenons and voids in respect to adjacent successive panel members. The tenons and voids of the panel members interfit or dovetail at corners. A coloring agent is applied onto said stone faces of the panel members. Hanger straps are embedded in the panel members and protrude up from them for attaching to a wall substrate using drywall screws or similar fasteners.

1 . A faux-stone architectural panel formed of a concrete material made of a cement binder agent blended with a light-weight aggregate material, and molded so as to have a plurality of stone faces thereon forming at least two horizontal courses extending between left and right ends of the panel; the courses each having an offset at its ends relative to the course or courses adjacent thereto, so as to achieve mating tenons and voids in respect to a like architectural panel positioned alongside; and 
 at least one metal hanger strap embedded into the panel and protruding upward therefrom at a rear side thereof for attaching the panel to a supporting vertical substrate.    
   
   
       2 . A faux-stone architectural panel according to  claim 1 , comprising a colorant agent applied onto said stone faces.  
   
   
       3 . A faux-stone architectural panel according to  claim 1 , wherein each the panel is formed of at least three courses.  
   
   
       4 . A faux-stone architectural panel according to  claim 3 , wherein said cement binder agent includes a Portland cement.  
   
   
       5 . A faux-stone architectural panel according to  claim 1 , wherein said light-weight aggregate material includes one or more materials of the group consisting of pearlite, zeolite, and vermiculite.  
   
   
       6 . A faux-stone architectural panel according to  claim 1 , wherein said light-weight aggregate material includes particles of a plastic foam material.  
   
   
       7 . A faux-stone architectural panel according to  claim 1 , wherein said offsets have a horizontal extent that is substantially equal to the thickness of the panel at the end thereof.  
   
   
       8 . A set of faux-stone architectural panel members which are assembled together to form a faux-stone wall mounted onto a vertical supporting substrate; each said architectural panel member being formed of a concrete material made of a cement binder agent blended with a light-weight aggregate material, and molded so as to have a plurality of stone faces thereon forming at least one horizontal course, and each said faux-stone architectural panel member including at least one metal hanger strap embedded into the panel and protruding upward at a rear side thereof for attacking to said vertical supporting substrate.  
   
   
       9 . A set of faux-stone architectural panel members according to  claim 8 , comprising at least one panel member formed as a single horizontal course, and at least one panel member formed of two or more horizontal courses, the courses thereof each having an offset at its ends relative to the course or courses thereof adjacent thereto, so as to achieve mating tenons and voids in respect to another successive one of said architectural panel members positioned immediately alongside.  
   
   
       10 . A set of faux-stone architectural panel members according to  claim 9 , comprising at least one panel member formed of three or more courses.  
   
   
       11 . A set of faux-stone architectural panel members according to  claim 9 , wherein said offsets have a horizontal extent that is substantially equal to the thickness of the panel member at the end thereof.  
   
   
       12 . A set of faux-stone architectural panel members according to  claim 8 , comprising a coloring agent applied onto said stone faces.