Fiber reinforced concrete exterior wall system

Abstract

A method of forming an exterior wall of a building, including the finished wall, includes the steps of mounting a cementitious, fiber-reinforced panel to the wall, such as the studs thereof, and then applying cementitious mortar to the panel. The cementitious mortar can be stucco, which is typically painted, or a base to which masonry units, such as stones or bricks, are mounted. The preferred panel is a glass fiber reinforced concrete panel.

1 . A method of forming an exterior wall of a habitable building having a substructure made of vertical support members, the method comprising:
 (a) mounting at least a first panel made of fiber-reinforced concrete to the substructure; and then   (b) applying mortar on a first major surface of said first panel.   
   
   
       2 . The method in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising attaching a plurality of modular masonry units to said mortar. 
   
   
       3 . The method in accordance with  claim 2 , further comprising injecting mortar between each of said plurality of modular masonry units. 
   
   
       4 . The method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the step of mounting said first panel further comprises extending a plurality of fasteners through the first panel into the substructure. 
   
   
       5 . The method in accordance with  claim 4 , further comprising mounting a second panel made of fiber-reinforced concrete to the substructure above the first panel by aligning a downwardly sloped lower edge of the second panel with a downwardly sloped upper edge of the first panel. 
   
   
       6 . An exterior wall of a habitable building having a substructure made of vertical support members, the wall comprising:
 (a) at least a first panel made of fiber-reinforced concrete mounted to the substructure; and   (b) a mortar mounted on a first major surface of said first panel.   
   
   
       7 . The wall in accordance with  claim 6 , wherein the first major surface of the first panel has a three dimensional texture. 
   
   
       8 . The wall in accordance with  claim 6 , wherein the first major surface of the first panel is a cementitious material. 
   
   
       9 . The wall in accordance with  claim 6 , further comprising a plurality of modular masonry units mounted to said mortar. 
   
   
       10 . The wall in accordance with  claim 9 , further comprising mortar interposed between each of said plurality of modular masonry units. 
   
   
       11 . The wall in accordance with  claim 6 , further comprising a plurality of fasteners extended through the first panel into the substructure. 
   
   
       12 . The wall in accordance with  claim 11 , further comprising a second panel made of fiber-reinforced concrete mounted to the substructure above the first panel, wherein the second panel has a downwardly sloped lower edge panel aligned with a downwardly sloped upper edge of the first panel. 
   
   
       13 . The wall in accordance with  claim 12 , further comprising at least one groove formed in a second major surface that opposes the first major surface. 
   
   
       14 . A fiber-reinforced concrete panel for forming at least part of an exterior wall of a habitable building having a substructure made of vertical support members, the panel comprising:
 (a) a first major surface of the first panel having a three dimensional texture;   (b) at least one groove formed in a second major surface that opposes the first major surface, said at least one groove forming a water path; and   (c) an edge of the first panel sloped from its intersection with the second major surface to its intersection with the first major surface for resisting water penetration.