Panelling system primarily for decking

Abstract

A panelling system for decks has a series of panels each formed from main strips arranged side edge to side edge and cut to a common length with a groove along each side. A plurality of fasteners extend into facing grooves to hold the strips together and also have a hole to be screwed to a support. At two of the four sides of the main panel are attached divider strips formed also from the same deck planks and fastened together using the same fasteners in the grooves to form a common panel member for transportation and installation. The panels are laid on top of strapping carried at right angles to supporting joists so that the ends of the main planks are supported by two parallel strapping pieces with an additional one in the center. The fasteners also project beyond the panel edge to connect the panels together.

1 . A panelling system comprising:
 a plurality of deck panel members for locating on a supporting structure generally edge to edge in an array to at least partly cover the supporting surface;   each deck panel member having a front surface for defining an exposed surface of the panelling system, a rear surface for engaging the supporting structure and four side edges;   each deck panel member comprising a plurality of strips arranged side edge to side edge to form a panel body with the side edges adjacent but spaced from one another;   a side edge of each strip which faces a corresponding side edge of a next adjacent strip having a groove therealong recessed into the side edge so that the grooves of two of the strips face one another at the side edges;   the side edges of the strips being connected by at least one fastener member which includes two end portions each inserted into a respective one of the grooves and a bridging portion holding the side edges at a predetermined spacing;   each end portion having an attachment into the groove of the respective strip with the attachment arranged to hold the strips fastened together as a common panel member separate from the supporting structure during transportation and installation.   
   
   
       2 . The panelling system according to  claim 1  wherein each end portion comprises a flat plate portion inserted into the groove and extending partly along the groove. 
   
   
       3 . The panelling system according to  claim 1  wherein each end portion butts against a bottom of the groove. 
   
   
       4 . The panelling system according to  claim 1  wherein there is provided on the bridging portion a shoulder for engaging the end face of one of the strips for holding the strip at a predetermined location. 
   
   
       5 . The panelling system according to  claim 1  wherein the bridging portion is recessed from the front and rear surfaces. 
   
   
       6 . The panelling system according to  claim 1  wherein the attachment of the end portions to the groove is effected by insert members engaged through the strip and across the groove. 
   
   
       7 . The panelling system according to  claim 1  wherein the attachment of an end portion to the respective groove is effected by barb members on the end portion engaging side walls of the groove. 
   
   
       8 . The panelling system according to  claim 7  wherein the end portion includes first barb members extending parallel to the bridging portion and second barb members extending at right angles to the bridging portion so as to hold the end portion in the groove against movement relative to the groove in two directions. 
   
   
       9 . The panelling system according to any one of  claims 1  wherein the bridging portion includes a hole for receiving a fastening screw engaging from the fastener member to the supporting structure to hold the panel on the supporting structure. 
   
   
       10 . The panelling system according to  claim 1  wherein
 two parallel ones of the strips with a space therebetween have ends thereof which face a corresponding side edge of a next adjacent strip with a space therebetween;   the side edge of said next adjacent strip having a groove therealong recessed into the side edge;   the side edges of each of said two parallel ones of the strips having a groove therealong recessed into the side edge such that the grooves of two facing side edges of the two parallel strips are facing grooves;   and at least one fastener member connecting the ends of the two parallel strips to the next adjacent strip, which fastener member includes two end portions with one end portion inserted into the groove of the next adjacent strip and one end portion inserted into the facing grooves of the two parallel strips with a part of the end portion bridging the space between the two parallel end strips.   
   
   
       11 . The panelling system according to  claim 1  wherein there are a plurality of the fastener members each arranged to connect at least two of the strips together and wherein at least some of the fastener members have portions thereof extending beyond the panel member for engaging and fastening to a next adjacent panel member. 
   
   
       12 . The panelling system according to  claim 1  wherein each panel has a plurality of main strips defining a panel portion having four sides including a first pair of parallel sides and a second pair of parallel sides, a first dividing strip along one of the first parallel sides and a second dividing strip along an opposed one of the first parallel sides. 
   
   
       13 . The panelling system according to  claim 12  wherein each of the main strips has along at least one side thereof three of the fastener members with one at each end and one in the center. 
   
   
       14 . The panelling system according to  claim 12  wherein there are provided some panels where the main strips are parallel to the dividing strips and some panels where the main strips are at right angles to the dividing strips. 
   
   
       15 . The panelling system according to  claim 12  wherein each of the dividing strips of each panel member includes a portion projecting beyond the main strips of the respective panel member such that, when four of the panel members are assembled into the system with the main strips of one panel member at right angles to the main strips of each next adjacent panel and with one of the dividing strips between the main strips of each panel member and the next so as to form a rectangular area at a junction between corners of the main strips of the four of the panels; the rectangular area defined at the junction between said four of the panels is filled by said portion of said at least one dividing strip. 
   
   
       16 . The panelling system according to  claim 12  wherein the supporting structure comprises a plurality of parallel joists and strapping pieces over the joists at right angles to the joists and wherein each of the main strips lies at right angles to the strapping pieces and is supported at each end by a respective one of two end strapping pieces. 
   
   
       17 . The panelling system according to  claim 16  wherein there is provided an additional strapping piece in the center between the end strapping pieces. 
   
   
       18 . The panelling system according to  claim 16  wherein the dividing strips bridge an end strapping piece of one panel and an end strapping piece of a next adjacent panel. 
   
   
       19 . The panelling system according to  claim 16  wherein all the main strips of all the panels extend in same direction. 
   
   
       20 . A panelling system comprising:
 a plurality of panel members for locating on a supporting structure generally edge to edge in an array to at least partly cover the supporting surface;   each panel member having a front surface for defining an exposed surface of the panelling system, a rear surface for engaging the supporting structure and four side edges;   each panel member comprising a plurality of strips arranged side edge to side edge to form a panel body with the side edges adjacent but spaced from one another;   wherein there are a plurality of fastener members each arranged to connect at least two of the strips together;   and wherein at least some of the fastener members have portions thereof extending beyond the panel member for engaging and fastening to a next adjacent panel member.   
   
   
       21 . The panelling system according to  claim 20  wherein the fastener members include a hole for screw fastening of the fastener member to the supporting structure. 
   
   
       22 . The panelling system according to  claim 20  wherein each panel has a plurality of main strips defining a panel portion having four sides including a first pair of parallel sides and a second pair of parallel sides, a first dividing strip along one of the first parallel sides and a second dividing strip along an opposed one of the first parallel sides. 
   
   
       23 . The panelling system according to  claim 22  wherein each of the main strips has along at least one side thereof three of the fastener members with one at each end and one in the center. 
   
   
       24 . The panelling system according to  claim 22  wherein there are provided some panels where the main strips are parallel to the dividing strips and some panels where the main strips are at right angles to the dividing strips. 
   
   
       25 . A panelling system comprising:
 a plurality of panel members for locating on a supporting structure generally edge to edge in an array to at least partly cover the supporting surface;   each panel member having a front surface for defining an exposed surface of the panelling system, a rear surface for engaging the supporting structure and four side edges;   each panel member comprising a plurality of strips arranged side edge to side edge to form a panel body with the side edges adjacent but spaced from one another;   wherein each panel has a plurality of main strips defining a panel portion having four sides including a first pair of parallel sides and a second pair of parallel sides, a first dividing strip along one of the first parallel sides and a second dividing strip along an opposed one of the first parallel sides;   wherein the supporting structure comprises a plurality of parallel joists and strapping pieces over the joists at right angles to the joists;   and wherein each of the main strips lies at right angles to the strapping pieces and is supported at each end by a respective one of two end strapping pieces.   
   
   
       26 . The panelling system according to  claim 25  wherein there are provided some panels where the main strips are parallel to the dividing strips and some panels where the main strips are at right angles to the dividing strips. 
   
   
       27 . The panelling system according to  claim 25  wherein there is provided an additional strapping piece in the center between the end strapping pieces. 
   
   
       28 . The panelling system according to  claim 25  wherein the dividing strips bridge an end strapping piece of one panel and an end strapping piece of a next adjacent panel. 
   
   
       29 . The panelling system according to  claim 25  wherein all the main strips of all the panels extend in same direction.