Siding containing composite building material and siding clip

Abstract

Siding including composite building material and a siding clip are provided. The panel has male and female interlocking elements and may be formed from a composite building material having a foamed substrate having a foamed inner core and a dense integral skin, wherein the foamed substrate includes a polymer matrix and a reinforcing filler, and a urethane/acrylic coating applied to the foamed substrate at the front face of the siding panel, wherein the coating includes an IR-reflective pigment, wherein the urethane/acrylic coating is chemically and/or physically bound to the substrate.

1 . A siding system comprising:
 a plurality of panels each having
 a front portion adapted to be exposed when the panel is installed as siding, 
 a back portion adapted to face a surface covered by the siding when the panel is installed as siding, 
 a channel formed in the back portion adjacent a downwardly extending projection of the back portion, 
   a clip configured to engage an upper portion of one of the panels to secure the panel against a building surface, the clip having
 a back plate configured to receive a fastener therethrough, and 
 an upwardly extending projection that, when the clip engages the upper portion of the panel, is configured to extend into the channel of another one of the panels such that the extension of the upwardly extending projection into the channel constrains a bottom portion of the another one of the panels the via contact with the downwardly extending projection of the another one of the panels. 
   
     
     
         2 . The siding system of  claim 1 , wherein the upper portion of each panel has a plurality of spaced-apart notches. 
     
     
         3 . The siding system of  claim 2 , wherein the clip includes a first arm extending away from the base plate, the first arm configured to be received in one of the spaced-apart notches. 
     
     
         4 . The siding system of  claim 3 , wherein the first arm is configured to constrain lateral expansion and contraction of a panel when the first arm is received in the notch. 
     
     
         5 . The siding system of  claim 3 , wherein the clip includes a second arm configured to be received in one of the spaced-apart notches, the clip being configured to maintain two of the panels at a predetermined spacing to form a butt joint. 
     
     
         6 . The siding system of  claim 5 , wherein the first arm is part of a set of arms configured to be received by corresponding spaced-apart notches of a first one of the two panels of the butt joint, and the second arm is part of a set of arms configured to be received by corresponding spaced-apart notches of a second one of the two panels of the butt joint. 
     
     
         7 . The siding system of  claim 2 , wherein the spacing between the notches is constant. 
     
     
         8 . The siding system of  claim 1 , further comprising a starter strip having
 a back panel configured to receive a fastener therethrough, and   an upper projection configured to be received by one of the channels of the panels.   
     
     
         9 . The siding system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the panels has a rounded projection and a groove, the rounded projection configured to form a detent with the groove of a panel of an adjacent course of panels. 
     
     
         10 . The siding system of  claim 1 , wherein the clip is bent from a single piece of metal. 
     
     
         11 . A siding panel, comprising:
 a front portion adapted to be exposed away from a surface covered by the siding panel;   a back portion adapted to face a surface covered by the siding panel;   a channel formed in the back portion adjacent a downwardly extending projection of the back portion; and   an upper portion having a plurality of spaced-apart notches extending through the front and back portions.   
     
     
         12 . The siding panel of  claim 11 , wherein the back portion has a plurality of expansion relief grooves. 
     
     
         13 . The siding panel of  claim 12 , wherein the expansion relief grooves are substantially vertical when the panel is installed. 
     
     
         14 . A siding clip, comprising:
 a back plate having an aperture configured to receive a fastener therethrough;   a first arm extending outwardly from the back plate;   a second arm extending outwardly from the back plate;   an outer plate substantially parallel to the back plate and supported by the first arm, the outer plate extending upwardly to form an upward projection extending above the height of the first arm; and   an outer plate substantially parallel to the back plate and supported by the second arm, the outer plate extending upwardly to form an upward projection extending above the height of the second arm.   
     
     
         15 . The siding clip of  claim 14 , wherein the outer plate supported by the first arm and the outer plate supported by the second arm are the same. 
     
     
         16 . A siding panel comprising:
 an upper portion having an upper male locking element and an upper female locking element;   a bottom portion having a bottom male locking element and a bottom female locking element; and   a front face that faces outward and is exposed when the siding panel is installed;   wherein:
 the upper male locking element and the upper female locking element are configured to engage, respectively, corresponding bottom female and male locking elements of like panels, 
 the bottom male locking element and the bottom female locking element are configured to engage, respectively, corresponding upper female and male locking elements of like panels. 
   
     
     
         17 . The siding panel of  claim 16 , wherein the panel is formed from a composite building material having:
 a foamed substrate having a foamed inner core and a dense integral skin, wherein the foamed substrate includes a polymer matrix and a reinforcing filler; and   a urethane/acrylic coating applied to the foamed substrate at the front face of the siding panel, wherein the coating includes an IR-reflective pigment, wherein the urethane/acrylic coating is chemically and/or physically bound to the substrate.   
     
     
         18 . A siding panel comprising:
 a front face;   a back face;   two side edges;   an upper portion including an upper channel adjacent to an upper protrusion; and   a bottom portion including a bottom channel adjacent to a bottom protrusion;   wherein:
 the upper channel is configured to receive the bottom protrusion of other like panels, 
 the upper protrusion is configured to be received by the bottom channel of the other like panels, 
 the bottom channel is configured to receive the top protrusion of the other like panels, and 
 the bottom protrusion is configured to be received by the top channel of the other like panels. 
   
     
     
         19 . The siding panel according to  claim 18 , wherein:
 the upper channel is disposed between the top protrusion and the back face, and   the bottom channel is disposed between the bottom protrusion and the front face.   
     
     
         20 . The siding panel according to  claim 19 , wherein:
 the upper portion further includes a nailing flange disposed between the upper channel and the back face, the nailing flange extending upwardly beyond the upper protrusion to provide a nailing surface.   
     
     
         21 . A siding set, comprising:
 a plurality of siding panels, each panel including:
 an upper portion including an upper channel, the upper channel being adjacent to both a first upper protrusion and a second upper protrusion, and 
 a bottom portion including a bottom channel, the bottom channel being adjacent to a bottom protrusion, 
 wherein:
 the upper channel is configured to receive the bottom protrusion of each of the panels, 
 the upper protrusion is configured to be received by the bottom channel of each of the other panels, 
 the bottom channel is configured to receive the top protrusion of each of the other panels, and 
 the bottom protrusion is configured to be received by the top channel of each of the other panels; and 
 
   a siding clip having a nailing flange and configured to be disposed between the upper channel and the lower protrusion of two respective panels when the lower protrusion is received by the upper channel, the siding clip extending a distance beneath the bottom of the lower protrusion.   
     
     
         22 . The siding set of  claim 21 , wherein:
 the siding clip further includes a first clip channel that is configured to receive the bottom protrusion of each of the plurality of panels.   
     
     
         23 . The siding set of  claim 22 , wherein:
 the siding clip further includes a second clip channel configured to receive the second upper protrusion of any of the plurality of panels, the first clip channel being disposed in the upper channel of the panel when the upper protrusion is received by the second clip channel.   
     
     
         24 . The siding set of  claim 21 , wherein:
 the nailing flange has a pre-formed nail hole.   
     
     
         25 . The siding set of  claim 21 , wherein:
 the siding clip is formed from galvanized steel.   
     
     
         26 . The siding set of  claim 21 , wherein:
 the siding clip is formed from stainless steel.