Wall panel and method of fabrication and use

Abstract

A building panel includes a sheet of wood material having opposing surfaces and bounding edges. The sheet of wood material is encased by a coating of a mixture of pigments and polymeric resins electrostatically adhered to the opposing surfaces and edges, and cured.

1 - 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A method of erecting a building structure comprising the steps of:
 providing a plurality of building panels, each including a sheet of wood material having opposing surfaces and bounding edges, and a coating of a mixture of pigments and polymeric resins electrostatically adhered to the opposing surfaces and edges, and cured;   erecting exterior walls with the plurality of building panels;   erecting interior walls with the plurality of building panels;   laying ceiling panels on the exterior walls and interior walls with the plurality of building panels; and   fabricating boxed openings in the interior walls with the plurality of building panels; wherein:   the plurality of structural building panels provide a structural strength of the building structure without use of a supporting framework other than the structural panels.   
     
     
         18 . A method as claimed in  claim 17  wherein the step of providing a plurality of panels includes cutting the plurality of sheets of wood material to pre-determined dimensions for the building construction prior to the steps of electrostatically adhering and curing. 
     
     
         19 . A method as claimed in  claim 18  wherein the step of cutting the sheet of wood material to pre-determined dimensions includes cutting openings therein. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17  wherein erecting comprises mechanically coupling adjacent structural panels. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17  wherein erecting comprises mating joints in proximate panels. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 17  wherein erecting comprises coupling an edge of a first structural panel to an edge of a second structural panel without coupling the first structural panel and the second structural panel to the supporting framework. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 17  wherein erecting exterior walls comprises coupling each structural panel to a foundation. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 17  wherein erecting exterior walls comprises coupling a batten to an exterior of the exterior wall for attaching siding. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 17  wherein each structural panel that forms the exterior walls is one and one-half inches thick whereby the exterior walls withstand winds of up to 250 miles per hour. 
     
     
         26 . A method for erecting at least a portion of a building using a plurality of structural panels, the method comprising:
 erecting at least one exterior wall with one or more structural panels of the plurality of structural panels;   erecting at least one interior wall with one or more structural panels of the plurality of structural panels; wherein:
 the plurality of structural panels provide are of sufficient strength to independently support each wall of the building; 
 each structural panel includes:
 a sheet of wood composite material, the sheet having opposing surfaces and bounding edges; and 
 a coating on the opposing surfaces and the bounding edges; and 
 
 the coating comprises a powdery mixture of pigments and polymeric resins that is electrostatically adhered to the opposing surfaces and bounding edges of each structural panel and is cured to form the coating. 
   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26  further comprising forming a ceiling with one or more structural panels of the plurality of structural panels. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26  further comprising cutting one or more panels of the plurality of structural panels before electrostatically adhering the powdery mixture to the structural panel such that all surfaces formed by cutting are covered by the coating. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28  wherein cutting forms at least one of an edge shape, a rebate joint, a miter joint, a window opening, and a door opening. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 26  wherein erecting at least one exterior wall comprises mechanically coupling adjacent structural panels. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 26  wherein erecting at least one exterior wall comprises mating joints in proximate panels. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 26  wherein erecting at least one of an exterior wall and an interior wall comprises coupling an edge of a first structural panel to an edge of a second structural panel without coupling the first structural panel and the second structural panel to the supporting framework. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 26  wherein erecting at least one exterior wall comprises coupling each structural panel of the exterior wall to a foundation. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 26  wherein erecting at least one exterior wall comprises coupling a batten to an exterior of the at least one exterior wall for attaching siding. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 26  wherein each structural panel that forms the at least one exterior wall is one and one-half inches thick whereby the portion of the building that uses the plurality of structural panels withstands winds of up to 250 miles per hour. 
     
     
         36 . A method for erecting at least a portion of a building using a plurality of structural panels, the method comprising:
 erecting at least one exterior wall with one or more structural panels of the plurality of structural panels;   erecting at least one interior wall with one or more structural panels of the plurality of structural panels; wherein:
 the plurality of structural panels independently supports the at least a portion of a building; 
 each structural panel comprises:
 a sheet of wood composite material, the sheet having opposing surfaces and bounding edges; and 
 a coating on the opposing surfaces and the bounding edges; and 
 
   the coating includes a powdery mixture of pigments and polymeric resins that is electrostatically adhered to the opposing surfaces and bounding edges of each structural panel and is cured to form the coating.