Laminate building materials and methods of making and installing the same

Abstract

Magnesium oxide cement sheathing is laminated to plywood, OSB, wood, steel, other building products or other substrates to enhance fire, structural and sound performance of the substrate to meet new and more stringent fire codes while also providing water, insect, mold and rot protection. Further, the magnesium oxide cement board laminated to a foam core enhances fire performance and mold and rot protection over that of the foam core alone. The magnesium oxide laminate is used in wall, floor and roof assemblies to meet or exceed performance as specified in the building codes.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A building material comprising:
 a magnesium oxide (MgO) board;   a substrate; and   an adhesive layer interposed between the MgO board and the substrate, the MgO board laminated to the substrate with the adhesive layer to form a laminate.   
     
     
         2 . The building material of  claim 1  wherein the laminate comprises a flame spread rating of about zero according to ASTM E-84. 
     
     
         3 . The building material of  claim 1  wherein the laminate comprises a smoke generation rating of about zero according to ASTM E-84. 
     
     
         4 . The building material of  claim 1  wherein the laminate is noncombustible according to ASTM E-136. 
     
     
         5 . The building material of  claim 1  further comprising a finishing material directly applied to the laminate without additional fire or moisture protection. 
     
     
         6 . The building material of  claim 1  wherein the substrate comprises an oriented strand board (OSB). 
     
     
         7 . The building material of  claim 6  wherein the laminate comprises at least one of a greater resistance to fungal growth than the OSB, a greater structural strength than the OSB, and a greater resistance to moisture than the OSB. 
     
     
         8 . The building material of  claim 1  wherein the substrate comprises a foam core material. 
     
     
         9 . The building material of  claim 1  wherein the adhesive layer is selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl acetate (PVA), water-based polymeric adhesives, solvent-based adhesives, thermostat adhesives, modified starches, liquid moisture cure adhesives, and polyurethane. 
     
     
         10 . The building material of  claim 1  wherein the adhesive layer is associated with a permeability and the laminate comprises a structural vapor diffusion retarder. 
     
     
         11 . The building material of  claim 1  wherein the substrate comprises a joist including an upper flange, a lower flange, and a web interposed between the upper and the lower flanges. 
     
     
         12 . The building material of  claim 11  wherein the MgO board is laminated to at least one side of the web. 
     
     
         13 . The building material of  claim 11  wherein the MgO board is laminated to both sides of the web. 
     
     
         14 . The building material of  claim 11  wherein the MgO board is laminated to the upper flange and the lower flange along the length of the joist. 
     
     
         15 . The building material of  claim 11  wherein the MgO board encases the joist. 
     
     
         16 . The building material of  claim 1  wherein the MgO board forms at least one surface of a laminate to increase the fire rating of a wall assembly. 
     
     
         17 . A method to fabricate a building material, the method comprising:
 providing a magnesium oxide (MgO) board;   providing a substrate; and   interposing an adhesive layer between the MgO board and the substrate to laminate the MgO board to the substrate with the adhesive layer to form a laminate.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the laminate comprises a flame spread rating of about zero according to ASTM E-84. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the laminate comprises a smoke generation rating of about zero according to ASTM E-84. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the laminate is noncombustible according to ASTM E-136. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising a finishing material directly applied to the laminate without additional fire or moisture protection. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the substrate comprises an oriented strand board (OSB). 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the laminate comprises at least one of a greater resistance to fungal growth than the OSB, a greater structural strength than the OSB, and a greater resistance to moisture than the OSB. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the substrate comprises a foam core material. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the adhesive layer is selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl acetate (PVA), water-based polymeric adhesives, solvent-based adhesives, thermostat adhesives, modified starches, liquid moisture cure adhesives, and polyurethane. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the substrate comprises a joist including an upper flange, a lower flange, and a web interposed between the upper and the lower flanges. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the MgO board is laminated to at least one side of the web. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the MgO board is laminated to both sides of the web. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the MgO board is laminated to the upper flange and the lower flange along the length of the joist. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the MgO board encases the joist.