Wall panel and method for constructing a wall

Abstract

A wall panel comprising: a plurality of studs; a sheet of sheet material mounted on a rear facing side to the plurality of studs, the sheet material including perimeter edges and a perimeter portion of the sheet material extending beyond the plurality of studs to define a perimeter border on the rear facing side; a supportive edging on the perimeter edges of the sheet material and coupled to the studs; a layer of air vapour barrier membrane on a front facing side of the sheet of material, the layer of air vapour barrier membrane wrapped around the perimeter edges being exposed on the perimeter portion; and at least one of: a side edge flashing and a lower edge flashing.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A wall panel comprising:
 a plurality of studs;   a sheet of sheet material including a rear facing side, the rear facing side mounted against the plurality of studs, the sheet material including perimeter edges and a perimeter portion of the sheet material extending beyond the plurality of studs to define a perimeter border on the rear facing side;   a supportive edging on the perimeter edges of the sheet material and coupled to the studs;   a layer of air vapour barrier membrane on a front facing side of the sheet of material, the layer of air vapour barrier membrane wrapped around the perimeter edges and being exposed on the perimeter portion; and   at least one of: a side edge flashing and a lower edge flashing.   
     
     
         2 . The wall panel of  claim 1  wherein the sheet of sheet material is selected from drywall, wood or metal. 
     
     
         3 . The wall panel of  claim 1  wherein the supportive edging is an elongate, channel-type structure formed of durable metal or plastic. 
     
     
         4 . The wall panel of  claim 3  wherein the supportive edging includes a front side planar web extending over a portion of the front facing surface of the sheet material and rear side planar web extending over a portion of the rear facing surface of the sheet material and an end wall connecting the front side planar web and the rear side planar web. 
     
     
         5 . The wall panel of  claim 1  wherein the air vapour barrier membrane is wrapped over the supportive edging, such that the supportive edging is positioned between the sheet of sheet material and the air vapour barrier membrane. 
     
     
         6 . The wall panel of  claim 1  wherein the air vapour barrier membrane is self-adhered to the sheet of sheet material. 
     
     
         7 . The wall panel of  claim 1  further comprising a second membrane on the front facing side of the sheet of sheet material, the second membrane being positioned outwardly of the air vapour barrier, such that the air vapour barrier membrane is located between the sheet of sheet material and the second membrane. 
     
     
         8 . The wall panel of  claim 1  further comprising at least one of insulation and wall cladding on the front facing side overlying the air vapour barrier membrane. 
     
     
         9 . A method for constructing a wall with an air vapour barrier, the method comprising:
 installing a first wall panel unit comprising a sheet of sheet material and a layer of air vapour barrier membrane on a front facing side of the sheet of sheet material, the layer of air vapour barrier membrane being wrapped around perimeter edges of the sheet of sheet material and forming a first border of membrane exposed on a perimeter portion of a rear facing side of the sheet of sheet material;   installing a second wall panel unit comprising a piece of sheet material and a layer of air vapour barrier membrane on a front facing side of the piece of sheet material, the layer of air vapour barrier membrane being wrapped around perimeter edges of the piece of sheet material and forming a second border of membrane exposed on a perimeter portion of the rear facing side of the piece of sheet material, the second wall panel unit spaced from the first wall panel unit to define a gap between them; and   installing an air vapour barrier membrane strip to span the gap, where installing includes sealing a first lengthwise edge of the strip against the first border and sealing an opposite, second lengthwise edge of the strip against the second border.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein sealing a first lengthwise edge includes positioning a line of sealant on the first border and applying the first lengthwise edge onto the line of sealant. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising installing a plurality of fasteners through membrane strip and the first border and into engagement with the sheet of sheet material. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising applying a seal over the plurality of fasteners. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising arranging a flashing that extends laterally from the sheet of sheet material to span the gap. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising inspecting the installed air vapour barrier membrane strip from an interior of a building on which the wall is installed. 
     
     
         15 . A building exterior wall comprising:
 a first wall panel unit comprising a first sheet of sheet material and a layer of air vapour barrier membrane on a front facing side of the first sheet of sheet material, the layer of air vapour barrier membrane wrapped around perimeter edges of the first sheet of sheet material and forming a first border of membrane exposed on a perimeter portion of a rear facing side of the first sheet of sheet material;   a second wall panel unit comprising a second sheet of sheet material and a layer of air vapour barrier membrane on a front facing side of the second sheet of sheet material, the layer of air vapour barrier membrane wrapped around perimeter edges of the second sheet of sheet material and forming a second border of membrane exposed on a perimeter portion of a rear facing side of the second sheet of sheet material, the second wall panel unit spaced from the first wall panel unit by a gap; and   an air vapour barrier membrane strip at the gap, where a first lengthwise edge of the strip is sealed against the first border and an opposite, second lengthwise edge of the strip is sealed against the second border.   
     
     
         16 . The building exterior wall of  claim 15 , further comprising a sealant between the first border and the first lengthwise edge, a fastener passing through the sealant and coupling the membrane strip to the sheet of sheet material and a seal over the fastener. 
     
     
         17 . The building exterior wall of  claim 15 , further comprising a reinforcement member along the first lengthwise edge and the fastener is driven through the reinforcement member. 
     
     
         18 . The building exterior wall of  claim 15 , further comprising a flashing extending laterally from the sheet of sheet material and spanning the gap.