Skirting assemblies and methods

Abstract

Skirting panel assemblies for enclosing a space beneath a structure and methods assembling and forming components of the skirting panel assemblies. In some examples, a skirting panel assembly includes a skirting panel, a top trim member, a track base member, and a column member. The track base members can receive and brace a bottom edge portion of the skirting panels. The top trim member can be fitted over or receive a top edge portion of the skirting panels and can be attached to the structure with fasteners. The column members can engage with adjacent skirting panels for enclosing a space between the adjacent skirting panels. In some examples, the components of the skirting assembly can be molded from concrete.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A concrete skirting assembly for enclosing a space beneath a structure, the skirting assembly comprising:
 a skirting panel;   a track base member comprising a front portion and a rear portion, wherein the front portion is configured to be disposed on exterior of the skirting panel and the rear portion is configured to be disposed interior of the skirting panel, and wherein the front portion and the rear portion are sized and shaped to receive a lower edge portion of the skirting panel therebetween;   a top trim member that includes one or more lateral holes for attaching the top trim to a portion of the structure via one or more fasteners, the top trim comprising a stepped configuration on an interior side thereof that is sized and shaped to form at least one slot between the interior side and the structure when attached to the structure, wherein the at least one slot is sized and shaped to receive a top edge portion of the skirting panel; and   a column member configured to be seated on a top surface of the track base member and configured to enclose a seam between the skirting panel and an adjacent skirting panel.   
     
     
         2 . The concrete skirting assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the track base member comprises one or more vertical holes, wherein each of the one or more vertical holes is configured to receive and anchor pin for anchoring the track base member to a ground surface. 
     
     
         3 . The concrete skirting assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the column member is configured to engage with each of the skirting panel and the adjacent skirting panel. 
     
     
         4 . The concrete skirting assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the column member comprises a first groove extending along a first side thereof and second groove extending along a second side thereof, wherein the first groove is sized and shaped to receive a side edge portion of the skirting panel and the second groove is sized and shaped to receive a side edge portion of the adjacent skirting panel. 
     
     
         5 . The concrete skirting assembly of  claim 3 , wherein an interior surface of the column member is configured to engage a portion of a front surface of the skirting panel and a portion of a front surface of the adjacent skirting panel. 
     
     
         6 . The concrete skirt assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the stepped configuration on the interior side of the top trim member comprises a first step and a second step, wherein the first step is configured to form a first slot between the interior side of the top trim member and the structure when attached to the structure, and wherein the second step is configured to form a second slot between the interior side the top trim member and the structure when attached to the structure. 
     
     
         7 . The concrete skirting assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the first slot is sized and shaped to receive the top edge portion of the skirting panel, and wherein the second slot is sized and shaped to receive a top edge portion of the column member. 
     
     
         8 . The concrete skirt assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one slot is sized and shaped to enable formation of a void between a top edge of the top edge portion of the skirting panel and a top wall of the at least one slot. 
     
     
         9 . The concrete skirting assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the front portion and the rear portion of the track base member define a channel therebetween, and wherein the channel is sized and shaped to receive the lower edge portion of the skirting panel. 
     
     
         10 . The concrete skirting assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the track base member further comprises one or more lateral holes configured to receive a fastener that extends through the channel and through the lower edge portion of the skirting panel received within the channel. 
     
     
         11 . The concrete skirting assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the rear portion of the track base member comprises a plurality of protrusions, each of the protrusions having a flat interior face, and wherein the protrusions are configured such that the lower edge portion of the skirting panel is received between the flat interior faces of the protrusions and an interior wall of the front portion of the track base member. 
     
     
         12 . The concrete skirting assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a front surface of the top edge portion of the skirting panel comprises a depression for receiving a connector plate and one or more apertures configured to receive a fastener therethrough. 
     
     
         13 . The concrete skirting assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a rear surface of the top edge portion of the skirting panel comprises a first raised section and a rear surface of the lower edge portion of the skirting panel comprises a second raised section. 
     
     
         14 . A concrete skirting assembly for enclosing a space beneath a structure, the assembly comprising:
 a skirting panel;   a column member comprising a groove extending along of first side edge thereof, the groove sized and shaped to receive a side edge portion of the skirting panel;   a track base member comprising a channel formed between a front portion and a rear portion, wherein the channel is sized and shaped to receive a lower edge portion of the skirting panel; and   a top trim member comprising a two-stepped configuration on an interior side thereof which is configured to form a first slot and a second slot between the interior side and the structure when the top trim member is attached to the structure, wherein the first slot is sized and shaped to fit over a top edge portion of the skirting panel and the second slot is sized and shaped to fit over a top edge portion of the column member.   
     
     
         15 . The concrete skirting assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the column member is configured to interlock with the skirting panel and an adjacent skirting panel. 
     
     
         16 . The concrete skirting assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the track base member includes one or more vertical holes and one or more lateral holes, wherein the vertical holes are each configured to receive an anchor pin for anchoring the track base member to a ground surface, and wherein the lateral holes are configured to receive a fastener for anchoring the skirting panel to the track base member. 
     
     
         17 . A concrete skirting assembly for enclosing a space beneath a structure when the assembly is in an assembled configuration, the assembly comprising:
 a skirting panel;   a column member comprising an interior surface and an exterior surface, the interior surface configured engage a portion of a front surface of the skirting panel to cover a seam between the skirting panel and an adjacent skirting panel in the assembled configuration;   a track base member comprising a front section having an interior surface extending along a length of the track base member and a rear section comprising a plurality of protrusions each having a flat interior face, wherein the interior surface of the front second the flat interior faces of the protrusions are configured to receive a lower edge portion of the skirting panel therebetween in the assembled configuration, the track base member comprising one or more vertical holes for receiving fasteners for attachment of the track base member to an underlying surface; and   a top trim member having a stepped configuration on its interior side which is configured to form a slot between the interior side and the structure when the top trim member is attached to the structure in the assembled configuration, wherein the slot is sized and shaped to receive a top edge portion of the skirting panel, wherein the top trim member comprises one or more lateral holes for receiving fasteners for attachment of the top trim member to the structure.   
     
     
         18 . The concrete skirting assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the front surface of the skirting panel includes a depression and holes disposed in the depression and extending through the skirting panel, wherein the depression is sized and shaped to receive a connector and the holes are each sized and shaped to receive a fastener inserted through the connector, wherein the connector and holes are configured for connecting the skirting panel to the structure. 
     
     
         19 . The concrete skirting assembly of  claim 17 , wherein a rear side of the skirting panel comprise a first raised section at the top edge portion of the skirting panel and a second raised section at the lower edge portion of the skirting panel. 
     
     
         20 . The concrete skirting assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the concrete skirting assembly is further configured for a storage configuration, and wherein the first and second raised sections of the skirting panel are configured to abut a front side of an adjacent, stacked skirting panel.