EP2494118B1

EP2494118B1 - Insulating wall cladding

Info

Publication number: EP2494118B1
Application number: EP10812890.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: James Gleeson; Roger Pecnik; Steve Twin
Original assignee: James Hardie Technology Ltd
Current assignee: James Hardie Technology Ltd
Priority date: 2009-10-29
Filing date: 2010-10-29
Publication date: 2016-02-17
Anticipated expiration: 2030-10-29
Also published as: WO2011051818A2; WO2011051818A3; EP2494118A2

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to improved undercladding insulation and cladding support systems and to wall structures using the same.
The inventions have been developed primarily for application in the external insulation of new building structures and for post construction modifications to improve the thermal efficiency of existing wall structures. However, it will be appreciated that the inventions may also be adapted for other uses such as internal walling structures.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Existing methods for constructing walls with external insulation covered by cladding are relatively complex in terms of the number of separate steps, as well as components, and are also highly labour intensive. Furthermore, many of these systems fail to provide adequate support for the cladding which is then prone to 'sag' over time.
Typically, the structural component of a new external wall is provided either by framing elements to which a structural sheathing component is usually secured for bracing, or some form of masonry wall.
One commonly used method for then applying external insulation is to first secure a series of vertical spaced battens to the block work or sheathing and then position batts of insulation material between the battens. Some form of building paper or other waterproof and optionally reflective membrane is then secured over the battens and insulation material. Finally, a further series of battens are then secured on top of the underlying battens and building paper in order to provide mounting and support for the external cladding.
Another method commonly used in Europe involves securing complex metal rail and brackets systems to the exterior of masonry walls. Insulation of various forms is applied to the exterior walls between and/or around the rails and brackets and cladding is then subsequently attached to the metal bracket system. This method is also costly and time consuming to install and the metal components result in significant thermal bridging which reduces the overall insulating efficiency of the finished system.
While it is possible to purchase a limited range of proprietary insulation panels that can be secured to the structural part of a wall, the procedure still then usually involves the installation of timber battens in situ over the insulation panel back through into the sheathing, wall or frame so that the cladding can then be mounted. This can be time consuming, particularly where it is necessary to first ensure accurate location of the underlying structural members, and, whilst the panels may be fairly durable, the timber battens usually have a much more limited life span. Furthermore, the thicker the insulation panel and the heavier the intended external cladding, the more difficult it becomes to secure the battens through to the underlying structure without the risk of downward movement of the battens via sag once loaded by the attached cladding. Similar deformation can also result from environmental factors such as wind loading.
There is also a growing market in Europe, in particular, for post construction modification work to improve the thermal efficiency of selected external walls on existing building structures that do not have adequate insulation. The methods currently used to add the insulation are similar to the new building construction methods discussed above. In this regard, the insulation panels, or a combination of under battens, insulating material and vapour barriers, are applied to the external surface of the existing wall, followed by outer battens to which the external cladding is then applied, such as described in DE202006012370 . Alternatively, the above discussed complex metal cladding support bracket and rail system is used.
In all cases, the most commonly used form of cladding mounting battens are timber battens which have a relatively limited life span depending on the environmental conditions.
Systems such as described in GB2116600 , have previously attempted to provide an insulation panel with an integrated batten to address the time consuming procedure of separately attaching battens, but lacks the ability to support the intended external cladding without the risk of downward movement of the battens via sag once loaded by the attached cladding. The system described does not allow for fixing through the insulation to the structural part of the wall
It is an object of the present invention to provide improved undercladding insulation and cladding support systems and wall structures using the same which overcome or ameliorate at least one of the above discussed disadvantages of the prior art, or which at least offers a useful alternative thereto.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

Unitary insulation and cladding support panels and systems

According to the invention there is provided, as set out in the appended claims, an externally insulated clad wall structure comprising:

a structural wall element;
a plurality of cladding support battens located a distance from the structural wall element;
a layer of insulation material positioned between the structural wall element and the plurality of cladding support battens;
at least one cladding element being secured to at least one cladding support batten, characterised in that at least one cladding support batten being supported by a support member that is secured at or near the base of the structural wall element; and
at least one batten support member includes a fixing flange for securing to the structural wall element and a support flange that is of sufficient depth to support the end of at least one cladding support batten.

In a unitary insulation and cladding support panel, the panel may include:

a rectangular substantially rigid lightweight backing sheet of thermally insulating material having a rear surface for mounting to an external wall element and an opposing front surface; and
a plurality of pre-secured parallel spaced fastener retaining battens on the front surface.

In preferred forms the panel is configured to be generally impervious to the through passage of liquid water applied from the direction of the front surface. However, in other forms a separate liquid water and/or water vapour barrier may be applied to the front surface and/or the rear surface of the panel during installation.
In a preferred form the battens extend outwardly from the front surface to provide drainage passages therebetween.
Desirably, the fastener retaining battens have sufficient fastener holding strength to support an external cladding without the need to provide through fixtures to an underlying structural wall element when securing the cladding.
In one preferred form, the backing sheet is made from an expanded polystyrene foam which is preferably made to be inherently impervious to water. Alternatively, the panel may be made impervious to water, at least in part, by inclusion of a water barrier film adhered to the front of the sheet to form the front surface. In one form, the barrier is in the form of a layer of aluminium foil or foil faced sheeting, which also serves to simultaneously improve the insulating characteristics of the backing sheet and thereby the thermal rating of the panel.
In another form, the front surface of the water barrier membrane is preferably hydrophobic. In one preferred embodiment, the water-resistant front surface has selective permeability characteristics, in the sense of being at least partially permeable by air and water vapour (i.e. "breathable"), while being substantially impermeable by water in liquid form. Most preferably, the water-resistant front surface is both breathable and substantially hydrophobic. Ideally, the front surface complies with the locally applicable building code or standard that applies to building wrap specifications such as AS/NZS 4200.1:1994, ASTM E1677, BS3177, BS4016 and any other similar or related codes or standards.
In another form, the backing sheet may be made of a lightweight cementitious material, optionally treated, covered or coated to achieve the desired water resistance characteristics.
Preferably the fastener retaining battens are made of a durable nailable material capable of independently holding fasteners that are securing an external cladding material. In the preferred form, the battens are made from a lightweight nailable fibre cement. In preferred forms the fibre cement batten composition includes density modifiers such as: inorganic hollow or foamed microparticles (see for example WO 01/68547 ); calcium silicate hydrate; entrained air and other suitable density reducing additives, or any combination thereof. Other details of suitable formulation components are set out in the description of preferred embodiments.
In another form, the battens are made of a durable nailable polymeric material. Clearly, other materials may also be suitable provided they have sufficient structural rigidity, fastener holding strength and durability characteristics.
In one form suited to a framed wall construction, the panel is configured to have sufficient strength characteristics to also act as a sheathing board in new wall construction. This may be achieved via properties inherent in the backing sheet insulation material, or via some form of reinforcing which may be provided by a layer of another material secured to the insulation material.
In a unitary insulation cladding support panel, the panel may include:

a rear portion having predetermined thermal insulation properties with a rear surface for mounting to a wall element and an opposing front region spaced from the rear surface;
a second portion extending from the front region of the rear portion terminating in a front surface; the second portion including one or more fastener retaining regions for retaining fasteners at predetermined parallel spacings for securing cladding thereto.

Preferably the panel is configured to be impervious to liquid water applied from the direction of the front surface.
Where required, such as in the construction of timber framed dwellings, the unitary insulation panels may also include a layer of rigid reinforcing material such that the panel can also function as a structural sheathing panel. The reinforcing layer can take any suitable form such as, but not limited to, a layer of structural timber or fibre cement material optionally adhered or otherwise fixed to the rear of the panel.
Desirably, the front portion of the panel is configured to provide one or more primary water drainage regions in the front surface that extends in between raised fastener retaining regions. Secondary drainage and/or ventilation regions or channels may also be provided in the fastener retaining regions to link adjacent primary drainage regions.
In one form, the generally planar rear portion of the panel is made from a lightweight foamed polymeric material and the second portion is made from a similar material having a denser structure configured to have fastener retaining properties. Ideally, the panel is preferably impervious to water passage through the panel by virtue of the material properties of one or both regions. The denser fastener retaining structure can extend the full area of the panel or just in selected regions that may extend within the panel body and/or extend outwardly therefrom. Potentially suitable polymeric materials include, but are not limited to, polystyrene (Owens Corning, Dow Chemicals), polyurethane or polyisocyanurate (Johns Manville).
In another form, the panel is made from a light weight foamed cementitious material with at least the second front portion having a structure capable of retaining fasteners of predetermined parallel spacings for securing cladding thereto.
Desirably, all forms of the panel are configured such that the fastener securing regions are readily visually identified from the front surface.
According to a method of constructing an externally insulated clad wall structure using the unitary insulation and cladding support panel, the method includes the steps of:

providing a structural wall element;
securing to an outer surface of the structural wall element one or more horizontally oriented support members at a position that defines the lowermost point of the unitary insulation panel;
positioning the unitary insulation cladding support panel with a lowermost edge resting on the installed support member(s) such that the panelling inclines outwardly therefrom; and
tilting the unitary insulation and cladding support panel into engagement with the structural wall element.

Preferably, each support member includes a fixing flange for securing to the structural wall element and a support flange that is of sufficient depth to support the panel and integrally connected battens or integrally formed fastener retaining regions so as to prevent the battens or fastener retaining regions sagging under load from the cladding secured thereto.
In one form the support member is in the form of one or more lengths of structural metal sections such as aluminium angle. However, other forms and/or materials may be used such as custom bent zinc-alum sheet metal sections. In alternative forms, the support member may comprise a plurality of discrete brackets or a combination of brackets and lengths of metal section. If long lengths of metal section are used, means should also be provided to allow drainage of moisture from behind the cladding. This could be done, for example, by leaving gaps between adjacent lengths of metal section, or using lengths provided with drainage apertures in the support flange. In most installations, the assembly will also include a ventilated end cover strip, most usually in the form of a lightweight asymmetrical channel section made of aluminium, zinc-alum or plastic secured to the structural wall and sized to fully cover the lower edge of the cladding support panel assembly.
In one form the method includes the step of applying an adhesive to the wall element or the insulating panel prior to tilting the panel into engagement with the wall element. Additionally, and/or alternatively, mechanical anchors may be applied through the fastener retaining regions or battens and insulation material to further secure the assembly to the underlying support structure and help prevent post installation sagging. If there is concern that the insulation panels may be prone to compression during or post installation, incompressible spacer elements can be included, ideally at or near the batten securing positions. In some embodiments the spacers may take the form of tube like elements through which the mechanical anchors may be applied. The spacers may be added during installation or incorporated in to the panel structures. Similarly, if the panels may also be subject to negative pressure effects due, for example, to wind loading, reinforcements in the form of inextensible anchors are also important.
Ultimately, the method of securing the panels will depend in part on the thickness and weight of the insulation and the weight of the cladding to be applied, the environmental factors relevant to the region of installation, plus consideration of any relevant local building codes that may apply, particularly in respect of wind loadings.
In some forms the method may include the step of applying some form of water barrier to the underlying wall structure prior to applying the insulation panels and cladding. This may be by way of application of a suitable building wrap or rigid moisture barrier, or, in the case of masonry walls for example, by applying some form of water resistant coating. The need for and type of barrier or treatment will be determined by the site conditions and local building codes that may apply.
Preferably, the method also includes the subsequent steps of progressively securing cladding panels to the battens on the installed insulation panels. In preferred forms the cladding is secured using impact fasteners into the battens.
An externally insulated clad wall structure may include a structural wall element to which has been secured, directly or indirectly, to one or more unitary insulation cladding support panels.

Component insulation and end supported cladding mounting batten systems

An externally insulated clad wall structure may include:

a structural wall element;
a layer of insulation material positioned adjacent the outer surface of the wall element;
a plurality of nailable cladding support battens located a predetermined distance from the structural wall element level with or forward of the insulation materials, each batten being supported at a lower end by a support member secured directly to the wall structure; and
one or more cladding elements secured to the battens.

Each batten support member includes a fixing flange for securing to the structural wall element and a support flange that is of sufficient depth to support the end of the cladding support battens, which in use are located ideally forward of the insulation material. In one form the support member consists of a length of structural metal section, which may be aluminium angle or some other custom bent structural section made, for example, from zinc-alum. In alternative forms, the support member may comprise a plurality of discrete brackets or a combination of brackets and lengths of structural section. If lengths of structural section are used, means should also be provided to allow drainage of moisture from behind the cladding. This could be done, for example, by leaving gaps between adjacent lengths of section, or using angle provided with drainage apertures in the support flange. In most installations, the assembly will also include a ventilated end cover strip, most usually in the form of a lightweight asymmetrical channel section or right angle section secured to the structural wall and sized to cover at least the outermost lower edge of the cladding support assembly.
The insulation material can be in any suitable material and come in a variety of different forms. For example, in addition to using preformed substantially rigid or semi-rigid insulation panels, batts of fibre glass, foamed glass, hemp and other materials can be used. These batts can be optionally coated pre or post installation to improve durability, weather proofing and/or handlability by, for example, coating with a spray on resin material or similar. In other forms spray on insulating foam such as those produced by Demilec (USA) LLC (Sealection^™ 500 etc) or Icynene (Canada) or those installed by companies such as IsoSpray Foam roof insulation services in the United Kingdom can be applied directly to the substructure in situ.
In cases where the insulation material has insufficient compression resistance to enable the battens to be secured to the structural wall without deformation, incompressible spacers of the kind discussed above can be used. To assist with installation, the spacers can be pre-applied to the battens or the battens otherwise pre-configured to allow easy location and retention of the spacers during installation. In alternative forms, the spacers may be integrally formed as part of the battens or the battens configured to eliminate the need for spacers by, for example, having an I-beam or hollow square structure or the like that extends right back to the underlying structural wall.
In other embodiments adjustable wall to batten spacers or spacer fasteners are used to enable in situ repositioning of the battens as may be required when the underlying structural wall is not flat as will often be the case. In such instances it may also be necessary to pack between the insulation material and battens and/or provide additional means to secure the insulation material.
In preferred forms, the fastener retaining battens are made of nailable fibre cement of the kind already described. However, other suitable materials, including timber, can be used.
Optionally, this wall structure may also include additional moisture management features as discussed above.
In all embodiments it should be noted that more than one horizontal row of insulation plus battens will be required depending on a number of factors including the weight of the battens and cladding and of course the number of storeys to be insulated and clad. In such cases multiple rows of support members will be needed to support the corresponding multiple rows of insulation and battens.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figures 1a, 1b and 1c are schematic sectional views illustrating a few existing systems for constructing externally insulated clad wall structures;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of a first embodiment unitary insulation and cladding support panel according to a first aspect of the invention;
Figure 3 is a perspective view of a second embodiment unitary insulation cladding support panel according to the first aspect of the invention;
Figure 4 is a perspective view of a first embodiment unitary insulation cladding support panel according to the second aspect of the invention;
Figure 5 is a perspective view of a second aspect unitary insulation and cladding support panel according to the second aspect of the invention;
Figure 6 is a perspective view of a first in-progress wall structure being prepared for installation of a unitary insulation and cladding support panel of the invention;
Figure 7 is a perspective view of the wall structure of Figure 6 showing installation of the unitary cladding support panels;
Figure 8 is a perspective view of an almost completed wall structure of Figures 6 and 7 with some cladding installed thereon;
Figure 9 is a sectional view taken on line 9-9 of Figure 8 showing the relative positioning of the end cover, support member, panel components and cladding; and
Figure 10 is a sectional view of a completed external corner arrangement for the wall structure of Figures 6 to 8 that includes a corner trim;
Figure 11 is a perspective cut away view of a first embodiment component wall system made in accordance with the fifth aspect of the invention'
Figure 12 is a sectional view of a completed wall structure showing an alternative end cover and associated method of securing that end cover;
Figure 13 is a perspective part view of the alternative end cover shown in Figure 12;
Figure 14 is a perspective part view of a corner flashing with pre-secured cladding support battens or corner trim attached;
Figure 15 is a sectional part view of a completed wall structure showing a first use of the corner flashing assembly of Figure 14 with pre-secured cladding support battens; and
Figure 16 is a sectional part view of a completed wall structure showing a second use of the corner flashing assembly, this time incorporating corner trim elements.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Referring firstly to Figure 1, there is shown three examples of prior art systems for applying external installation to clad wall structures. For example, Figure la shows a common wall structure comprising frame elements 1 to which a structural sheathing board 2 has been applied. A series of insulation battens 3 are then applied to the sheathing at the stud spacings and some form of insulating material such as an insulation batt 4 is applied therebetween. Once the insulation material is placed, some form of water or water vapour proof membrane 5 is secured over the insulation batts and battens as shown. A further series of cladding mounting battens 6 are then secured over the insulation battens 3 and finally the external cladding 7 is secured on top.
An identical system is generally used with clad masonry wall structures such as shown in Figure 1b. In this case the insulation battens 3 are secured directly to the structural block work wall 8.
An alternative prior art system is shown in Figure 1c. In this structure, a proprietary insulation panel 9 is secured to the underlying wall structure such as the frame and sheathing assembly, or structural block work wall. While these insulation panels 9 typically include some form of water barrier or reflective membrane, it is still necessary to accurately locate and secure in situ a series of most usually timber cladding battens 6 on top of the sheathing 9 prior to the external cladding 7 being applied.
In yet another prior art system used on exterior masonry walls, a complex metal bracketing system is attached to the masonry walls and the cladding is then attached to these brackets with the insulation positioned between the brackets behind the cladding.
In all these methods, there are numerous steps to be taken which are highly labour intensive and careful marking up is required to ensure that the cladding battens are accurately positioned, particularly where the structural wall elements are in the form of a timber or metal frame.
Furthermore, the use of timber battens generally shortens the effective life span of the structure. Also, the alternative metal bracket systems usually provide considerable thermal bridging, which reduces the overall thermal rating of the completed structure.
In addition, the thicker the insulation panel and the heavier the intended cladding, the more difficult it becomes to secure the battens through to the underlying structure without the risk of downward movement of the battens via sag once loaded by the attached cladding.

Unitary insulation and cladding support panel systems

Turning next to Figure 2, there is shown a first preferred embodiment of a unitary insulation and cladding support panel 10 according to the first aspect of the invention.
The panel 10 includes a rectangular substantially rigid lightweight backing sheet 11 made of a thermally insulating material which has a rear surface 12 for mounting to an external wall element and an opposing front face 13. The backing sheet can be made of any suitable lightweight thermally insulating material and may also comprise some form of composite product made of multiple layers of different materials. In the preferred form, the backing sheet is made predominantly from expanded polystyrene foam. The thickness of the sheet will depend upon the proposed application and factors such as the degree of insulation required, the density of the foam board and the structural properties that the final panel is required to have.
In one form particularly suited for use in post construction insulation applications, the backing sheet is made of expanded polystyrene foam, for example DOW Chemical's STYROFOAM ^® Tongue & Groove panel. In other applications where the panel is also required to act as a sheathing board in an original framed wall structure, the backing sheet may, for example, be made of OSB, fibre cement or a metal skin, such as aluminium, bonded to a foam sheet.
In this first form, a layer of foil or a metallised faced membrane 14 is securely adhered to the front face 13 of the backing sheet 11. An example of one particularly suited material is Du Pont™ Tyvek ® Thermawrap™ metallised spun-bonded polyethylene fabric. A series of parallel spaced fastener retaining battens 15 are then pre-secured to the front surface of the panel formed, in this instance, by the outer facing front surface of the foil membrane 14.
It should be noted that while this embodiment has the battens secured to the front surface of a planar backing sheet to extend from that surface, the backing sheet could be formed with indentations in the front surface into which the battens are partially or fully located.
The battens 15 can be made of any suitable nailable material including timber or polymeric materials. However, in the preferred form, the battens are made from fibre cement.
In the preferred form the formulation and/or processing is selected to produce a cured layer of reinforced fibre cement that is nailable. In most cases these nailable products have a relatively low density.
The hydraulic binder used in the fibre cement is preferably Portland cement but can also be any hydraulic cementitious binder chosen from a group including, but not limited to: high alumina cement, ground granulated blast furnace slag cement, gypsum hemihydrate, gypsum dihydrate, and gypsum anhydrite, or any mixtures thereof.
The filler, which can be a reactive or inert material, is preferably ground silica sand but can also be any material chosen from the group including, but not limited to: amorphous silica, diatomaceous earth, rice hull ash, silica fume, microsilica, hollow ceramic spheres, geothermal silica, blast furnace slag, granulated slag, steel slag, fly ash, mineral oxides, mineral hydroxides, clays, magnesite or dolomite, metal oxides and hydroxides, polymeric beads, or any mixtures thereof.
The fibre cement additives can be chosen from a group including, but not limited to: silica fume, hollow ceramic spheres (see for example WO 01/68547 ), cenospheres, geothermal silica, fire retardants, set accelerators, set retarders, thickeners, pigments, colorants, plasticisers, dispersants, foaming agents, flocculating agents, water-proofing agents, organic density modifiers, aluminum powder, kaolin, alumina trihydrate, mica, metakaolin, calcium carbonate, wollastonite, mineral oxides, mineral hydroxides, clays, magnesite or dolomite, metal oxides and hydroxides, pumice, scoria, tuff, shale, slate, perlite, vermiculite, polymeric beads, calcium silicate hydrate and polymeric resin emulsions, or any mixtures thereof. Preferred polymeric resins are products such as, but not limited to, acrylic latexes, styrene-butadiene latexes, or mixtures thereof. These latexes can be emulsions or be in a redispersible powder form. In Portland cement-based materials, the latexes need to be stabilised to withstand the high-alkali environment.
The fibres used in the fibre cement are preferably cellulose wood pulp but can also be natural or synthetic organic or inorganic fibrous material chosen from the group including, but not limited to: ceramic fibre, glass fibre, glass ceramic fibre, natural fibres such as kenaf, hemp, flax and jute, carbon fibre, mineral wool, steel fibre, synthetic polymer fibres such as polyamides, polyesters, polypropylene, polymethylpentene, polyacrylonitrile, polyacrylamide, viscose, nylon, PVC, PVA, and rayon, or any mixtures thereof. The fibres are more preferably fibrillated cellulose fibres, such as described in Australian Patent No. 515151 .
One example of a suitable fibre cement formulation is described in WO 0168547 .
The fibre-reinforced cement is made from a plastic mixture or an aqueous slurry, with or without post pressing, by any one or more of a number of conventional processes such as the Hatschek sheet process; Mazza pipe process; Magnani process; injection molding; extrusion; hand lay-up; moulding; casting; filter pressing; Fourdrinier forming; spattering; multi-wire forming; gap blade forming; gap roll/blade forming; bel-roll forming; wellcrete and other processes.
Preferably, the battens are of sufficient thickness and have sufficient fastener holding strength to support an external cladding without the need to provide through fixtures to an underlying structural wall element. Ideally, the battens may also include a plurality of pre-drilled holes to receive fasteners for securing the battens through the backing sheets into the underlying wall structure when this is required.
In this first form the battens are preferably secured to the backing sheet using a high strength water resistant adhesive such as epoxy, polyurethane, rubber or acrylate.
Preferably, the panels 10 will be sized to comply with relevant local building regulations and the battens 15 spaced according to batten spacing requirements in that particular region which usually relates to local wind loading. For a masonry application, one suitable sized panel has a length of 2700mm, a width of 600mm. The foam backing sheet may be around 70mm thick and a single centrally disposed batten is provided that is at approximately 50-70mm wide and around 19mm thick. All of these dimensions may vary according to each application and in some cases additional battens may need to be added during installation to align with non-regular stud spacing attachments and the like.
Turning next to Figures 3 through to 5, there are shown examples of some alternative forms of the unitary insulation and cladding support panel of the invention and like reference numerals have been used to denote corresponding features.
Turning first to Figure 3, there is shown what is effectively a simplified version of the embodiment shown in Figure 2. In this regard, the panel 10 comprises simply the insulating backing sheet 11 with the fastener retaining battens secured directly to the backing sheet front face 13. In this particular embodiment, the front face 13 of the panel will itself preferably be impervious to water. Where the insulating panel is made from a foamed material, a closed cell structure may achieve this objective or it may be achieved purely by the forming method. Alternatively, some form of waterproof coating could be applied to the front surface 13 to achieve the water barrier characteristics if required. It should be noted that additional moisture barriers may also be applied behind or on top of the panel during the installation process.
Furthermore, whilst the backing sheets of Figures 2 and 3 have a planar front surface, in alternative variations the front surface could have profiled recesses in to which the battens are partially or fully located.
Turning next to Figure 4, there is shown a further embodiment of the invention where the panel 10 has fastener retaining regions 16 which are more integrally formed within the panel than the fastener retaining battens 15 of the previous two embodiments which are made separately and then pre-secured to the backing sheets 11.
In this alternative structure, the panel 10 comprises a generally planar rear portion 17 having pre-determined thermal insulation properties with a rear surface 18 for mounting to a wall element and an opposing front region 19 that is spaced from the rear surface 18. Extending from this front region 19 is a second portion 20, which is represented by the darker material shown in the representations, and which terminates in a front surface 21.
The second portion 20 includes one or more fastener retaining regions 16 for retaining fasteners at predetermined parallel spacings for securing cladding thereto. The panel 10 also preferably includes a plurality of water drainage channels 22 which extend in between the raised fastener retaining region 16. Region 16 has two functional requirements. The first is to act like a washer to distribute concentrated load on a fastener attaching panel 10 to the wall structure under wind or other loads, and the other to provide sufficient cladding fastener holding to resist wind load and other loads on the cladding.
The panel is constructed as a composite made from two bondable, flowable materials. In a first form the rear portion of the panel 17 may be made from a very low density lightweight foamed polymeric material, whereas the second portion 20 adjacent the front face 21 is made from a higher density polymeric material so as to provide the requisite fastener retaining properties. In this embodiment, the panel may be made impervious to the through passage of water applied via the front face 21 by virtue of the material properties of the front and/or rear regions or again be achieved by some form of coating applied to the surface.
Turning next to Figure 5, there is shown a variation on the embodiment of Figure 4 which is configured to simulate the physical structure achieved in Figures 2 and 3, but made by the same technique and using similar materials to those discussed in respect of the embodiment of Figure 4.
In another variation, the panels of Figures 4 or 5 may be made from light weight foamed cementitious materials with the rear and front portions having different properties as discussed above. In this regard, the disclosures in WO 231287 and AU 2006230666 may, at least in part, be useful in describing how such an article could be constructed.
In all cases, the panels may include further layers of different materials to vary the performance characteristics of the board.
It will also be appreciated that the exact form of each aspect of the invention will vary according to the requirements of each particular building project and the local region in which it is to be used.
Referring next to Figures 6 to 10, there is shown a preferred method for constructing an externally insulated clad wall structure using the unitary insulation cladding support panels 10 of the invention. In the embodiment illustrated the panel 10 has a foam backing sheet 11 and a single centrally disposed fibre cement batten 15.
Referring first to Figure 6, a masonry structural wall element 30 is erected in the usual manner. Depending on the application, the outer surface of the structural wall 30 may then be weather proofed in the desired or required manner by application of some form of moisture barrier such as a building wrap or, for masonry walls, optionally a moisture resistant coating.
In a first proposed method of assembly the next step will be installation of a ventilated protective end cover strip 31 at a location just below the intended lowermost point of the unitary panel 10. As shown in the drawings, this cover strip will usually be made of a relatively light gauge aluminium, zinc-alum sheet metal or plastic material and preferably configured in the manner of an asymmetrical channel. This provides one long edge flange for securing to the underlying wall structure, a central flange that is wide enough to span between the structural wall and the rear side of the cladding, and an optional short front flange in the form of an upstanding lip that acts to capture the front most surfaces of the unitary panel including the battens or fastener retaining regions. The central flange usually includes apertures 32 to allow egress of moisture that accumulates behind the cladding and enable ventilation of this region.
Support means in the form of lengths of structural support section (e.g. aluminium angle or custom bent zinc-alum section or similar) 33 and/or discrete brackets 34 are then secured to the front face of the wall element 30 at a position that defines the lowermost point 34 of the unitary insulation panel 10, which often means they are located above and possibly overlapping the cover strips 31. Ideally, the brackets 34 are positioned to align with and support the lowermost ends of the battens 15. In one preferred form the supports are located to provide a minimum 100mm clearance from the ground.
In most preferred forms the support section 33 and brackets 34 each have a relatively wide rear flange 35 for rigidly securing to the underlying structural element 30, and a support flange 36 of sufficient depth to support the full depth of the panel assembly including, most importantly, the battens or fastener support regions. In this manner any load applied to these regions as a result of the cladding weight and/or wind loads is transferred back to the main structure and the risk of sagging of the cladding and battens is substantially reduced. If the preferred support is in the form of a length of structural section 33, then means should ideally be provided to allow moisture drainage and ventilation from behind the cladding. This can be done, for example, by providing drainage apertures in the channel or using discontinuous lengths of angle with gaps therebetween.
When using the preferred polystyrene backing sheet of Figures 2 or 3, adhesive 36 may be applied at predetermined locations on the structural wall element 30 as shown in Figure 6. One method involves applying 50mm patches of adhesive at 300mm centres. The panel 10 is then positioned with the lowermost edge 37 resting on the installed angle and brackets such that the panel inclines outwardly from the wall as shown in Figure 7. Once the panel has been carefully aligned at its base, the panel is simply tilted into engagement with the wall element as shown. A plurality of suitable fasteners 38 are then optionally applied through the battens 15 to further secure the panel to the underlying structural wall element. It will be appreciated that the need for such additional fasteners and the number and spacing will depend on the structure and the type and weight of the cladding to be applied and the applicable environmental factors, such as wind loading. One such fastener type that are particularly suited for use with a panel having a polystyrene foam backing sheet to which a light weight cladding is to be applied are Styro Tapit ™ fasteners. However, where the final assembly of insulation panel, battens and cladding is likely to be fairly heavy, and/or the environmental factors are significant, use of a heavier duty masonry anchors may be preferable to provide sufficient strength and again help prevent sagging. Examples of potentially suitable heavier duty fasteners include: Ramset^™ fasteners such as Easydrive^™, Suredrive^™, Ramplug^™ and Dynabolt^™ as well as Hilti^™ fasteners including Impact Anchors HPS-1, HT and the HRD series. As shown in the drawings, the fasteners may be applied through the battens, usually through pre-drilled holes. Potentially suitable fastener examples include 160mm x 10mm dia Ramset^™ Ramplug and 140mm x 8mm dia Ramset^™ Easydrive^™ nylon anchor. It should be noted that use of adhesive is entirely optional, particularly when heavy duty anchors are being used. In cases where the unitary panels used a foam backing sheet which may be compressible during the process of securing the panels, via the battens, to the underlying wall structure, incompressible spacers may be inserted into the panel at regions at or near where the fasteners will be used. Alternatively, rigid length adjustable fasteners may be used which engage with the battens to enable the position of the battens (and hence the panel) to be adjusted relative to the supporting wall.
Depending on the height of the surface to be insulated, it may be necessary to provide multiple horizontal rows of insulation and battens, each row supported at its base by appropriate support means of the kind discussed above.
Once the panels are secured in position, joints between adjacent panels can be sealed with flashing tape 39 and additional battens 40 added at corner positions as required. Corner trim 41 may also be used as shown in Figure 10. The cladding 42 can then be applied in the usual manner by securing, preferably with impact fasteners, through to the integrally provided fastener retaining regions or battens provided on the panels 10.
While the methods described above rely primarily for weatherproofing on the properties of the unitary insulation cladding support panels, or the independent insulation panels, variations are contemplated that include the use of separate water or water vapour control membranes, panels or coatings positioned adjacent the front and/or rear of the panels. This may include use of membranes or moisture control panels that have drainage patterns provided in one or more surfaces. Furthermore, such drainage patterns may be incorporated into the various insulation panels of the invention.
Furthermore, it will be appreciated that the above described cladding support and insulation systems are equally suited to framed wall constructions, but that the batten positioning will need to be changed to suit the stud spacing for each application. In these structures, sheathing boards can first be applied to the frame elements after which non structural insulating panels are applied in a very similar manner to the masonry application, but ensuring that the panels do connect back to the frame elements where required. Where structural versions of the insulating panel are to be used, there is no need to first apply sheathing boards as the insulation panels themselves will provide this structural function. The above comments regarding weatherproofing once again apply.

Component insulation and end supported cladding mounting batten systems

Unlike the previous examples, the systems according to the fifth aspect of the invention do not use prefabricated unitary insulation panels with integral cladding support systems. Instead they use a wide variety of existing and new insulation materials and batten systems, along with the novel batten support elements used in the system described above in relation to Figures 6 to 10.
One form, not specifically illustrated, relates to the use of specially designed or proprietary insulation panels in combination with highly durable nailable fibre cement battens that are secured to the underlying wall structure by use of adhesive or mechanical fasteners that extend through the battens and insulation panels along with base support means such as the support brackets or angles as described above.
In this embodiment the method of installation is similar to that described for the unitary panels except that the battens 15 are not integral with the insulation panel 9 (see Fig. 1c), but need to be manually installed after the panels have been positioned. This may necessitate an additional step of needing to secure the insulation panels to the underlying structural wall prior to the batten being installed. This can be done by any means compliant with local area requirements and which may include the use of fasteners and/or adhesive. However, all the comments relating to support means, optional additional water barriers, the possible need to use incompressible spacers or fasteners and various finishing means like the protective end cover strip 31 and corner trim 39, are all applicable to this aspect of the invention.
In another embodiment illustrated in Figure 11, incompressible spacers in the form of straight cut or stepped hollow tubes 45 are pre-assembled to the rear of the cladding support battens 46. The spacers can be made of any material and any suitable form. If straight ended tub, they may be adhered to the battens. If a stepped end is provided, it may be possible to have a push fit into predrilled counter bored holes in the rear of the battens. However, other forms of spacer and other means of aligning and/or connecting the spacers to the battens, may be used. In addition, rigid length adjustable fasteners of the kind previously described may also be used which operate to both fasten and space the battens to/from the wall.
Once the underlying structural wall 30 has been moisture proofed as required by local conditions, the optional channel shaped cover strips 31 can be connected to the wall. Batten support elements such as support brackets 34 are then secured to the wall at spacings that correspond with the intended location of the lower most edges of the cladding support battens 46. Once in place, the battens, with pre-assembled spacers, can be positioned so the lower edges rest on the support brackets and are then secured to the wall structure using anchors that pass through the spacer tubes 45. Insulation material 47, such as batts made from fibre glass, hemp or others suitable materials can then be positioned between the installed battens. Finally, optional additional moisture control layers can be installed as required and then the cladding 42 can be secured to the battens in the usual manner as shown.
These particular systems are extremely flexible. Not only can the battens and spacers (where needed) be made of any suitable materials, a huge range of different insulation materials can be used such as those produced by Demilec (USA) LLC (Sealection^™ 500 etc) or Icynene (Canada) or those installed by companies such as IsoSpray Foam roof insulation services in the United Kingdom. For example, in addition to the commonly used insulation batts or pre-formed panels, spray on materials such as foam or recycled paper products etc can also be used. Naturally, the spacers or equivalent fasteners will only be needed if the proposed insulation material offers inadequate compression resistance or there is a need to be able to adjust or control the final position of the battens relative to the underlying structure to achieve an acceptably flat surface to which cladding can be applied. Furthermore, it may not be necessary to pre-assemble the spacers. For example, it may be possible to insert the spacers into gaps formed in the insulation after it has been applied to the underlying structure before the battens are attached.

Alternative installation methods and components

Numerous variations can be made to the methods of installation and to the fixing and finishing components without departing from the scope of the invention.
For example, rather than use a generally channel shaped ventilation end cover 31 as shown in most of Figures 6 to 11, it may be preferred to use a simple angle shape end cover 50 as shown in Figures 12 and 13 which are commonly available in Europe in a wide variety of sizes. These covers have an upstanding front flange 51 and a horizontal cover flange 52 in which are provided ventilation apertures 53. As shown in Figure 12, these covers are installed by securing to the front face of the cladding support battens 15. Accordingly, the support brackets 33 or 34 are usually the first components secured to the prepared structural wall element 30. In most cases the ventilated end cover 50 will then be secured to the battens 15 (or equivalent fastener retaining regions 16 in other forms of panels) after the insulation and battens have been secured to the wall 30.
Similarly, while the corner fixing and finishing method and components work satisfactorily for applications in which only a moderately thick layer of insulation is being applied as shown in Figures 6 to 11, problems may be encountered when using thicker layers of insulation, as it will not be easy to secure cladding and trim support battens closely adjacent the corners and fix these back to the structural wall 30.
One proposed solution to this problem is to use a corner flashing assembly 55 as shown in Figures 14 to 16. The assembly 55 has two parts. The first is a simple right angled corner flashing 56 made from thin coated sheet steel material or similar with fairly wide flanges 57. The second part is an appropriately configured L shape of either batten material 58 or corner trim 59 secured to the external corner region of the flashing using, for example, screws as shown.
The different ways in which this corner flashing assembly can be used are shown in Figures 15 and 16. For example, in Figure 15 an L shape of batten material 58 is pre-secured to the flashing 56. This assembly 55 is then secured directly over the insulation 11 and fastened through to the structural wall 30 using fasteners along centre lines 60 which may need to be vertically offset where required. The corner trim 41 is then secured to the batten material 58 as shown. In an alternative arrangement shown in Figure 16, the corner trim 41 is pre-secured to the flashing 56, the wide flanges 57 of the flashing enabling the assembly to span across to corner battens 15 that are fastened back to the structural wall 30.
Furthermore, while fibre cement is the preferred material for the battens, the invention is also clearly suitable for use with timber battens as significant advantages are conferred over the prior art simply by use of the batten support means.
It will be appreciated that the unitary insulation and cladding support panel according to the first and second aspects of the invention and the method of constructing an externally clad insulated wall using those panels provides significant advantages over the prior art. In this regard, the amount of skilled on site labour required is significantly reduced, as there is no need for the separate step of accurately and securely applying battens on top of a previously applied multi-layer insulating structure prior to securing the cladding. Nor is there a need to accurately locate complex metal cladding mounting bracket systems.
Benefits also accrue from the embodiments of the fifth aspect of the invention which combines the use of any suitable insulation material with any suitable kind of fastener holding battens that are structurally supported at their lower ends by support elements connected to the underlying structural masonry or framed wall system.
Although the invention has been described with reference to specific examples it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied in many other forms.

Claims

An externally insulated clad wall structure comprising:
a structural wall element (30);

a plurality of cladding support battens (15) located a distance from the structural wall element (30);

a layer of insulation material (11) positioned between the structural wall element (30) and the plurality of cladding support battens (15);

at least one cladding element(42) being secured to at least one cladding support batten (15), characterised in that at least one cladding support batten (15) being supported by a support member (33, 34) that is secured at or near the base of the structural wall element (30); and

at least one batten support member (33, 34) includes a fixing flange (35) for securing to the structural wall element (30) and a support flange (36) that is of sufficient depth to support the end of at least one cladding support batten (15).
An externally insulated clad wall structure according to claim 1 wherein the support member (33) comprises a length of structural metal section.
An externally insulated clad wall structure according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the support member (34) comprises a plurality of discrete brackets.
An externally insulated clad wall structure according to any claim 1 to 3 inclusive wherein the support member (33, 34) is configured to allow drainage of moisture from behind the cladding.
An externally insulated clad wall structure according to any claim 1 to 4 inclusive further comprising a ventilated end cover strip (31, 50), sized and located to cover at least the outermost lower edge of the externally insulated clad wall structure.
An externally insulated clad wall structure according to any claim 1 to 5 inclusive wherein the cladding support battens (15) are made from a lightweight nailable fibre cement.
An externally insulated clad wall structure according to any claim 1 to 5 inclusive wherein the cladding support battens (15) are made of a durable nailable polymeric material.
An externally insulated clad wall structure according any claim 1 to 7 inclusive wherein the insulation material (11) comprises a preformed substantially rigid or semi-rigid insulation panel.
An externally insulated clad wall structure according to claim 8 wherein the insulation panel (11) is made from an expanded polystyrene foam.
An externally insulated clad wall structure according to claim 8 wherein the insulation panel (11) is made from a suitable polymeric material.
An externally insulated clad wall structure according to any claim 1 to 10 inclusive wherein the cladding support battens (15) are preassembled to, or otherwise incorporated in, the insulation material (11) to provide a unitary insulation and cladding support panel (10).
An externally insulated clad wall structure according to any claim 1 to 11 inclusive wherein the insulation material (11) is treated to improve durability and/or weather proofing.
An externally insulated clad wall structure according to any claim 1 to 12 inclusive further comprising some form of incompressible spacer (45) means to ensure the battens are fixed and retained at a pre-determined distance from the underlying structural wall element (30).
An externally insulated clad wall structure according to claim 13 wherein the spacer means (45) is provided by use of an appropriate fastener (38) which engages the batten and retained it at a fixed distance from the underling structural wall element.
An externally insulated clad wall structure according to claim 13 or claim 14 wherein the spacer (45) or spacer fasteners (38) are adjustable to enable in situ adjustment of the battens (15) spacing from the underlying structural wall (30) to ensure a generally planar fixing surface for the cladding elements (42).
An externally insulated clad wall structure according to any claim 1 to 15 inclusive wherein the layer of insulation material (11) and associated cladding support battens (15) are installed in a series of horizontal rows one above another, the battens (15) of each row being supported at their lower edge by a support member (33, 34) secured directly to the wall structure (30).