GB2345924A

GB2345924A - Method for the construction of wall cladding

Info

Publication number: GB2345924A
Application number: GB9827528A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Christopher Pearson
Original assignee: EPSICON Ltd
Current assignee: EPSICON Ltd
Priority date: 1998-12-14
Filing date: 1998-12-14
Publication date: 2000-07-26
Also published as: GB9827528D0

Abstract

A method of constructing cladding for a wall or panel of a building includes placing a mesh sheet (2) on to insulation boards (1), in a horizontal plane, placing a layer of adhesive material (3) on to the mesh (2) and applying a number of brick slips (4) to the adhesive material. Wall fixing means (6) are inserted through the mesh (2) and insulation boards (1), before the adhesive (3) and brick slips (4) are applied.

Description

Method for constructing Wall Cladding This invention relates to a method of constructing a cladding for a wall.

It is known to use a mesh sheet with ridges or protrusions which is attached to a wall and then has brick slips bonded to it through the use of an adhesive material in order to renew the outer appearance of the wall. It is also known to use a similar system which utilises insulation boards sandwiched between the wall and the mesh sheet, the assembly being held in place with mechanical fixing means such a steel tie-rods or similar. These methods can be expensive to carry out and require customised manufacturing methods both for the manufacturing of the ridges or protrusions in the mesh sheet and for the application of the insulation boards, the mesh sheet and the brick slips to the wall, which requires manual labour, itself dependant on atmospheric conditions over time.

At the present time the building industry is considering constructing pre-fabricated walls or panels which can be used in building but it is difficult to achieve a satisfactory surface finish and the present invention is intended to provide means to achieve this by providing a method which is relatively cheap to employ and which includes the use of inexpensive materials The invention includes applying the cladding to a pre-fabricated wall before the wall is used in the construction of a building. In addition the invention to be set forth is less dependant on weather considerations and skilled manual labour than previous methods.

According to the present invention a method of constructing cladding for a wall or panel for a building includes placing a mesh sheet one face of which is substantially devoid of projections or ridges in a substantially horizontal plane with the face uppermost, placing a layer of adhesive material on the face and applying a number of brick slips to the adhesive material.

The method can include first laying the mesh sheet on insulation blocks or boards which may or may not form part of the wall to allow the adhesive material to penetrate the sheet and attach to the insulation blocks or boards so that the mesh sheet is sandwiched between the insulation blocks or boards and the brick slips, the whole being bonded together by the adhesive material.

Further the method may include providing wall fixing means which extend through the mesh sheet prior to applying the adhesive material and the brick slips, for example mechanically fixed staples applied by automatically actuated means.

A gap may be left between the brick slips above the fixing means to allow access to the fixing means when the cladding is secured in position on the wall with which it is to be used.

Any suitable adhesive material may be used but a rapid setting tile adhesive is preferred.

The mesh sheet is preferably be made from a non-corrosive material such as a synthetic plastics material or galvanised or stainless steel.

The method may include laying the cladding with or without the insulation block or boards directly onto the surface of a pre-fabricated wall which has been constructed in a horizontal manner and while the wall is still lying substantially horizontally, thus the cladding provides a brick finish which is durable and attractive.

The method of laying the brick slips onto the mesh sheet can be carried out manually or with the aid of power operated apparatus.

The method includes provision for the wall cladding to be manufactured on the building site or away from the building site under controlled conditions.

The invention also includes a wall or panel with cladding made according to the method set forth above.

The invention can be performed in various ways but one embodiment will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is an isometric cut-away view of the cladding for a wall or panel according to the invention and, Figure 2 is a section through a building wall to which the cladding shown in Figure 1 has been attached.

As shown in figures 1 & 2 the method of constructing cladding for a wall of a building includes multiple insulation boards (1) which are laid substantially horizontally on which is laid a mesh sheet (2).

The upper surface of the sheet (2) is substantially flat and is devoid of projections or ridges. A layer of adhesive material (3) is now applied to the upper surface of the sheet (2) and can sink through it to engage to insulation boards, and brick slips (4) are now applied in an appropriate pattern. Thus brick bonding can be applied in Streatcher Bond, English Bond, Flemish Bond or Herring Bone Pattern.

This operation can be carried out manually or by powered apparatus (not shown) that may or may not be on the building site. While laying this pattern of brick slips provision for fixing to a wall is made by leaving off an appropriate number of brick slips thereby leaving gaps in the pattern to allow the use of mechanical fixing means (6) which extend through the mesh sheet (2) and the insulation boards (1).

Extra adhesive material (3a) is then inserted between the slips (4) and the surface is re-pointed. The cladding can then, after a suitable period of time to allow the adhesive to set, be fitted to a building wall (5) as shown in Figure 5, using the mechanical fixing means (6) and adhesive material (7) similar to that used previously.

The gaps left in the pattern for the mechanical fixing means (6) can now be filled using brick slips (4) that are placed over the mechanical fixing means (6) and secured using the adhesive material (3).

The mesh sheet is made from a non-corrosive material, for example a synthetic plastic material or a galvanised or stainless steel. It will be seen that the sheet (2) is sandwiched between the insulation boards (1) and the brick slips (4) the whole being bonded together.

This method of constructing the cladding for a wall horizontally has several advantages over existing methods. The horizontal nature of the method renders unnecessary the use of ridges or protrusion in the mesh sheet, thus lowering the cost of the wall cladding and reducing the time needed for manufacture. In addition the use of powered apparatus to lay the brick slips reduces the amount of time needed to manufacture the wall cladding and also allows the cladding to be manufactured offsite in standard or custom sizes before being transported to the building site. This offsite manufacturing method reduces the dependance on reasonable weather as the construction of the cladding can take place indoors and in controlled conditions.

Further the use of standard sizes of wall cladding allows mass production methods to be used thus reducing the overall costs even further.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A method of constructing cladding for a wall or panel for a building which includes placing a mesh sheet one face of which is substantially devoid of projections or ridges in a substantially horizontal plane with the face uppermost, placing a layer of adhesive material on the face and applying a number of brick slips to the adhesive material.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1 which includes first laying the mesh sheet on insulation blocks or boards which may or may not form part of the wall to allow adhesive material to penetrate the sheet and attach to the insulation blocks or boards so that the mesh sheet is sandwiched between the insulating blocks or boards and the brick slips, the whole being bonded together by the adhesive material.
3. A method as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 which includes providing wall fixing means which extent though the mesh sheet prior to applying the adhesive material and the brick slips.
4. A method as claimed in claim 3 in which the fixing means are applied by automatically actuated means.
5. A method as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4 which includes leaving a gap between the brick slips above said fixing means to allow access to them when the cladding is secured in position an the wall with which it is to be used.
6. A method as claimed in any one of the proceeding claims in which the adhesive material is a rapid setting tile adhesive.
7. A method as claimed in any one of the proceeding claims in which the mesh sheet is made from a non-corrosive material.
8. A method as claimed in claim 7 in which the mesh sheet is made from a synthetic plastic material or galvanised or stainless steel.
9. A method as claimed in any one of the proceeding claims which includes laying the cladding with or without the insulation block or boards directly onto the surface of a pre-fabricated wall which has been constructed in a horizontal manner and while the wall is still lying there substantially horizontally.
10. A method as claimed in any one of the proceeding claims which includes laying said brick slips manually or with powered operated apparatus.
11. A cladding wall made according to the method set forth in any one of the proceeding claims.
12. A method of constructing cladding for a wall or panel substantially as described having with reference to and shown in the accompanying drawings.