GB2373281A

GB2373281A - Flexible veneer cladding

Info

Publication number: GB2373281A
Application number: GB0106148A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Anthony Lee Hughes
Original assignee: EPWIN PROPERTY HOLDINGS Ltd; Epwin Group PLC
Current assignee: EPWIN PROPERTY HOLDINGS Ltd; Epwin Group PLC
Priority date: 2001-03-13
Filing date: 2001-03-13
Publication date: 2002-09-18
Also published as: GB0106148D0

Abstract

A cladding component (1) for cladding the structure of a conservatory has a flexible timber veneer (6) bonded to it. The cladding component has a non-planar surface (3) on which the flexible timber veneer is flexed to follow the profile of the cladding component without cracking. The flexible timber veneer may comprise a laminate having veneer bonded to a backing material, which may be formed from a flexible web of synthetic fibres. The flexible timber veneer may be water resistant, and comprise any one of PVCu, aluminium, plastics, wood, chipboard or medium density fibreboard (MDF).

Description

Timber Cladding The present invention relates to the veneering of the cladding components of conservatory structures with timber veneer.

Modern conservatories are typically constructed from aluminium structural members (e. g. frames, windows frames etc. ) and are clad internally with PVCu cladding components. These cladding components are not structural components of the conservatory, but are designed to be attached to the internal surfaces of an existing conservatory structure to provide a thermal break between the inner surface of the structure and the inner (living) space formed by the conservatory.

Furthermore, cladding components serve not only to conceal various of the structural joints and interconnections of the structural members of a conservatory, but may also be designed to enhance the aesthetic qualities of visible internal surfaces of the conservatory, and thereby enhance the eye-appeal of the conservatory as a whole.

To this end, the outward-facing surfaces of PVCu cladding components are often formed into ornate shapes or

profiles and, in particular, may also embody a wood-grain effect. Such wood-grain effects attempt to capture the eye-appeal of timber-framed conservatories, while retaining the benefits of plastics construction in terms of weight and cost at least. Many such attempts have met with limited success and have led to the use of realtimber cladding within conservatories. For example, timber cladding has been applied to existing PVCu conservatory cladding components in order to give the impression that a conservatory is constructed from timber.

This approach entails fixing strips or portions of timber onto the outward-facing surfaces of existing conventional PVCu cladding components, either with screws or by gluing or the like. However, the timber cladding used is typically of a thickness that renders it substantially inflexible. Consequently, a drawback of this approach lies in the need to machine the timber cladding not only to enable it to fit over the existing PVCu cladding (or other substrate) to which it is to be fixed, but also to provide the desired shape or profile for the outwardfacing surface of the cladding. Furthermore, the use of such timber cladding may often require that the existing PVCu cladding (or other substrate) is also machined, or

otherwise adapted, so as to permit the timber cladding to be securely fixed to it (e. g. holes for screws etc.).

These considerations consequently add to the cost and complexity of cladding a conservatory structure with timber.

The present invention aims to overcome at least some of these deficiencies by applying a flexible timber veneer to the cladding components of conservatory structures.

An advantage of using a flexible timber veneer in this way is that the flexibility of the veneer allows it substantially to replicate the shape or profile of the cladding component (e. g. PVCu cladding) to which it is fixed. This obviates the need to undertake complex machining of the timber cladding in order to provide it with an outward-facing surface of the desired shape or profile.

Thus, the present invention may provide a method of covering with timber at least a part of a surface of a cladding component for a conservatory structure, the method comprising the step of bonding a flexible timber veneer to a surface of said component.

Thus, the shape or profile of the flexible timber veneer, when fixed across a surface of a cladding component, is determined principally by the shape or profile of that surface. That is to say, the flexible timber veneer, by virtue of its flexibility, may flex as necessary in order to follow a particular profile and effectively"wrap"the surface of the cladding component.

The veneer may preferably be directly bonded to a given cladding component using a suitable adhesive thereby removing the need to machine either the component (e. g.

PVCu cladding) or the veneer so as to permit the one to be securely fixed to the other, as is often the case in prior art arrangements.

Preferably, use is made of a veneer comprising a laminate including a flexible timber veneer bonded to a flexible backing material. The advantage of using such laminate veneers comes from the support to the timber veneer given by the backing material. The resulting laminate is flexible and has a timber layer with a reduced tendency to crack when bent. Consequently, the laminate veneer may be used to clad a wide variety of substrates (e. g.

PVCu conservatory cladding components) having curved surfaces or profiles with abrupt edges or curves, with a

reduced risk of the veneer cracking at those edges and curves. Such laminate is known from EP-A-0918630.

The backing material is preferably formed from a flexible web of synthetic fibres. More preferably, use is made of a flexible timber veneer which comprise a flexible laminate including a timber veneer bonded by means of a flexible adhesive to a flexible supporting web of synthetic fibres.

Furthermore, the laminate veneer may be substantially water resistant thereby permitting a component clad therewith to be used in environments where prolonged exposure to moisture is likely.

The invention is not limited to the veneering of only PVCu cladding components for conservatories. The invention may be applied to cladding components made from or comprising e. g. aluminium, plastics, wood, chip-board or medium density fibreboard (MDF). Indeed, the conventional timber covered cladding components which are currently adapted to clad conservatory structures, may be replaced by equivalent cladding components made from chip-board or MDF or the like, which has been veneered according to the present invention. Thus, expensive and/or heavy (solid) timber-covered cladding components

may be replaced by a structurally identical, yet cheaper and/or lighter, timber-veneered alternative.

Alternatively, the conventional timber covered cladding components mentioned above may simply be veneered-over according to the present invention if it is desired to change the style or type of wood-effect provided by the cladding. This avoids the expense of having to wholly replace the undesired existing timber covering the cladding.

Thus, the present invention also provides a cladding component for a conservatory structure, the component being covered over at least a part of its surface with a flexible timber veneer.

Preferably the veneer is directly bonded to a given cladding component using a suitable adhesive.

Preferably, the veneer comprises a laminate including a flexible timber veneer bonded to a flexible backing material. More preferably, the backing material is formed from a flexible web of synthetic fibres. Yet more preferably, the veneer is a flexible timber veneer which comprises a flexible laminate including a timber veneer

bonded by means of a flexible adhesive to a flexible supporting web of synthetic fibres.

Preferably, the surface of the conservatory cladding component to which the veneer is applied is formed from any one of (or a combination of) PVCu, from aluminium, plastics, wood, chip-board or medium density fibreboard (MDF) or the like.

EP-A-0918630 mentions the application of flexible timber veneers to the surfaces of structures such as PVCu window frames so as to provide an aesthetically pleasing woodenframe appearance. However, it is to be appreciated that the window frames of a conservatory form a structural component of the conservatory, and are not cladding components therefor. Indeed, window frames do not perform (and are not designed to perform) the functions of a cladding component as identified above.

Indeed, cladding components often possess intricate surfaces/profiles not found on window frames and typically require veneer to be bent through angles much larger (e. g. 180 degrees) than would be contemplated when veneering window frames. To illustrate this, there now follows a number of non-limiting examples of the present

invention as applied to PVCu conservatory cladding components, with reference to the following figures : Figure 1 illustrates a cross-sectional view of PVCu glazing bar cladding for a conservatory, and the surface across which flexible veneer is bonded; Figure 2 illustrates a cross-sectional view of PVCu end glazing bar cladding for a conservatory, and the surface across which flexible veneer is bonded; Figure 3 illustrates a cross-sectional view of PVCu ridge cladding for a conservatory, and the surface across which flexible veneer is bonded ; Figure 4 illustrates a cross-sectional view of PVCu wing valley cladding for a conservatory, and the surface across which flexible veneer is bonded; Figure 5 illustrates a cross-sectional view of PVCu wing cladding for a conservatory, and the surface across which flexible veneer is bonded; Figure 6 illustrates a cross-sectional view of an MDF gallery undercap for a conservatory, and the surface across which flexible veneer is bonded; Figure 7 illustrates a view of the MDF gallery undercap of figure 6, and the surface across which flexible veneer is bonded; Figure 8 illustrates a view of the MDF gallery undercap of figure 6, and the surface across which flexible veneer is not bonded;

Figure 9 illustrates a cross-sectional view of an MDF eaves beam cladding component for a conservatory, and the surface across which flexible veneer is bonded.

Referring to Figure 1 there is illustrated in crosssection a PVCu cladding component 1 for cladding a glazing bar of a conservatory. In use, the cladding component is fixed via elements 2 to a glazing bar of a conservatory structure so as to present an outwardly facing surface 3. Surface 3 is moulded or shaped to have aesthetically pleasing features such as curved edge recesses 4. This surface has bonded to it a continuous sheet of flexible timber veneer which comprises a flexible laminate including a timber veneer bonded by means of a flexible adhesive to a flexible supporting web of synthetic fibres.

The laminate veneer is bonded to the PVCu cladding component via an adhesive of any suitable conventional variety, and extends across the surface 3 as indicated by line 6 of Figure 1. The veneer terminates at the edges 5 of the PVCu cladding component which are not visible when the cladding component is attached to a conservatory structure in use. By virtue of its flexibility and reduced tendency to crack when bent, the laminate veneer is able to bend around (and bond to) the corners 7 and

the curved surface of the edge recesses 4 without cracking.

Figure 2 illustrates in cross-section a PVCu glazing bar end cladding component 8 for cladding an end of a glazing bar of a conservatory. In use, the cladding component is fixed via elements 9 to an end of a glazing bar of a conservatory structure so as to present an outwardly facing surface 10. This surface has bonded to it a continuous sheet of flexible laminate timber veneer as described with reference to Figure 1, and this laminate veneer extends across the surface 10 as indicated by line 13 of Figure 2. The veneer terminates at the edges 12 of the PVCu cladding component 8. Once more, by virtue of its flexibility and reduced tendency to crack when bent, the laminate veneer is able to bend around (and bond to) the substantially right-angled corners 14 and the curved surface of the edge recess 11 without cracking.

Figure 3 illustrates in cross-section another type of PVCu conservatory cladding component to which laminate timber veneer had been applied. Component 15 is a ridge cladding component for cladding the ridge formed where e. g. two conservatory roofing panels join at an angle, attaching to the roof structure via elements 16. Line 20

of Figure 3 illustrates the extent of coverage of the surface of that component by the laminate veneer.

As can be seen, the veneer follows the outward-facing surface 17 of the component, covering bend 18 and folding through approximately 180 degrees over end parts 19.

Thus, by capitalising in the flexibility of the laminate veneer, not only surface 17 but also edges 19 may be veneered with a continuous sheet of veneer which covers all surfaces of the PVCu component that are visible when that component is attached to a conservatory in use.

Consequently, the cladding component is given the appearance of being formed from wood.

Figure 4 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a wing valley PVCu cladding component 21 for a conservatory.

The component possesses elements 22 via which it may be attached to a conservatory structure in a conventional manner so as to present a visible surface 23 when so attached. Line 25 indicates the extent of coverage of component 21 by a continuous sheet of laminate timber veneer (of the aforementioned variety) which has been bonded thereto. Line 25 indicates how the veneer extends across the visible surface of the cladding components and has been folded over edge part 24 of that component,

terminating near that edge part on the non-visible side (in use) of cladding component 21. Similarly, the veneer extends across the opposite edge part 27 and thence along the adjacent surface of the perpendicular projecting member 26. In this way, once

component 21 has been attached to a conservatory structure in normal use, all of its visible surfaces will be veneered surfaces. Figure 5 illustrates a wing cladding component having a similar cross-sectional profile to the component illustrated in Figure 4. For ease of comparison, like elements in Figures 4 and 5 have been assigned like numerals. It will be immediately apparent that in the cladding component of Figure b, edge part 24 is absent. The visible surface 29 of the cladding component includes a surface of perpendicular extension 28 Lerminating at the edge 31 thereof. The extent of laminate veneer coverage of this surface is as indicated by line 30.

Figure 6 illustrates a cross-sectional view of further cladding component for a conservatory structure to which the present invention has been applied. The component is a medium density fibreboard (MDF) gallery undercap.

The MDF undercap comprises a plane rectangular member 33 joined, substantially at a right-angle, along one of its long rectangular edges to a plane surface of member 32.

The plane member 32 possesses a plane semicircular portion integrally formed with and extending from one long edge of a plane rectangular portion thereof. The plane rectangular member 33 is joined along the other long edge of the plane rectangular portion of member 32, the join being immediately adjacent, and along the full extent of, that edge.

A hole 38 is formed through the plane surfaces of member 32 for the purposes of accommodating a hole for a screw or nail or other such device by which the undercap may be attached to conservatory structure. Figures 7 and 8 illustrate perspective views of the undercap so formed.

Figure 7 shows the surfaces 36 and 37 of the undercap which are visible when the undercap is attached to a conservatory structure, and Figure 8 shows the reverse surface of the undercap which concealed when so attached.

A continuous sheet of laminate timber veneer (of the aforementioned variety) has been bonded to surfaces 36 and 37 of the undercap so as to cover them in their entirety, the veneer sheet folding over the right-angle edge formed at the interface of surfaces 36 and 37 as

indicated by line 35 of Figure 6. Line 34 of Figures 6 and 7 indicates the direction of the grain of the timber veneer.

Figure 9 illustrates a cross-sectional view of another MDF cladding component. In this example, the component is designed to clad an eaves beam of a conservatory structure having a roof with d 25 degree pitch. The cladding component comprises an MDF member 100 of regular rectangular cross-section fixed along one of its larger plane rectangular surfaces to one side of MDF cladding board 110. Bonded to the other side 120 of board 110 is a laminate timber veneer of the variety described above.

The veneer extends, as one continuous sheet, across the surface 120 of board 110 as indicated by line 130 so as to cover all those portions of the surface of the board that will be visible when, in use, the board is attached to a conservatory structure as eaves beam cladding therefore. Consequently, the visible surface presented by the cladding will be veneered with timber so as to give the eaves beam cladding component the appearance of being made form timber.

In each of the above examples of the present invention, the use of a laminate timber veneer has been made. This timber veneer may be bonded to a given substrate using

conventional adhesives and according to conventional methods. Accordingly, the appropriate choice of adhesive material with which to bond a given type of veneer to a given type of substrate material (e. g. PVCu, MDF, wood etc. ) will be readily apparent to the skilled person.

It is to be understood that modifications and variations of the above embodiments may be made, as would be readily apparent to the skilled person, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

Claims : 1. A method of covering with timber at least a part of a surface of a cladding component for a conservatory structure, the method comprising the step of bonding a flexible timber veneer to a non-planar surface of said component such that when bonded the flexible veneer is flexed to follow a non-planar profile of said non-planar surface.
2. A method of covering with timber at least a part of a surface of a cladding component for a conservatory structure according to claim t wherein said flexible timber veneer comprises a laminate including a timber veneer bonded to a flexible backing material.
3. A method of covering with timber at least a part of a surface of a cladding component for a conservatory structure according to claim 2 wherein the backing material is formed from a flexible web of synthetic fibres.
4. A method of covering with timber at least a part of a surface of a cladding component for a conservatory structure according to any preceding claim wherein said flexible timber veneer comprises a flexible laminate including a timber veneer bonded by means of a flexible adhesive to a flexible supporting web of synthetic fibres.
5. A method of covering with timber at least a part of a surface of a cladding component for a conservatory structure according to any preceding claim wherein said flexible timber veneer is directly bonded to a cladding component using an adhesive.
6. A method of covering with timber at least a part of a surface of a cladding component for a conservatory structure according to any preceding claim wherein said flexible timber veneer is water resistant.
7. A method of covering with timber at least a part of a surface of a cladding component for a conservatory structure substantially as described in any one embodiment herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.
8. A cladding component for a conservatory structure, the component having a non-planar surface covered with a flexible timber veneer bonded thereto and flexed to follow the non-planar profile of said non-planar surface.
9. A cladding component for a conservatory m c'j-auu-L-Y structure according to claim 8 wherein the flexible timber veneer comprises a laminate including a timber veneer bonded to a flexible backing material.
10. A cladding component for a conservatory structure according to any one of claims 8 or 9 wherein the backing material is formed from a flexible web of synthetic fibres.
11. A cladding component for a conservatory structure according to claim 9 or 10 wherein the veneer is a flexible timber veneer which comprises a flexible laminate including a timber veneer bonded by means of a flexible adhesive to a flexible supporting web of synthetic fibres.
12. A cladding component for a conservatory structure according to any of preceding claims 8 to 11 wherein the flexible veneer is directly bonded to a cladding component using an adhesive.
13. A cladding component for a conservatory structure according to any one of claims 8 to 12 wherein said flexible timber veneer is water resistant.
14. A cladding component for a conservatory structure according to any one of claims 8 to 13 wherein the surface of the conservatory cladding component to which the veneer is applied is formed from any one of the group of materials comprising PVCu, aluminium, plastics, wood, chip-board or medium density fibreboard (MDF).
15. A cladding component for a conservatory structure substantially as described in any one embodiment herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.