IL319875A - Construction of insulated walls by wet cladding - Google Patents

Description

CONSTRUCTION OF INSULATED WALLS BY WET CLADDING RELATED APPLICATIONSThe instant application claim priority under the Paris Convention from ILApplication No. 288212, filed 17 November 2021, the contents of which is hereby 5incorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention, in some embodiments thereof, relates to methods ofconstructing insulated walls by wet cladding, kits and systems capable of same and 10insulated, structures cladded therewith.Wall cladding is often used in place of plastering to provide an aesthetic anddurable finish to both interior and exterior walls. The finish may be decorative as wellas functional. There are different wall cladding systems and methods. Gluing is thesimplest and cheapest method, and is often used for internal walls. In this method an 15end cladding element or material (as these terms are used alternatively throughout),e.g., a ceramic tile, is directly glued onto an existing (i.e., pre-existing, backup, allthree terms are used herein interchangeable) wall. Building standards typically limitthe use of gluing for external wall cladding at least to maximal height and/or weight ortile size, as gluing durability relies on the skill of the workman, material selection and 20aging and is therefore difficult to ensure.Dry wall cladding is a system used primarily on external walls. In dry wallcladding, the end cladding material is mechanically fixed directly or indirectly to a(pre-existing) wall with steel attachments, e.g., screws, that restrain its vertical andhorizontal movement. The steel attachments may be fixed directly into the wall, or 25may be fixed onto galvanized or stainless metal beams positioned along and connectedto the pre-existing wall. Various types of attachments are available. In one knownmethod, an attachment in the form of an undercut anchor which is secured to the backsurface (i.e., underside) of the end cladding material is used. This method is based ondrilling an undercut hole into the back surface of the end cladding material and fixing 30the undercut anchor onto the end cladding material with a simple screw aimed atflaring the undercut anchor. Typically, the end cladding material is fixed to the wallwith an air gap formed by the beams. The air gap may provide ventilation as assistingin thermal insulation of the cladded structure. Although dry wall cladding is known to be highly durable, it is also costly and requires skilled labor as compared to the gluingmethod and/or wet cladding methods as is further delineated herein below. Because ofthe large potential number of locations in the back surface of the end cladding element,in dry cladding there is no size limitation imposed by the method per se to the size ofthe end cladding element. This allows for architectural and functional variations as 5required and/or desired. Hence, dry cladding allows the architectural selection ofnumerous end cladding materials, such as, but not limited to, ceramics, stone, artificialstone, architectural concrete, HPL and various forms of aluminum in any size, shape,color, texture, shin or finish.Wet cladding is another method for external wall cladding that is often used in 10Israel, as well as other regions in the middle-east to clad external walls with naturalstone and/or artificial stone made of concrete (for the latter, see section 1872 Part 1 ofthe Israeli building standard). About 80 % of the residential buildings in Israel arecladded using wet cladding methodologies. Wet cladding involves embeddingmechanical fixing elements into an end cladding element at one end and to a wet 15cementitious material at the other end.For both regulatory and practical reasons, all three wet cladding methodspracticed in Israel are limited to stone.One method of wet cladding which is limited to stone having 2-3 cm thickness,is detailed in section 2378 Part 2 of the Israeli building standard and is typically used 20when cladding with Jerusalem stone. Section 2378 Part 2 requires fixing areinforcement metal mesh to a backup wall, gluing a row of stones over thereinforcement metal mesh with mortar while mechanically fixing the stones to thereinforcement metal mesh and the mortar (once hardened) that with metal pins havinga predefined structure. Each such metal pin has a proximal section, a middle section 25and a distal section. The proximal section of the pin is designed to be inserted into apre-drilled hole extending along the thickness, i.e., the edge surface, the upper, left andright side, of the stone, which is why the stone has to be at least 2 cm thick. This istrue for all of wet cladding methods practiced. The distal section is designed toprotrude out of the edge surface of the stone towards the net and backup wall. Section 302378 Part 2 further requires forming a slot extending from the hole to the back surfaceof the end cladding material, so as to embrace the middle section of the pin, in order toensure the pin will not fall off the stone during construction. The metal pins providefor mechanical fixing to secure the stones to the backup wall in addition to gluing, i.e., chemically bonding, with the mortar, resulting in higher durability and safety of thecladded structure. As discussed, in Section 2378 Part 2, the end cladding material isrequired to be stone having a thickness of at least 2 cm. The metal pins are required tohave a diameter of 3.5 mm. The 2 cm thickness supports drilling holes and slotsthrough a thickness (i.e., side) of the stone and accommodates inserting the metal pins 5with a diameter of 3.5 mm therein. This particular cladding method requiresassembling a scaffold for constructing a backup wall, disassembling the scaffold andallowing the backup wall to harden, re-assembling the scaffold for cladding and re-disassembling the scaffold after cladding. Thus, scaffolds are assembled anddisassembled twice. This process is labor intensive, far from being "industrial", not at 10all economical and/or regulatory viable and not at all practical for buildings higherthan 9 stories.The Baranovich method (named after Eng. Mr. Baranovich, who invented themethod) is yet another known wet cladding method that has been commonly used inIsrael since the 1980’s. The Baranovich method is designed to solve the limitations 15described above for wet cladding, rendering wet cladding more industrial, less labor-intensive, cheaper, faster to construct and practical for buildings of any height. In fact,nearly all residential building higher than 9 stories in Israel are built using theBaranovich method. The Baranovich method is solely practiced in Israel.Standardization of this method was established in 2015 in the Israeli Building standard 202378 Part 5. In the Baranovich method, the external wall of a structure is formed andconcurrently cladded with a stone exterior. Being more industrialized, this methodconserves construction time, is less prone to construction mistakes and increases thedurability and homogeneity of the cladding. In the Baranovich method, rows of stonesare laid against an outer formwork sheet and similar to the manual wet cladding 25method described above, metal pins are fitted through pre-drilled holes and slots. Areinforcement metal mesh is placed behind the stones with the pins extending in thedirection of the reinforcement metal mesh, without a required physical engagementthere between. The stones are held in place by tying the reinforcement metal meshand the outer formwork sheet with a barbed wire which is inserted via holes formed in 30the outer formwork sheet, thereby securing the stones between the outer sheet and thereinforcement metal mesh. Rows of stones are spaced from one another via spacersformed on the back surface of the outer formwork sheet. The gaps between the stonesare sealed with a cementitious material commonly referred to in the art as "chochla" and the back surface is covered with a sealant, e.g., a primer, to prevent soaking ofcement into the volume of stone, thereby preventing irreversible staining of the frontsurface of the stone. At this stage, a plurality of the described assemblies are hoisted(i.e., lifted) with a crane to a floor under construction, the inner formwork sheets areput in place (with or without heat insulating building blocks placed between the inner 5formwork sheet and the reinforcement metal mesh) and tied to the respective outerformwork sheets via a plurality of securing bolts passing between the two sheetsthrough dedicated holes, generating a continuous formwork circumferencing the floorunder construction. Concrete is poured in the gap between the inner formwork sheets(or the heat insulating building blocks when used) and the end cladding stone rows, in 10which gap the reinforcement metal mesh is pre-positioned. Once the concrete hardensthe ties, the securing bolts and both formwork sheets are removed. The reinforcementmetal mesh together with the concrete forms the external wall of the structure andcladding can then be carried out in a single step, without the need for scaffoldsaltogether. Building standard 2378 Part 5 also requires stone having a thickness of at 15least 2 cm and pins having a diameter of 3.5 mm. In practice, this standard also appliesto pre-cast cladded walls, the difference being that the walls are typically formed in afactory and thereafter brought to a construction site and hoisted to floors underconstruction. Pre-cast stone cladded walls can be formed horizontally as well, wherebystone with pins as herein described are placed horizontally with the pins extending 20upwardly. A reinforcement metal mesh is placed thereon and concrete is poured toform the cladded pre-cast wall. Similarly, pre-cast stone cladded walls can be formedhorizontally by forming a fortified wall structure (having a reinforcement metal meshburied therein) and prior to hardening of the concrete, placing thereon end claddingstones with pins as herein described, the pins extending downwardly into the concrete 25and are physically engaged thereby when the concrete hardens.For traditional wet cladding method and the Baranovich method, themechanical fixing requires inserting pins through pre-drilled holes formed in thethickness (sides) of the stones. The stone for this purpose is required to have a certainthickness to support the drill hole and the pins. 30The Baranovich method has its specific limitations as well. One majorlimitation is the fact that liquid cement pours through the gaps formed between thestones in the regions of the pins and in locations where the "chochla" seal iscompromised, as well as through the holes formed in the outer formwork sheet for insertion of the barbed wire, and more so through the bolts dedicated holes, resultingin cementitious material accumulating between the front surface of the stones and theback surface of the front sheet, staining the façade of the cladded wall. Such stainshave to be removed after the entire construction is completed using sanding diskand/or pressurized water (see, for example, Figure 15). This cleaning process costs ca. 5% of the total cost of typical cladding.Another limitation associated with the Baranovich method is the misplacementof the pins, which are loosely engaged by the drilled holes, resulting in weakening themechanical fixing of the stone to the concrete wall. Due to potential misplacement ofthe pins, while constructing using the Baranovich methods, the use of concrete pumps 10and ultrasonic vibrators are forbidden, hampering the construction quality as a whole. The cladding regulations and methods described herein are limited to stone,which is thick for reasons described above and is therefore heavy, requiring heavierfortification for the entire structure.Also, stone has inherent limitations, as detailed below: 15It has a very high water absorption, requiring the addition of heat insulationlayers to the inner side of the external walls of the structure and resulting in high wateringress and accelerated ageing of the construction as a whole.It ages non-homogenously, its aging behavior is variable and unpredictable,resulting in cladding failure. 20It readily stains, e.g., by graffiti, as it soaks the stains.It is costly for numerous reasons. First natural stone is inherently costly.Second, natural stone is heavy, resulting is high shipping costs.The architectural variety of cladding material is very limited to the extent thatall the facades of constructions built therewith in Israel look very similar. The color 25consistency of natural stone is very poor.The regulation requires that the pins are to be spaced no more than 30 cm apartfrom one another, resulting in that all the buildings wet cladded with stone are made ofcm high stone stripes because, as described above, the mechanical fixing pins areengaging the stone through the thickness (side) thereof. 30Last, but not least, the use of natural stone harms the environment, considerednot "green" and therefore quarries are being discontinued worldwide.Table 1 below summarizes some of the differences between stone and non-stone (e.g., porcelain) end cladding elements.

Table 1 Item 10 mm thickPorcelain Tilemm thickNatural StoneThermal Conductivitytimes moreinsulating-Water Sealed Façade + -Bending Strength (MPa) 38 17Breaking Strength At least 2500 1600Scratch Resistance + -Chemical Resistance + -Doesn’t Contain salable salts andMinerals+ -Consistent strength and resistance + -Low Expansion with temp change + -Uniform Size and color + -Wide architectural variety + -Doesn’t Requires Expensive cleaning + -Does not Absorb water and concrete + - Patent number IL243159 describes a cladding method designed to assist inthermal insulation by forming an air gap and ventilation path for hot air through thegap. The gap is formed by spacing a thermal insulation layer from the end cladding 5elements via spacers and pouring concrete between the back side of the layer and aback sheet of a formwork. Heat insulation layers are formed from soft, air trapping,materials, otherwise they are dysfunctional as heat insulating elements.The drawbacks of the cladding method described in IL243159 are numerous.First, during pouring of concrete at 600 Kg per square meter (as is the case 10using conventional Baranovich formwork), the heat insulation layer, especially at thelower end of the formwork, albeit the spacers, is likely to collapse over the backsurface of the cladding elements, thereby eliminating or constricting the air gap,resulting in compromised or no air ventilation.Second, the holes formed in the heat insulation layer to allow pins to protrude 15from the back surface of the layer into the concrete will allow the wet concrete to spillinto the gap, further eliminating or constricting the air gap, resulting in compromisedor no ventilation.Third, in order for the air gap to function as a ventilation gap, air gaps shouldalso be maintained between the end cladding elements, resulting is a structure that may 20age faster over time due to water ingress through the gaps between the end claddingelements.

Fourth, although heat insulation layers are typically supplemented with fireretardants, nearly no fire retardation technology can prevent the ignition and burningof the insulation layer when fed by more and more heated oxygen containing airrushing ever faster through the gaps venting out from the top of the cladded structure,which may result in complete burnout and destruction of the entire cladded structure. 5Fifth, there is no existing heat insulation layer that can withstand exposure tothe elements over time as in this case. Indeed, ventilated building facades do exist, butare never used alongside with heat insulation layers exposed to the elements.Sixth, the method described in IL243159, also does not allow the use ofconcrete pumps, nor the use of sonication probes, because the weight of the wet 10concrete and aggregates therein, especially when accelerated by the concrete pump orsonication probe is not dissipated by any means which may result in thedisengagement of the pins from the pre-formed holes in the back side of the endcladding elements, especially if ceramic porcelain tiles are used, whereby the depth ofthe pre-formed undercut hole cannot extend beyond ca. 5 mm into the end cladding 15element.Last, but not least, the cladding method described in IL243159 fails to complywith Israeli building standard 1555, section 4, that pertains to structures havingexternal air ventilated facades. In fact, there is no standard or combination ofstandards that would allow constructing an external cladded wall using the method 20described in IL243159.Additional background art includes JP2003328532; DE102007060956; and US5,083,407; as well as the Israeli standards for building coverings, including, e.g.,standard 314 - Ceramic tiles definitions and specifications; standard 1555 Part 1 –flooring and cladding in porcelain and mosaic outdoor cladding; standard 1555 part 2 25– flooring and cladding in porcelain and mosaic indoor and closed; standard 1555 part– flooring and cladding in porcelain and mosaic dry cladding; standard 1872 part 1 –Cladding in artificial stone – definitions; standard 1872 part 2 – Cladding in artificialstone – wet cladding; standard 1872 Part 4 – Cladding in artificial stone – Gluing withmechanical fixing; standard 1872 part 5.1 – Cladding in artificial stone – Precast and 30mechanical fixing; standard 1872 part 5.2. – Cladding in artificial stone – Toothedunits; standard 2378 part 1 – Cladding in stone – general demands; standard 2378 part– cladding in stone – wet cladding; standard 2378 part 3 – cladding in stone – drycladding; standard 2378 part 4 – cladding in stone – gluing with mechanical fixing; standard 2378 part 5 – cladding in stone – precast and on site pre casting; standard2378 part 6 – cladding in stone – double wall system; standard 6560 – cladding withexternal thermal barrier; standard 1414part 1 – external plastering; standard 1414 part– External thermal plastering; and standard 1568 – Ventilated facades.All of these references are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 5There is thus, a great need for, and it would be highly advantageous to have, awet cladding method that will allow the advantages inherent to the method itself,allowing the use of industrialized cladding materials such as ceramic tiles, whileavoiding the limitations associated with the use of stone and/or the method describedin IL243159 and which complies with Israeli building standards. 10 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAccording to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a wetcladding method for constructing a cladded wall, the method comprising:(a) providing a plurality of wet cladding kits, each of said kits comprising: 15(i) an undercut anchor configured for being inserted into a holeformed on a back surface of an end cladding element;(ii) a cementitious material engaging element which comprises adistal end for embedding into said cementitious material and a proximal end;(iii) a flaring element being firmly connected to, via a distal end 20thereof, or being integrally formed with, said proximal end of said cementitiousmaterial engaging element, said flaring element configured for flaring saidundercut anchor in said hole;(b) providing a plurality of end cladding elements formed with holes inback surfaces thereof; 25(c) providing a plurality of insulating elements;(d) providing a formwork having an outer sheet and an inner sheet;(e) arranging said plurality of end cladding elements with a front surfacethereof against a back surface of said outer sheet of said formwork;(f) engaging said kits in said holes; 30(g) mounting said plurality of insulating elements over said end claddingelements, such that cementitious material engaging elements of said kit extend throughsaid plurality of insulating elements, and further such that a back surface of said end cladding element and a front surface of said insulating element form intimate contactthere between;(h) securing said outer sheet of said formwork to said inner sheet of saidformwork with a formwork connecting element;(i) applying said cementitious material between said inner sheet and said 5outer sheet of said formwork;(j) allowing said cementitious material to harden with said cementitiousmaterial engaging elements penetrating therein, thereby constructing the cladded wall.According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a wetcladding method for constructing a cladded wall, the method comprising: 10(a) providing a plurality of wet cladding kits, each of said kits comprising:(i) an undercut anchor configured for being inserted into an holeformed on a back surface of an end cladding element; (ii) a cementitious material engaging element which comprises adistal end for embedding into said cementitious material and a proximal end; 15(iii) a flaring element being firmly connected to, via a distal endthereof, or being integrally formed with said proximal end of said cementitiousmaterial engaging element, said flaring element configured for flaring saidundercut anchor in said hole ;(b) providing a plurality of end cladding elements formed with holes in 20back surfaces thereof;(c) providing a plurality of insulating elements;(d) arranging said plurality of end cladding elements with a front surfacethereof against a back surface of a horizontal formwork; (e) engaging said cementitious material engaging element in said holes; 25 (f) mounting said plurality of insulating elements over said end claddingelements, such that cementitious material engaging elements of said kit extend throughsaid plurality of insulating elements, and further such that a back surface of said endcladding element and a front surface of said insulating element form intimate contactthere between; 30 (g) applying said cementitious material onto said back surface of saidinsulating element;(h) allowing said cementitious material to harden with said cementitiousmaterial engaging elements penetrating therein, thereby constructing the cladded wall.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a wetcladding method for constructing a cladded wall, the method comprising:(a) providing a plurality of wet cladding kits, each of said kits comprising:(i) an undercut anchor configured for being inserted into an holeformed on a back surface of an end cladding element; 5 (ii) a cementitious material engaging element which comprises adistal end for embedding into said cementitious material and a proximal end;(iii) a flaring element being firmly connected to, via a distal endthereof, or being integrally formed with said proximal end of said cementitiousmaterial engaging element, said flaring element configured for flaring said 10undercut anchor in said hole ;(b) providing a plurality of end cladding elements formed with holes inback surfaces thereof;(c) providing a plurality of insulating elements;(d) applying cementitious material into a horizontal formwork; 15(e) engaging said cementitious material engaging element in said holes;(f) mounting said plurality of insulating elements over said end claddingelements so as to generate insulated end cladding elements, such that cementitiousmaterial engaging elements of said kit extend through said plurality of insulatingelements, and further such that a back surface of said end cladding element and a front 20surface of said insulating element form intimate contact therebetween; (g) placing said insulated end cladding elements with a back surfacethereof onto said cementitious material; and(h) allowing said cementitious material to harden with said cementitiousmaterial engaging elements penetrating therein, thereby constructing the cladded wall. 25According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method ofwet cladding a backup wall, the method comprising:(a) providing a plurality of wet cladding kits, each of said kits comprising:(i) an undercut anchor configured for being inserted into an holeformed on a back surface of an end cladding element; 30(ii) a cementitious material engaging element which comprises adistal end for embedding into said cementitious material and a proximal end;(iii) a flaring element being firmly connected to, via a distal endthereof, or being integrally formed with, said proximal end of said cementitious material engaging element, said flaring element configured for flaring saidundercut anchor in said hole;(b) providing a plurality of end cladding elements formed with holes inback surfaces thereof;(c) providing a plurality of insulating elements; 5(d) engaging a reinforcement metal mesh onto a backup wall to be cladded;(e) engaging said kits in said holes;(f) mounting said plurality of insulating elements over said end claddingelements, such that cementitious material engaging elements of said kit extend throughsaid plurality of insulating elements, and further such that a back surface of said end 10cladding element and a front surface of said insulating element form intimate contactthere between;(g) applying said cementitious material between said back surfaces of saidplurality of insulating elements and said backup wall with said cementitious materialengaging elements penetrating into the cementitious material; and 15(h) allowing said cementitious material to harden with said cementitiousmaterial engaging elements penetrating therein, thereby wet cladding the backup wall.According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a wetcladding method for constructing a cladded wall, the method comprising:(a) providing a plurality of wet cladding kits, each of said kits comprising; 20(i) an undercut anchor configured for being inserted into an holeformed on a back surface of an end cladding element; (ii) a cementitious material engaging element which comprises adistal end for embedding into said cementitious material and a proximal end;(iii) a flaring element being firmly connected to, via a distal end 25thereof, or being integrally formed with, said proximal end of said cementitiousmaterial engaging element, said flaring element configured for flaring saidundercut anchor in said hole;(b) providing a plurality of end cladding elements formed with holes inback surfaces thereof; 30(c) providing a plurality of insulating elements;(d) providing a formwork having an outer sheet and an inner sheet;(e) arranging said plurality of end cladding elements with a front surfacethereof against a back surface of said outer sheet of said formwork; (e) engaging said cementitious material engaging element in said holes; (f) mounting said plurality of insulating elements over said end claddingelements such that said cementitious material engaging element extends through saidplurality of insulating elements, wherein a back surface of said end cladding element ispositioned in intimate contact with a front surface of said insulating element; 5(g) securing said plurality of end cladding elements to said outer sheet ofeach said formwork so as to form a plurality of assemblages;(h) hoisting said plurality of assemblages to a floor under construction andplacing said plurality of assemblages adjacent to one another;(i) placing a plurality of reinforcing elements against said back surface of 10said plurality of end cladding elements;(j) connecting each said inner sheet and each respective said outer sheet ofsaid plurality of formworks to one another with formwork connecting elements, so asto form a continuous formwork unit;(k) applying said cementitious material into said continuous formwork 15unit; and(l) allowing said cementitious material to harden with said cementitiousmaterial engaging element penetrating therein, thereby constructing a cladded wall.According to embodiments of the invention, the hole is an undercut hole.According to embodiments of the invention, the hole is defined by internal 20walls having a length and a substantially identical diameter along said length, said endcladding element being fabricated from a material having a plasticity and a retentionforce that allows flaring of said undercut anchor beyond said hole.According to embodiments of the invention, the material has a plasticity and issufficiently non-brittle, so as to allow flaring of said undercut anchor into said material 25without breaking said end-cladding element, said material having a retention force thatallows rigid attachment of said undercut anchor to said end-cladding element.According to embodiments of the invention, the end cladding element isfabricated from a cement board.According to embodiments of the invention, the cement board is a cement 30bonded particle board or a cement fibre board.According to embodiments of the invention, the wet cladding kits furthercomprise a load dispersion element connectable to, or integrally formed with, saidflaring element or said undercut anchor, wherein said load dispersion element is configured to disperse load over a surface area of said load dispersion element,wherein said surface area is at least twice the surface area of said hole, so as to reduceload imposed by said undercut anchor on walls defining said hole.According to embodiments of the invention, the load dispersion element ispositioned between said back surface of said end cladding element and said front 5surface of said insulating elements.According to embodiments of the invention, the insulating elements arethermal insulating elements and/or acoustic insulating elements.

According to embodiments of the invention, the method further comprises 10fastening said insulating elements to said end cladding elements with a fastening piece.According to embodiments of the invention, the fastening piece comprises:a plate section;a bore extending through said plate section for receiving saidcementitious material engaging element; and 15at least one prong extending out from said plate section;wherein said fastening piece is configured to be fixed in the cementitiousmaterial when the cementitious material hardens and to engage said insulating elementpositioned on said back surface of the end cladding element.According to embodiments of the invention, the method further comprises 20temporarily securing said end cladding element to said outer surface of said formworkwith a securing plate and a removable end cladding element securing agent followingsaid arranging and prior to said applying.According to embodiments of the invention, the removable end claddingelement securing agent is a metal screw. 25According to embodiments of the invention, the securing plate is not connectedto an end cladding element spacer element or not integral to an end cladding elementspacer element.According to embodiments of the invention, the method further comprisesattaching water sealing strips to said back surface of adjacent end cladding elements 30prior to said applying.According to embodiments of the invention, the applying is effected with aconcrete pump.

According to embodiments of the invention, the method further comprisesultrasonically vibrating said cementitious material before said cementitious material ishardened.According to embodiments of the invention, the arranging comprises spacingsaid plurality of end cladding elements with spacers spaced on said back surface of 5said outer sheet of said formwork, wherein said spacers are integral to or permanentlyattached to said formwork.

According to embodiments of the invention, the method further comprisesplacing a reinforcement metal mesh between said plurality of end cladding elements 10and said inner sheet of said formwork.According to embodiments of the invention, the method further comprisesremoving said formwork.According to embodiments of the invention, the method further comprisesremoving cementitious material leakages from a front surface of said plurality of end 15cladding elements.According to embodiments of the invention, the method further comprises:(k) arranging an additional set of end-cladding elements with a front surfacethereof against a back surface of an inner sheet of said formwork; and(l) connecting cementitious material engaging elements with said end- 20cladding elements of said additional set, wherein steps (k) and (l) are carried out priorto step (h).According to embodiments of the invention, the method further comprises:(m) arranging an additional set of end-cladding elements with a front surfacethereof against a back surface of an inner sheet of said formwork; and 25(n) connecting cementitious material engaging elements with said end-cladding elements of said additional set, wherein steps (k) and (l) are carried out priorto step (j).According to embodiments of the invention, the additional set of end-claddingelements are fabricated from a cementitious material. 30According to embodiments of the invention, the additional set of end-claddingelements comprise pre-fabricated cement boards.According to embodiments of the invention, the pre-fabricated cement boardsare cement bonded particle boards or cement fiber boards.

According to embodiments of the invention, the connecting is via holes that areformed in back surfaces of said additional set of end-cladding elements into whichundercut anchors have been inserted.According to embodiments of the invention, the holes are undercut holes.According to embodiments of the invention, the holes are defined by internalwalls having a length and a substantially identical diameter along said length.According to embodiments of the invention, the connecting is via holes that areformed in sides of said additional set of end-cladding elements.According to embodiments of the invention, the method further comprises 10mounting, prior to step (h), a layer being of a material that is softer than said end-cladding element, over said end-cladding elements of said additional set, such that saidcementitious material engaging element traverses and extends beyond a thickness ofsaid layer, and further such that a back surface of said end-cladding element of saidadditional set and a front surface of said layer form intimate contact therebetween. 15According to embodiments of the invention, the method further comprisesmounting, prior to step (j), a layer being of a material that is softer than said end-cladding element, over said end-cladding elements of said additional set, such that saidcementitious material engaging element traverses and extends beyond a thickness ofsaid layer, and further such that a back surface of said end-cladding element of said 20additional set and a front surface of said layer form intimate contact therebetween.According to embodiments of the invention, the material of said layer is aninsulating material.According to embodiments of the invention, the combined thickness of saidlayer and said end-cladding element of said additional set is at least 4.5 cm. 25According to embodiments of the invention, the insulating material is a heatinsulating material.According to embodiments of the invention, the material of said layer ispolystyrene or Styrofoam.According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a structure 30constructed using the methods described herein.According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a claddedstructure comprising:(a) a plurality of cementitious material engaging elements; (b) a plurality of end cladding elements having a front surface and a backsurface, wherein said back surface comprises at least one hole;(c) a plurality of insulation elements having a front surface and a backsurface, mounted on said back surface of said plurality of end cladding elements suchthat a front surface of said insulation elements are in intimate contact with said back 5surface of said end cladding elements; and(d) hardened cementitious material;wherein said plurality of cementitious material engaging elements are engagedin said hardened cementitious material via said hole, thereby providing mechanicalfixing of the insulated end cladding elements to said hardened cementitious material. 10According to embodiments of the invention, the structure further comprises watersealing strips attached on said back surface of adjacent said end cladding elementsconfigured to seal gaps between said adjacent end cladding elements configured towater seal the structure once said cementitious material is hardened.According to embodiments of the invention, the structure further comprises a 15plurality of load dispersion elements positioned between said end cladding elementsand said insulation elements, said load dispersion elements being configured todisperse load over a surface area of said load dispersion element, wherein said surfacearea is at least twice the surface area of said hole, so as to reduce load imposed by saidundercut anchor on walls defining said hole. 20According to embodiments of the invention, the structure further comprises aplurality of insulating element fastening pieces, said fastening pieces being threadedthrough said cementitious material engaging elements.According to embodiments of the invention, the fastening piece comprises:a plate section; 25a bore extending through said plate section for receiving saidcementitious material engaging element; andat least one prong extending out from said plate section;wherein said fastening piece is configured to be fixed in the cementitiousmaterial when the cementitious material hardens and to engage said insulating element 30positioned on said back surface of the end cladding element.According to embodiments of the invention, the structure further comprisessecuring plates positioned over back surface of adjacent said end cladding elements.

According to embodiments of the invention, the securing plates are fabricatedfrom a metal.According to embodiments of the invention, the structure is a concrete wall.According to embodiments of the invention, the concrete wall is an outer wallof a building. 5According to embodiments of the invention, the structure is cladded on anexterior facing surface thereof.According to embodiments of the invention, the structure is cladded on aninterior facing surface thereof.According to embodiments of the invention, the hole is an undercut hole. 10According to embodiments of the invention, the hole is defined by internalwalls having a length and a substantially identical diameter along said length.According to embodiments of the invention, the end-cladding element forcladding said interior facing surface is lined with a layer being of a material that issofter than said end-cladding element, said cementitious material engaging element 15traversing and extending beyond a thickness of said layer, wherein said back surfaceof said end-cladding element for cladding said interior facing surface and a frontsurface of said layer form intimate contact there between.According to embodiments of the invention, the material of said layer is aninsulating material. 20According to embodiments of the invention, the combined thickness of saidlayer and said end-cladding element for cladding said interior facing surface is at leastcm.According to embodiments of the invention, the insulating material is a heatinsulating material. 25According to embodiments of the invention, the material of said layer ispolystyrene or Styrofoam.According to embodiments of the invention, the insulating elements arethermal insulating elements and/or acoustic insulating elements.According to embodiments of the invention, the structure is selected from the 30group consisting of a precast wall, a wall and a building.

According to embodiments of the invention, the structure further comprises acorner bracket connecting a pair of said plurality of end cladding element to oneanother at an angle.According to embodiments of the invention, at least one of said plurality ofcladding elements is a quadrangle having X and Y dimensions, whereby both X and Y 5are each independently greater than 35 cm.According to embodiments of the invention, at least eleven kits are providedper 35 kg of end cladding element.According to embodiments of the invention, a pulling strength of said claddingelement is at least 100 Kg/m. 10According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method ofsecuring an undercut anchor in a blind hole which traverses a thickness of an end-cladding element, said blind hole having an opening on a back surface of said end-cladding element, said blind hole being defined by internal walls having a length and asubstantially identical diameter along said length, the method comprising: 15inserting said undercut anchor into said blind hole;screwing a flaring element into said undercut anchor, so as to allow saidundercut anchor to flare inside said hole and beyond said internal walls of said hole,while compressing material of said end-cladding element surrounding said hole.According to embodiments of the invention, end-cladding element is fabricated 20from a material having a plasticity and being sufficiently non-brittle, so as to allowflaring of said undercut anchor beyond said walls of said hole without breaking saidend-cladding element, said material having a retention force that allows rigidattachment of said undercut anchor to said end-cladding element.According to embodiments of the invention, flaring element is integrally 25formed with, or attachable to, an undercut anchor (UA) attaching end of a cementitiousmaterial engaging element.According to embodiments of the invention, end-cladding element is fabricatedfrom a pre-prefabricated cementitious material.According to embodiments of the invention, end-cladding element is a pre- 30fabricated cement board.

According to embodiments of the invention, pre-fabricated cement board is acement bonded particle board or a cement fiber board.

Unless otherwise defined, all technical and/or scientific terms used herein havethe same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to whichthe invention pertains. Although methods and materials similar or equivalent to thosedescribed herein can be used in the practice or testing of embodiments of theinvention, exemplary methods and/or materials are described below. In case of 5conflict, the patent specification, including definitions, will control. In addition, thematerials, methods, and examples are illustrative only and are not intended to benecessarily limiting.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 10Some embodiments of the invention are herein described, by way of exampleonly, with reference to the accompanying drawings. With specific reference now to thedrawings in detail, it is stressed that the particulars shown are by way of example andfor purposes of illustrative discussion of embodiments of the invention. In this regard,the description taken with the drawings makes apparent to those skilled in the art how 15embodiments of the invention may be practiced.In the drawings:FIGs. 1A and 1B and 1C are illustrations of three stages in preparation of endcladding element assemblies as depicted in IL 243159;FIG. 2A is an illustration of an insulating element as depicted in IL 243159; 20FIG. 2B is an illustration of a stage in the construction of an exterior insulatedwall as depicted in IL 243159;FIG. 3A is an exemplary system including a cementitious engaging element, aflaring element, an undercut anchor and an end cladding element having an undercuthole on the back surface thereof; 25FIGS. 3B, 3C and 3D are exemplary systems including a cementitiousengaging element attached to a flaring element and an undercut anchor;FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C are different views of an example load dispersionelement in accordance with some exemplary embodiments of the invention;FIG. 5A is a back view of an exemplary insulating element fastening piece 30attached to the back surface of an insulating element;FIG. 5B is a simplified drawing of an insulating element fastening pieceaccording to exemplary embodiments of the invention; FIG. 6A is a back view of an exemplary insulating element fastening pieceattached to the back surface of an insulating element;FIG. 6B is a simplified drawing of an insulating element fastening pieceaccording to exemplary embodiments of the invention;FIG. 7 is a simplified drawing of a system including an end cladding element, 5two non-identical insulating elements and an insulating element fastening pieceaccording to exemplary embodiments of the invention;FIG. 8 is a simplified drawing of a system including an end cladding element,an insulating element, a load dispersion element and an insulating element fasteningpiece according to exemplary embodiments of the invention; 10FIGS. 9A-B are front and back views of securing plate assembly securing endcladding element to an outer sheet of a formwork over gaps covered with a sealingstrip in accordance with some exemplary embodiments of the invention;FIGS. 10A, 10B and 10C are different views of a securing plate assemblysecuring end cladding elements to an outer sheet of a formwork over gaps covered 15with a sealing strip in accordance with some exemplary embodiments of the invention;FIG. 10D is a simplified drawing of a temporary securing plate securing agent.FIG. 11 is a photograph depicting removal of cement stains on the surface of astone end cladding elements when the cladded wall has been cast according to theBaranovich method; 20FIG. 12A is an example assembled corner system in accordance with someexemplary embodiments;FIG. 12B is a blow out of the corner bracket used in the exemplary cornersystem illustrated in Figure 12A;FIG. 13 is a simplified flow chart of an example method for simultaneous wet 25cladding and insulating in accordance with some exemplary embodiments of theinvention;FIG. 14 is a simplified flow chart of an example method for simultaneous wetcladding and insulating in accordance with some exemplary embodiments of theinvention; 30FIG. 15 is a simplified flow chart of an example method for simultaneous wetcladding and insulating in accordance with some exemplary embodiments of theinvention; FIG. 16 is a simplified flow chart of an example method for simultaneous wetcladding and insulating in accordance with some exemplary embodiments of theinvention;FIGS. 17A-B is a simplified flow chart of an example method for simultaneouswet cladding and insulating in accordance with some exemplary embodiments of the 5invention;FIGs. 18A and 18B and 18C are illustrations of three stages in preparation ofend-cladding element assemblies with uniform (non-undercut) holes, according toembodiments of the invention;FIGs. 19A and 19B and 19C are illustrations of three stages in preparation of 10end-cladding element assemblies with undercut holes, according to embodiments ofthe invention;FIG. 20 is an illustration of a wall which is cladded on both the internal-facingsurface and the external-facing surface, according to embodiments of the invention;FIG. 21A, 21B, 21C and 21D are respectively an alternate example system 15including an example kit with an example U-shaped element, two perspective views ofthe example kit and a sectional view of the example kit installed on an edge of an endcladding element, all in accordance with some example embodiments;FIGS. 22A, 22B and 22C are two perspective views of another example kitwith a U-shaped element and a sectional view of the example kit installed on an edge 20of an end cladding element, all in accordance with some example embodiments; andFIGS. 23A and 23B are respectively a perspective view and a side view of yetanother example kit including a U-shaped piece in accordance with some exampleembodiments.

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention, in some embodiments thereof, relates to methods ofconstructing insulated walls by wet cladding, kits and systems capable of same andinsulated, structures cladded therewith. 30Before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to beunderstood that the invention is not necessarily limited in its application to the detailsof construction and the arrangement of the components and/or methods set forth in thefollowing description and/or illustrated in the drawings and/or the Examples. The invention is capable of other embodiments or of being practiced or carried out invarious ways.Reference is first made to FIGS. 1A-C and FIGs. 2A-B, as presented in IL243159, which relates to a wet cladding system for constructing ventilated exteriorwalls of buildings. 5FIG. 1A illustrates an undercut hole 105 formed on back surface 101 of endcladding element 100 . End cladding element 100 has an exterior facing surface 102 .FIG. 1B illustrates an undercut anchor 220 positioned in the undercut hole 105 .FIG. 1C illustrates a cementitious material engaging element 55 having at itsproximal end a flaring element 260 inserted into the undercut anchor 220 of the end 10cladding element 100 , thereby forming an end cladding element system 250 .FIG. 2A illustrates an insulating element 80 which includes an inward facingsurface 81 and an outward facing surface 82 . The outward facing surface 82 is formedwith an array of mutually spaced protrusions 83 which define air-flow pathways therebetween, as indicated by arrows 75 . A plurality of pre-drilled holes 87 are positioned 15and sized to accommodate the cementitious material engaging element 55 , whichextends through the insulating element 80 .As seen in FIG. 2B, the insulating element 80 is mounted over the end claddingelement system, 250 , with outward facing surface 82 facing end cladding elementsystem 100 , such that the cementitious material engaging element 55 extends through 20pre-drilled holes 87 in the insulating elements 80 . The insulating elements areconnected to one another through a joint 89 . The back surface of the end claddingelement 101 and the outward facing surface of the insulating element 82 are not inintimate contact throughout because of the mutually spaced protrusions.The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the wet cladding system 25described in IL 243159.For purposes of better understanding some embodiments of the presentinvention, reference is now made to FIGs. 3A-D showing components of a non-assembled system, all in accordance with some exemplary embodiments. FIG. 3Ashows a system 250, which includes an end cladding element 100 having a back 30surface 101 and at least one hole e.g., undercut hole 105 . The system 250 furtherincludes an undercut anchor 220 configured to be received in the hole e.g. undercuthole 105 formed on back surface 101 of end cladding element 100 , a flaring element 260 and a cementitious material engaging element, e.g., engaging element 55 configured for wet cladding. A wet cladding kit according to exemplary embodiments includes an undercutanchor 220 , flaring element 260 and cementitious material engaging element 55 .The cementitious material engaging element 55 has an elongated structure 5having a proximal end and a distal end.The term "proximal end" refers to the end, which after engagement is closest tothe end cladding element. The proximal end of the cementitious material engagingelement may be referred to as the undercut anchor attaching end. The tern "distal end"refers to the end, which after engagement is furthest from the end cladding element. 10The distal end of the cementitious material engaging element may be referred to as thecement embedding (CE) end.In exemplary embodiments at least 11 kits are provided per about 35 kg of endcladding element. In exemplary embodiments at least 11 kits are provided per about 1m of end cladding element. 15According to exemplary embodiments, each corner of the end cladding element(e.g., tile) is connected to at least one kit on its back surface, e.g., at least four kits pertile. Depending on the size of the end-cladding elements, additional kits may berequired or desired.According to exemplary embodiments, end cladding element 100 includes four 20holes, e.g. undercut holes 105 , one for each corner of end cladding element 100 .The flaring element 260 and the proximal end 56 of the cementitious materialengaging element 55 are configured such that they are directly or indirectlyconnectable to form a firm, rigid connection (in the absence of the cementitiousmaterial). Thus, for example, the flaring element 260 may include a threading 60 on 25one end such that it can be screwed into a bore formed through the proximal end 56 ofthe engaging element 55. In another embodiment, the flaring element 260 may bepinned into a bore formed through the proximal end 56 of said cementitious materialengaging element 55 . In another embodiment, the flaring element 260 is integrallyformed with the cementitious material engaging element 55 , as illustrated in FIGs. 3B- 303D.The flaring element 260 may also include a threading 60 on its opposite end, asillustrated in FIGs. 3A-3D such that it can be screwed into a bore of the undercutanchor 220 . According to some additional exemplary embodiments, flaring element 260 may be a rod that is configured to flare undercut anchor 220 based on beingpushed or hammered into undercut anchor 220 .According to a particular embodiment, the cementitious material engagingelement 55 has a normal vector component in the distal end 57 which, during service,is positioned parallel to the end cladding element 100 . 5According to exemplary aspects of some embodiments of the invention, thenormal vector component is formed, at least in part, by selecting the distal end of thecementitious material engaging element with a bend. In some exemplaryembodiments, system 250 include cementitious material engaging elements 55 formedwith a 90 degree bend. In other exemplary embodiments, illustrated in FIG. 3D, 10system 250 includes engaging elements 55 with distal end 57 similar to the distal endof engaging elements 55 used in the Baranovich method.According to exemplary aspects of some embodiments of the invention, thecementitious material engaging element is threaded at the distal end and wherein thenormal vector component is formed at least in part by a threaded surface of the distal 15end. The threading 60 on the distal portion of the cementitious material engagingelement 55 is illustrated in FIGs. 3A and 3B.The distal end (e.g., pin) of the engaging elements 55 may be the same orsimilar to the metal pins described in section 2378 Part 2 of the Israeli buildingstandard, may be the same or similar to the metal pins described in section 2378 Part 5 20of the Israeli building standard. In some exemplary embodiments of the invention theengaging element may be formed from a stainless steel rod that has a diameter of atleast 3 mm - 4 mm, e.g., 3.5 mm. According to some exemplary embodiments, largerdiameter engaging elements may be used. The length of the part of the cementitiousmaterial engaging element that actually engages the cement or concrete may be 25between 50-100 mm for example, between 60-80 mm.The pull strength of the kits in the undercut hole is several orders of magnitudehigher as compared to existing wet cladding methods where the pins are inserted intoholes formed on the side surface of the stone without any undercut associated pullresistance. So, when using for example the Baranovich method for wet cladding, many 30of the pins are misplaced and find themselves spread at the bottom of the wall,reducing the mechanical fixing of the facade to the backup wall as a whole. Thepresent invention overcomes this limitation by affording an undercut engagement forattachment of the cementitious material engaging element (pin) which creates a far stronger mechanical connection between the pin and the end cladding element,allowing the use of concrete pumps and sonicators.According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention the pulling strength ofthe cementitious material engaging element from an end cladding material is selectedover 10 Kg pull strength, optionally over 20 Kg pull strength, optionally over 40 Kg 5pull strength optionally about 10 Kg pull strength. According to an exemplaryembodiment of the invention the pulling strength of an end cladding element from acladded wall is at least 100 Kg/m, optionally at least 500 Kg/m, optionally at least1000 Kg/m, optionally at least 1500 Kg/m, optionally at least 2000 Kg/m,optionally at least 2300 Kg/m. 10According to some exemplary embodiments, the end cladding elements may bepre-formed with the hole (e.g., undercut hole or uniform hole), e.g., duringmanufacturing. The uniform hole is a blind hole being defined by internal wallshaving a length and a substantially identical diameter along the length. In anexemplary embodiment, the hole (e.g., undercut hole or uniform hole) is about 5-7 mm 15in diameter and about 4-7 mm in depth. According to exemplary embodiments, theend cladding element is formed with a plurality of holes (e.g., undercut holes, e.g., 4-8,4-12 or 4-50 holes (e.g., undercut holes).The end cladding elements which can be used in the present invention have awide range of thicknesses less than 3 cm, e.g., 1 cm - 3 cm, less than 2 cm, e.g., 1.9 cm 20or less, or even 9-12 mm. According to some exemplary embodiments, end claddingelements are porcelain or ceramic tiles. The end cladding elements may be fabricatedfrom other man-made (i.e., synthetic) materials (such as high pressure laminate (HPL),concrete, Corian®, Caesarstone®), glass, clay or with slate. It will be appreciated thatwhen a non-undercut hole is drilled into the back surface of the end cladding element, 25the end cladding element is fabricated from a material having a plasticity and beingsufficiently non-brittle, so as to allow flaring of the undercut anchor beyond the wallsof the hole without breaking the end-cladding element, the material having a retentionforce that allows rigid attachment of the undercut anchor to said end-cladding element.Examples of such materials include pre-fabricated cementitious materials including 30pre-fabricated cement boards.According to some exemplary embodiments of the invention, the end claddingelement may have a water absorption of less than 0.5 %. The end cladding elementsmay be of any shape (e.g., a polygon, such as rectangular or square; or combination of polygons having, for example, 5 and 6 gons to clad curved surfaces; or a non-polygon)and of any size – e.g., between 20 cm – 5 meters in length and between 20 cm to 5meters in height. According to some exemplary embodiments at least one of saidplurality of cladding elements is a quadrangle having X and Y dimensions, wherebyboth X and Y are each independently greater than 35 cm. The back surface of the end 5cladding element may be smooth or rough.In an exemplary embodiment, at least eleven kits are used per square meter ofthe end cladding element.In an exemplary embodiment, the front surface of the end cladding elementsare lined with a protective cover. According to some exemplary embodiments the 10protective cover is configured to protect the front surface of the end cladding elementfrom being soiled with cementitious material during casting. The protective covermay be fabricated from any material (e.g., nylon) that is removable once the claddingor cladded wall construction is completed.Additional components required to construct the wet-cladded and insulated 15walls according to embodiments of the present invention are further described hereinbelow and illustrated in FIGs. 4A-C, 5A-B, 6A-B and 9A-B. Load dispersion element: The load dispersion element allows wet cladding with softer and/or more brittleend cladding materials, with lesser risk of damaging the walls defining the hole (e.g., 20undercut hole) when a torque is applied to the cementitious material engaging element,while maximizing the load bearing attachment between the cementitious materialengaging element and the end cladding element. The load dispersion element is placedtightly against the back surface of the end cladding element to relieve lateral forcesand blows by spreading the force over a larger surface area. 25FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C are different views of an exemplary load dispersionelement in accordance of some exemplary embodiments. According to someexemplary embodiments, load dispersion element 300 is positioned against backsurface 101 of an end cladding element 100 over an undercut anchor 220 . In someexemplary embodiments, lateral forces applied on cementitious material engaging 30element 55 may be partially spread over a surface area of load dispersion element 300 .According to some exemplary embodiments, load bearing element 300 is a pressurerelieving washer including a central bore 303 . According to some exemplaryembodiments, a nut element 262 is fitted in the central bore. In some exemplary embodiments, central bore 303 has a polygon shape, e.g., pentagonal for receiving nutelement 262 and resisting rotation between nut element 262 in bore 303 . Loaddispersion element 300 is shown to have a pentagonal shape. Other shapes, e.g.,rectangular, round, and hexagonal are also contemplated. In some exemplaryembodiments, flaring element 260 may penetrate nut element 262 with a threaded 5engagement. The threaded engagement reinforces the pressure of the load dispersionelement 300 against back surface 101 of end cladding element 100 .According to some exemplary embodiments, load dispersion element 300 ismetal. In some exemplary embodiments, load dispersion element 300 has a width ordiameter of 20 mm – 70 mm, e.g., 40 mm and a bore with a diameter that is 5 mm – 20 10mm, e.g., 10 mm.In one embodiment, the load dispersion element covers a surface area which isat least twice, at least three times or even four times the surface area of the hole (e.g.,undercut hole).According to some exemplary embodiments of the invention, the load 15dispersion element is integrally formed with the flaring element or the undercut anchorand is pressed against the back surface of the end cladding element surrounding thehole (e.g., undercut hole). Insulating element and Fastening piece: FIGs. 5A and 6A illustrate system 450 which includes fastening pieces 360 , in 20accordance with some example embodiments. Fastening piece 360 are configured tosecure an insulating element 80 against the back surface of an end cladding element 100 , such that it is in intimate contact with the end cladding element 100 . In oneembodiment, the fastening piece 360 is configured for being mounted over and ontothe distal end of the cementitious material engaging element 55 . 25The intimate contact between the insulating element 80 and the end claddingelement 100 is such that it is continuous over the entire surface area of the insulatingelement 80 . In one embodiment, at least 60 %, 70 %, 80 %, 90 % or even 95 % of thesurface area of the end cladding element is in intimate contact with the insulatingelement. 30In one embodiment, the intimate contact is such that it does not allow air toflow between the insulating element 80 and the end cladding element 100 .Optionally fastening piece 360 includes a plate section 361 , a bore 363 extending through plate section 361 at prongs 362 extending out from plate section 361 . Prongs 362 may engage the cementitious material while wet and may provide animproved attachment of the system to the cementitious material when dried. Prongs 362 may be relatively short prongs as shown in FIG. 5B or alternatively long prongs 362 as shown in FIG. 6B. Optionally, fastening piece 360 may include a combinationof different sized prongs 362 . 5The dimensions of the fastening piece may be such that it serves as anadditional load dissipater (i.e., additional to the load dispersion element which ispositioned between the insulating element and the end cladding element). In oneembodiment, the force on the hole (e.g., undercut hole) may be dissipated by both theprongs and the plate section of the fastening piece. The fastening piece relieves lateral 10forces on the hole (e.g., undercut hole) by spreading the force over a larger surfacearea, both into the depth of the wall (i.e., by the prongs penetrating into the wall) andbehind the wall (by the plate section).Reference is now made to FIG. 7 which shows a system 450 , whereby thefastening piece 360 may be used to fasten more than one insulating element to the 15back surface of the end cladding element 100 . In this figure, two insulating elements 80 and 85 are illustrated.Insulating element 80 may be for example a thermal insulating element andinsulating element 85 may be an acoustic element. Optionally, the insulating 80 and 85 are sized to cover a back surface of the end cladding element 100 and include holes 20through which the cementitious material engaging element 55 on the back surface canpenetrate therethrough. The cementitious material engaging element 55 with thefastening piece may secure the insulating layer against the back surface of the endcladding element. In other example embodiments, the insulating layer 85 and/or 80 ispre-fabricated onto the back surface of the cladding element 100 and is an integral part 25of the end cladding element. The insulating layer may be for example a polyethylenefoam with aluminum film or an aerogel mat. The acoustic element may be fabricatedfrom an acoustic foam, mineral wool, rock wool, or fiberglass.Reference is now made to FIG. 8 which shows a system 500 , whereby thefastening piece 360 may be used to fasten an insulating element 80 to the back surface 30of the end cladding element 100 and a load dispersion element 300 is used to protectthe hole (e.g., undercut hole) of the end-cladding element 100 . The load dispersionelement is positioned between the end cladding element 100 and the insulatingelement 80 .

Securing plate and water sealable strips: The present inventors further contemplate sealing gaps formed betweenadjacent end cladding elements of the cladding layer on the exterior facing surface ofwalls. During construction, this limits the amount of liquid cement that can spillthrough gaps formed between adjacent end cladding elements and soil the front 5surface thereof. Figure 11 is a photograph showing workers cleaning a cladded wallconstructed using the classical Baranovich method, this is both time consuming andexpensive. During service, it limits the amount of water (e.g., rainfall) that can leakthrough gaps formed between adjacent end cladding elements and be absorbed theunderlying backup wall, damaging the mechanical fixing and chemical bonding of the 10end cladding elements to the underlying backup wall and damaging the underlyingwall itself. If not water sealed, a backup wall can absorb a substantial amount of water,reducing its inherent thermal insulation. By water sealing the gaps between adjacentend cladding elements, the underlying wall does not get wet and its inherent thermalinsulation maintained uncompromised. 15The present invention overcomes this particular problem by engaging the endcladding elements from and the back surfaces thereof and not their sides (thickness).This, in turn, allows sealing the gaps between adjacent end cladding elements,resulting in water sealing the entire cladded façade.When wet cladding using the Baranovich method, liquids can leak not only 20through gaps formed between the end cladding elements in regions of the pins and inlocations where the "chochla" seal is compromised, but also through the holes formedin the outer formwork sheet which serve for insertion of the barbed wire, and more sothrough the bolts dedicated holes.As described in the Background section above, the barbed wire is used to tie 25the outer formwork sheet to the fortification metal mesh, caging the end claddingelements there between, so as to avoid misplacement of the end cladding elementsupon hoisting this assemblage to a floor under construction.The presently described methods and systems overcome this problem as theengaging elements extend from a back surface of the end cladding element and thereby 30do not penetrate the gaps between the end cladding elements. Based on this design, agasket or other sealing strip may be positioned along gaps between adjacent endcladding elements for superior insulation.

In some exemplary embodiments, the system additionally includes securingplates to secure the end cladding elements against a formwork (i.e., a temporary moldinto/onto which liquid concrete may be poured). In some exemplary embodiments,securing plates are mounted over edges of pairs of adjacent end cladding elements ontheir back surfaces. According to some exemplary embodiments, the securing plates 5are mounted over the sealing strip. The securing plate may be metal or other material,e.g., an acetal homopolymer such as Derlin ® manufactured by DuPont in DelawareUSA. According to some exemplary embodiments, the securing plate is instead of tiesthat are known to be used in for example the Baranovich system. In some exemplaryembodiments, each of the securing plates is fixed to the formwork with a securing 10element that extends from a securing plate to the formwork through the spacingbetween the end cladding elements. According to some exemplary embodiments, if aspacer is used to space the end cladding elements, (i.e., to space one adjacent endcladding element from another and/or to space a first row of end cladding elementsfrom a second row of end cladding elements) the securing element penetrates the 15spacer. According to exemplary embodiments, the securing element is configured tobe removed after the casted wall has hardened and dried. In some exemplaryembodiments, the securing element is a threaded element, e.g., a bolt that is secured tothe formwork with a threaded nut. In some exemplary embodiments, the threadedengagement of securing element prevents leakage of the cementitious material during 20casting. In the Baranovich system, holes through which the ties are introduced areknown to be openings that allow cement to leak through during casting. By using thesystem and method as described herein, this leakage may be prevented.Reference is now made to FIGS. 9A and 9B showing different views of asecuring plate assembly securing end cladding elements to an outer sheet of a 25formwork over gaps covered with a sealing strip, FIG. 10A and 10B showing front andback views of four end cladding elements with sealing strips sealing gaps between thefour end cladding elements. FIG. 10C showing an example securing plate assemblyand FIG. 10D shows an exemplary removable end cladding element securing agent, allin accordance with some exemplary embodiments. According to some exemplary 30embodiments, sealing strips 320 are positioned over gaps between adjacent endcladding elements and are secured on back surfaces 101 of the end cladding elements.In some exemplary embodiments, sealing strips 320 , provide a water impermeable sealto resist water penetrations through the gaps into the backup wall and resist leakage of cementitious material out to a front surface of the end cladding element during casting.According to some exemplary embodiments, sealing strips 320 are positioned overspacers of a formwork defining the spacing between end cladding elements. Sealingstrips 320 may for example be a gasket. Since there are no pins penetrating the gapsbetween adjacent end cladding elements, it is possible to seal the gap with a solid 5material as opposed to a paste or liquid. The solid sealing may be more robust andmay provide superior sealing. According to some exemplary embodiments, thesealing strip is a 1 mm Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM) sheet. EPDMsheets are known to be used to weather-seal roofs and are outdoor and UV rated forover 80 years of use. The sheet may be adhered to edges along back surface 101 . 10According to some exemplary embodiments, substantially the entire surface area ofback surface 101 is left exposed such that it is in intimate contact with the insulatingelement.According to some exemplary embodiments, securing plates 330 areconfigured to support back surfaces 101 of end cladding elements against formwork 15panel. Securing plates 330 supports the insulated end cladding element over its edgesso that back surfaces of the insulating element 80 can have substantially full contactwith the cementitious material during casting. According to some exemplaryembodiments, securing plates are rectangular plates with a bore 335 through which asecuring element 340 is received. Securing element 340 may extend through an outer 20sheet of a formwork and may be fixed with a nut element 345 that engages securingelement 340 with a threaded connection. According to some exemplary embodiments,the threaded connection resists leakage of cementitious material through bore 335 during casting and thereby provides a cleaner finish. In some exemplaryembodiments, the securing plates 330 are used in place of the tying method used in the 25Baranovich system.Securing plates 330 may be metal or may be another material that resists rust.According to some exemplary embodiments, securing plates 330 is formed withDelrin®. According to some exemplary embodiments, securing plates 330 are squarewith a width and height of 30 mm – 90 mm, e.g., about 60 mm. According to some 30exemplary embodiments bore 335 is 5 mm 15 mm, e,g, 7 mm, in diameter.After casting, securing element 340 is removed to release the outer sheet offormwork and expose the end cladding elements. Corner Bracket FIGs. 12A-B provide examples of assembled corner system in accordance withsome exemplary embodiments. According to some exemplary embodiments, a system 550 for cladding a corner of a structure includes a pair of end cladding elements 100 attached to one another at a predetermined angle (e.g., right angles, closed angle oropen angle) and secured from behind with one or more corner brackets 365 . The 5corner structure may be the corner of building or another corner on the surface of thebuilding – e.g., under a window, balcony, shelf etc. The corner of system 550 may be aGerung type corner or a non-Gerung type corner. Preferably the corner structurecomprises a sealant between the two end cladding elements. In some exemplaryembodiments, end cladding elements 100 are formed with dedicated undercut holes 10configured for receiving an undercut anchor 506 and a flaring element 504 to flare theundercut anchor for fixing corner brackets 365 against end cladding elements 100 .End cladding elements 100 may be additionally assembled with system 250 comprising cementitious material engaging element 55 .Thus, a kit for connecting to one another a first end cladding element to a 15second end cladding element at a predetermined angle is provided. The first endcladding element formed with a first undercut hole in a back surface thereof, thesecond end cladding element formed with a second undercut hole in a back surfacethereof. The kit comprises a corner bracket having a first arm 370 having a first holeformed there through and a second arm 370 having a second hole formed there 20through, the first arm and the second arm connected to one another directly orindirectly via a connector element 375 at the predetermined angle. The corner bracketmay be at least in part (e.g., at the connector element region) spaced from the backsurfaces of the cladding elements so as to allow cementitious material to fill the spaceformed between the corner bracket and the cladding elements, thereby further securing 25the end cladding elements of the corner system to the corner of the structure.The kit further comprises a first undercut anchor and a second undercut anchor.The kit further comprises a first flaring element and a second flaring element. Thefirst flaring element designed insertable through the first hole for flaring the firstundercut anchor within the first undercut hole. The second flaring element designed 30insertable through the second hole for flaring the second undercut anchor within thesecond undercut hole.According to an aspect of some exemplary embodiments, elements of thesystem and kit are packaged and delivered to the construction site. According to some exemplary embodiments, the end cladding elements are formed with holes (e.g.,undercut holes) prior to delivery of the system. According to some exemplaryembodiments, the system is delivered in an assembled state or partially assembledstate. According to some exemplary embodiments, the system is fully or partiallyassembled at the construction site. 5According to an aspect of some exemplary embodiments, there is provided astructure that is cladded with the kit, system and methods described herein. Thestructure may be a building, a single wall, a section of a building e.g., a corner. Thestructure may comprise a wall which is cladded on its exterior facing surface, on itsinterior facing surface and optionally on both its exterior and interior facing surface. 10According to an aspect of the invention, a method is provided for constructinga cladded wall. The method comprises: (a) providing a plurality of wet cladding kits, each of said kits comprising:(i) an undercut anchor configured for being inserted into a hole(e.g., an undercut hole) formed on a back surface of an end cladding element; 15(ii) a cementitious material engaging element which comprises adistal end for embedding into said cementitious material and a proximal end;(iii) a flaring element being firmly connected to, via a distal endthereof, or being integrally formed with, said proximal end of said cementitiousmaterial engaging element, said flaring element configured for flaring said 20undercut anchor in said hole (e.g., undercut hole);(b) providing a plurality of end cladding elements formed with holes (e.g.,undercut holes) in back surfaces thereof;(c) providing a plurality of insulating elements;(d) providing a formwork having an outer sheet and an inner sheet; 25(e) arranging said plurality of end cladding elements with a front surfacethereof against a back surface of said outer sheet of said formwork;(f) engaging said kits in said holes (e.g., undercut holes);(g) mounting said plurality of insulating elements over said end claddingelements, such that cementitious material engaging elements of said kit extend through 30said plurality of insulating elements, and further such that a back surface of said endcladding element and a front surface of said insulating element form intimate contactthere between; (h) securing said outer sheet of said formwork to said inner sheet of saidformwork with a formwork connecting element;(i) applying said cementitious material between said inner sheet and saidouter sheet of said formwork;(j) allowing said cementitious material to harden with said cementitious 5material engaging elements penetrating therein, thereby constructing the cladded wall.FIG. 13 is a simplified flow chart of the above described method for wetcladding and insulating a wall in accordance with some exemplary embodiments.According to some exemplary embodiments, the method includes providing a pluralityof wet cladding kits (block 600 ), end cladding elements with holes (e.g., undercut 10holes) (block 605 ) and insulating elements (block 610 ) at a construction site.According to some exemplary embodiments, one or more holes (e.g., undercut holes)may be formed in the end cladding elements as needed after receiving the system. Insome exemplary embodiments, kits in the system may be fully or partially assembledon the end cladding if not already assembled when received. The assembled or non- 15assembled system may then be used to construct an insulated, wet-cladded wall of astructure. The front surface of the end cladding elements are arranged on the backsurface of the outer sheet of the formwork (block 620 ). According to some exemplaryembodiments, the end cladding elements are spaced with spacers.According to some exemplary embodiments, the end cladding elements are 20secured against the outer sheet of said formwork with securing plates. According tosome exemplary embodiments, the securing plates are secured to the outer sheet ofsaid formwork through the spacers. According to some exemplary embodiments eachof the securing plates are arranged on the back surface of the end cladding elements(over the joining edge of two adjacent end cladding elements with spacers 25therebetween). According to some exemplary embodiments, the spacers are fixed tothe outer sheet of the formwork with a screw thread connection. In some exemplaryembodiments, water sealing strips are applied onto back surfaces of the end claddingelements to cover gaps between the end cladding elements. The sealing strips mayseal the gaps and prevent leakage of the cementitious material onto the front surface of 30the end cladding elements and the outer sheet of the formwork. According to someexemplary embodiments, the securing plates are positioned over the sealing strips.According to exemplary embodiments, the kits may then be engaged in theholes (e.g., undercut holes) (block 625 ).

The insulating element may be mounted over the end cladding element (block 630 ) such that the cementitious material engaging elements of the kit extend throughthe plurality of insulating element, and further such that a back surface of the endcladding element and a front surface of the insulating element form intimate contactthere between, as described herein above. 5The front portion and the back portion of the formwork may then be secured toone another to define a volume in which the cementitious material may be received(block 635 ). Reinforcements may be added to the defined volume, e.g., reinforcementbars or metal mesh. According to some exemplary embodiments, the engagingelements penetrate holes of the reinforcement metal mesh and engage with the 10reinforcement metal mesh.According to some exemplary embodiments, the cementitious material isadded to the defined volume (block 640 ) and allowed to dry (block 645 ). In someexemplary embodiments, the cementitious material is added with a pump pumping thecementitious material. In some exemplary embodiments, the cementitious material is 15added through a funnel to reduce the flow rate of the cementitious material within thevolume. According to some exemplary embodiments, the cementitious material isadded directly on the back surfaces of the insulating element.After drying of the cementitious material, the inner sheet and outer sheet of theformwork may be removed. According to some exemplary embodiments, the method 20includes removing cementitious material leakages from a front surface of said pluralityof end cladding elements.As mentioned, the present invention further contemplates constructing wallswhich are cladded both on the exterior facing surface of the wall and the interiorfacing surface of the wall. 25In one embodiment, the exterior facing surface of the wall is clad using thesystems described herein (e.g. systems described in Figures 3A, 3B, 3C or 3D). Inanother embodiment, the interior facing surface of the wall is clad using the thesystems described herein (e.g. systems described in Figures 3A, 3B, 3C or 3D). In stillanother embodiment, both the interior and the exterior of the wall are clad using the 30systems described herein. Alternatively, either the interior or the exterior facingsurface is clad using other methods known in the art including for example theBaranovich method (further described herein above) or using U-shaped elements asfurther described herein below.

According to this embodiment, end cladding elements (with holes in either theback surface thereof) suitable for cladding an interior facing surface are arranged onthe front surface of an inner sheet of the formwork. According to some exemplaryembodiments, the end cladding elements are not spaced with spacers on the formwork.According to some exemplary embodiments, the end cladding elements are secured 5against the inner sheet of the formwork with securing plates (as described hereinabove). According to some exemplary embodiments, the securing plates are fixed tothe inner sheet of the formwork with a screw thread connection. Kits may then beengaged in the holes (e.g., undercut holes or uniform holes), as further describedherein above. 10Additional layers of material may be juxtaposed over the end-claddingelements so as to increase the thickness of the cladding element which is used to cladthe interior facing surface of the wall. In one embodiment, the method comprisesmounting a layer of a material that is softer than the end-cladding element, over theend-cladding elements, such that the cementitious material engaging element traversesand extends beyond a thickness of the layer, and further such that a back surface of theend-cladding element and a front surface of the layer form intimate contact there-between.The mounting may be affected following engagement of the cementitiousmaterial engaging elements into the holes of the end-cladding elements. The mountingmay be affected prior to the arranging (or securing) on the inner sheet of the formworkor following the arranging on the inner sheet of the formwork. The additional layermay have holes pre-formed therein which match the spacing of the holes of the end-cladding elements through with the cementitious material engaging elements protrude.Alternatively, the additional layer may be of a material sufficiently soft that theCMEEs can pierce the layer thereby forming the holes during the mounting itself.According to a particular embodiment, the material of the layer is an insulatingmaterial, as further described herein above (e.g. thermal insulating material or anacoustic insulating material).Examples of insulating materials include, but are not limited to flexibleelastomeric foam, polystyrene, polyurethane, polyethylene foam, glass wool, celluloseinsulation, and mineral wool. A preferred material is polystyrene or Styrofoam.

In one embodiment, the thickness of the layer is such that the combinedthickness of the layer when it is in intimate contact with the end-cladding element is atleast 4.5 cm, at least 5 cm or even at least 6 cm.In another embodiment, the thickness of the layer is about 3.5 cm, 4 cm oreven 4.5 cm and the thickness of the end-cladding element is between about 0.9 cm –1.2 cm. In one embodiment, the thickness of the layer serves to house utility lines orcommunication lines. It will be appreciated that once the concrete of the wall is set itis difficult or impossible to access the wall cavity. Accordingly, the cladded wallsdescribed herein are preformed with cavities for such lines.FIG. 20 is a diagram of a wall 62 which is cladded on both its interior facingsurface 65 and the exterior facing surface. End-cladding element 100 suitable forcladding an exterior facing surface of the wall 62 is attached to the wall usingcementitious material engaging element 55, whereas end-cladding element 120 suitable for cladding an interior facing surface of the wall 62 is attached to the wall 5using cementitious material engaging element 55 . End cladding element 120 may belined with an additional layer as further described herein above.According to another aspect of the invention, a method is provided forconstructing a cladded wall. The method comprises:(a) providing a plurality of wet cladding kits, each of said kits comprising: 10(i) an undercut anchor configured for being inserted into a hole(e.g., an undercut hole) formed on a back surface of an end cladding element; (ii) a cementitious material engaging element which comprises adistal end for embedding into said cementitious material and a proximal end;(iii) a flaring element being firmly connected to, via a distal end 15thereof, or being integrally formed with said proximal end of said cementitiousmaterial engaging element, said flaring element configured for flaring saidundercut anchor in said hole (e.g., undercut hole);(b) providing a plurality of end cladding elements formed with holes (e.g.,undercut holes) in back surfaces thereof; 20(c) providing a plurality of insulating elements;(d) arranging said plurality of end cladding elements with a front surfacethereof against a back surface of an outer sheet of a horizontal formwork; (e) engaging said cementitious material engaging element in said holes(e.g., undercut holes); 25 (f) mounting said plurality of insulating elements over said end claddingelements, such that cementitious material engaging elements of said kit extend throughsaid plurality of insulating elements, and further such that a back surface of said endcladding element and a front surface of said insulating element form intimate contactthere between; 5 (g) applying said cementitious material onto said back surface of saidinsulating element;(h) allowing said cementitious material to harden with said cementitiousmaterial engaging elements penetrating therein, thereby constructing the cladded wall.FIG. 14 is a simplified flow chart of the above described method for wet 10cladding and insulating a wall in accordance with some exemplary embodiments.According to some exemplary embodiments, the method includes providing a pluralityof wet cladding kits (block 650 ), end cladding elements with holes (e.g., undercutholes) (block 655 ) and insulating elements (block 660 ) at a construction site.According to some exemplary embodiments, one or more holes (e.g., undercut holes) 15may be formed in the end cladding elements as needed after receiving the system. Insome exemplary embodiments, kits in the system may be fully or partially assembledon the end cladding if not already assembled when received. The assembled or non-assembled system may then be used to construct an insulated, wet-cladded wall of astructure. The front surface of the end cladding elements are arranged in an area 20defined by a framework (block 670 ). According to some exemplary embodiments,framework contains a horizontal surface and the end cladding elements are spacedwith spacers which are placed thereon.In some exemplary embodiments, water sealing strips are applied onto backsurfaces of the end cladding elements to cover gaps between the end cladding 25elements. The sealing strips may seal the gaps and prevent leakage of the cementitiousmaterial onto the front surface of the end cladding elements and the outer sheet of theformwork. According to some exemplary embodiments, the securing plates arepositioned over the sealing strips.According to exemplary embodiments, the kits may then be engaged in the 30holes (e.g., undercut holes) (block 675 ).The insulating element may be mounted over the end cladding element (block 680 ) such that the cementitious material engaging elements of the kit extend throughthe plurality of insulating element, and further such that a back surface of the end cladding element and a front surface of the insulating element form intimate contactthere between, as described herein above.Reinforcements may be added to the defined volume, e.g., reinforcement barsor metal mesh. According to some exemplary embodiments, the engaging elementspenetrate holes of the reinforcement metal mesh and engage with the reinforcement 5metal mesh.According to some exemplary embodiments, the cementitious material isadded to the defined volume (block 685 ) of the horizontal framework and allowed todry (block 690 ). In some exemplary embodiments, the cementitious material is addedwith a pump pumping the cementitious material. In some exemplary embodiments, 10the cementitious material is added through a funnel to reduce the flow rate of thecementitious material within the volume. According to some exemplaryembodiments, the cementitious material is added directly on the back surfaces of theinsulating element.After drying of the cementitious material, the framework may be removed. 15According to some exemplary embodiments, the method includes removingcementitious material leakages from a front surface of said plurality of end claddingelements.According to another aspect of the invention, a method is provided forconstructing a cladded wall. The method comprises: 20(a) providing a plurality of wet cladding kits, each of said kits comprising:(i) an undercut anchor configured for being inserted into a hole(e.g., an undercut hole) formed on a back surface of an end cladding element; (ii) a cementitious material engaging element which comprises adistal end for embedding into said cementitious material and a proximal end; 25(iii) a flaring element being firmly connected to, via a distal endthereof, or being integrally formed with said proximal end of said cementitiousmaterial engaging element, said flaring element configured for flaring saidundercut anchor in said hole (e.g., undercut hole);(b) providing a plurality of end cladding elements formed with holes (e.g., 30undercut holes) in back surfaces thereof;(c) providing a plurality of insulating elements;(d) applying cementitious material into a horizontal framework; (e) engaging said cementitious material engaging element in said holes(e.g., undercut holes);(f) mounting said plurality of insulating elements over said end claddingelements so as to generate insulated end cladding elements, such that cementitiousmaterial engaging elements of said kit extend through said plurality of insulating 5elements, and further such that a back surface of said end cladding element and a frontsurface of said insulating element form intimate contact therebetween; (g) placing said insulated end cladding elements with a back surfacethereof onto said cementitious material; and(h) allowing said cementitious material to harden with said cementitious 10material engaging elements penetrating therein, thereby constructing the cladded wall.FIG. 15 is a simplified flow chart of the above described method for wetcladding and insulating a wall in accordance with some exemplary embodiments.According to some exemplary embodiments, the method includes providing a pluralityof wet cladding kits (block 720 ), end cladding elements with holes (e.g., undercut 15holes) (block 725 ) and insulating elements (block 730 ) at a construction site.According to some exemplary embodiments, one or more holes (e.g., undercut holes)may be formed in the end cladding elements as needed after receiving the system. Insome exemplary embodiments, kits in the system may be fully or partially assembledon the end cladding if not already assembled when received. The assembled or non- 20assembled system may then be used to construct an insulated, wet-cladded wall of astructure. The method further includes providing a horizontal framework (block 735 )and pouring cement into the space defined by the framework (block 740 ).According to exemplary embodiments, the kits may then be engaged in theholes (e.g., undercut holes) (block 745 ). 25The insulating element may be mounted over the end cladding element (block 750 ) such that the cementitious material engaging elements of the kit extend throughthe plurality of insulating element, and further such that a back surface of the endcladding element and a front surface of the insulating element form intimate contactthere between, as described herein above. 30The insulated end cladding element is then placed on the wet cement (block 755 ), after which the cement is left to dry (block 760 ).Reinforcements may be added to the defined volume of cementitious material,e.g., reinforcement bars or metal mesh. According to some exemplary embodiments, the engaging elements penetrate holes of the reinforcement metal mesh and engagewith the reinforcement metal mesh.According to another aspect of the invention, a method is provided a method ofcladding a backup wall. The method comprises:(a) providing a plurality of wet cladding kits, each of said kits comprising: 5(i) an undercut anchor configured for being inserted into a hole(e.g., an undercut hole) formed on a back surface of an end cladding element;(ii) a cementitious material engaging element which comprises adistal end for embedding into said cementitious material and a proximal end;(iii) a flaring element being firmly connected to, via a distal end 10thereof, or being integrally formed with, said proximal end of said cementitiousmaterial engaging element, said flaring element configured for flaring saidundercut anchor in said hole (e.g., undercut hole);(b) providing a plurality of end cladding elements formed with holes (e.g.,undercut holes) in back surfaces thereof; 15(c) providing a plurality of insulating elements;(d) engaging a reinforcement metal mesh onto a backup wall to be cladded;(e) engaging said kits in said holes (e.g., undercut holes);(f) mounting said plurality of insulating elements over said end claddingelements, such that cementitious material engaging elements of said kit extend through 20said plurality of insulating elements, and further such that a back surface of said endcladding element and a front surface of said insulating element form intimate contactthere between;(g) applying said cementitious material between said back surfaces of saidplurality of insulating elements and said backup wall with said cementitious material 25engaging elements penetrating into the cementitious material; and(h) allowing said cementitious material to harden with said cementitiousmaterial engaging elements penetrating therein, thereby wet cladding the backup wall.FIG. 16 is a simplified flow chart of the above described method for wetcladding and insulating a wall in accordance with some exemplary embodiments. 30According to some exemplary embodiments, the method includes providing a pluralityof wet cladding kits (block 765 ), end cladding elements with holes (e.g., undercutholes) (block 770 ) and insulating elements (block 775 ) at a construction site.According to some exemplary embodiments, one or more holes (e.g., undercut holes) may be formed in the end cladding elements as needed after receiving the system. Insome exemplary embodiments, kits in the system may be fully or partially assembledon the end cladding if not already assembled when received. The assembled or non-assembled system may then be used to construct an insulated, wet-cladded wall of astructure. The method further includes engaging a metal mesh onto a wall (block 5 800 ).According to exemplary embodiments, the kits may then be engaged in theholes (e.g., undercut holes) (block 805 ).The insulating element may be mounted over the end cladding element (block 810 ) such that the cementitious material engaging elements of the kit extend through 10the plurality of insulating element, and further such that a back surface of the endcladding element and a front surface of the insulating element form intimate contactthere between, as described herein above.Cementitious material is applied to the back of the insulating element or theback up wall (block 815 ) and the insulated end cladding elements are placed on the 15wall with the cementitious material engaging elements penetrating into thecementitious material and between the metal mesh.The cementitious material is then allowed to dry (block 820 ).According to another aspect of the invention, a method is provided a method ofcladding a backup wall. The method comprises: 20(a) providing a plurality of wet cladding kits, each of said kits comprising;(i) an undercut anchor configured for being inserted into a hole(e.g., an undercut hole) formed on a back surface of an end cladding element; (ii) a cementitious material engaging element which comprises adistal end for embedding into said cementitious material and a proximal end; 25(iii) a flaring element being firmly connected to, via a distal endthereof, or being integrally formed with, said proximal end of said cementitiousmaterial engaging element, said flaring element configured for flaring saidundercut anchor in said hole (e.g., undercut hole);(b) providing a plurality of end cladding elements formed with holes (e.g., 30undercut holes) in back surfaces thereof;(c) providing a plurality of insulating elements;(d) providing a formwork having an outer sheet and an inner sheet; (e) arranging said plurality of end cladding elements with a front surfacethereof against a back surface of said outer sheet of said formwork;(e) engaging said cementitious material engaging element in said holes(e.g., undercut holes); (f) mounting said plurality of insulating elements over said end cladding 5elements such that said cementitious material engaging element extends through saidplurality of insulating elements, wherein a back surface of said end cladding element ispositioned in intimate contact with a front surface of said insulating element;(g) securing said plurality of end cladding elements to said outer sheet ofeach said formwork so as to form a plurality of assemblages; 10(h) hoisting said plurality of assemblages to a floor under construction andplacing said plurality of assemblages adjacent to one another;(i) placing a plurality of reinforcing elements against said back surface ofsaid plurality of end cladding elements;(j) connecting each said inner sheet and each respective said outer sheet of 15said plurality of formworks to one another with formwork connecting elements, so asto form a continuous formwork unit;(k) applying said cementitious material into said continuous formworkunit; and(l) allowing said cementitious material to harden with said cementitious 20material engaging element penetrating therein, thereby constructing a cladded wall.FIG. 17A-B is a simplified flow chart of the above described method for wetcladding and insulating a wall in accordance with some exemplary embodiments.According to some exemplary embodiments, the method includes providing a pluralityof wet cladding kits (block 825 ), end cladding elements with holes (e.g., undercut 25holes) (block 830 ) and insulating elements (block 835 ) at a construction site.According to some exemplary embodiments, one or more holes (e.g., undercut holes)may be formed in the end cladding elements as needed after receiving the system. Insome exemplary embodiments, kits in the system may be fully or partially assembledon the end cladding if not already assembled when received. The assembled or non- 30assembled system may then be used to construct an insulated, wet-cladded wall of astructure.

The front surface of the end cladding elements are arranged on the back surfaceof the outer sheet of the formwork (block 845 ). According to some exemplaryembodiments, the end cladding elements are spaced with spacers.According to some exemplary embodiments, the end cladding elements aresecured against the outer sheet of said formwork with securing plates. According to 5some exemplary embodiments, the securing plates are secured to the outer sheet ofsaid formwork through the spacers. According to some exemplary embodiments eachof the securing plates are arranged on the back surface of the end cladding elements(over the joining edge of two adjacent end cladding elements with spacerstherebetween). According to some exemplary embodiments, the spacers are fixed to 10the outer sheet of the formwork with a screw thread connection. In some exemplaryembodiments, water sealing strips are applied onto back surfaces of the end claddingelements to cover gaps between the end cladding elements. The sealing strips mayseal the gaps and prevent leakage of the cementitious material onto the front surface ofthe end cladding elements and the outer sheet of the formwork. According to some 15exemplary embodiments, the securing plates are positioned over the sealing strips.According to exemplary embodiments, the kits may then be engaged in theholes (e.g., undercut holes) (block 850 ).The insulating element may be mounted over the end cladding element (block 855 ) such that the cementitious material engaging elements of the kit extend through 20the plurality of insulating element, and further such that a back surface of the endcladding element and a front surface of the insulating element form intimate contactthere between, as described herein above.The front portion and the back portion of the formwork may then be secured toone another to define a volume in which the cementitious material may be received 25(block 860 ) to form an assemblage.If not already at the site of construction, the assemblages are then hoisted to afloor under construction and placed adjacent to one another to form a continuousstructure of assemblages (block 865 ).In some exemplary embodiments, a reinforcement metal mesh is placed 30between the end cladding elements and the inner sheet of the formwork - block 870 .The front portion and the back portion of the formwork may then be secured toone another to define a volume in which the cementitious material may be receivedand form a unit (block 875 ). A continuous framework unit is thus constructed.

Cementitious material is added into the continuous framework unit (block 880 ) andallowed to dry (block 885 ). In some exemplary embodiments, the cementitiousmaterial is added with a pump which pumps the cementitious material. In someexemplary embodiments, the cementitious material is added through a funnel to reducethe flow rate of the cementitious material within the volume. 5Table 2 below combines some optional engineering values, rendering the wetcladding kits, methods, systems and/or constructions of some exemplary embodimentssuperior over any prior art wet cladding method. It is to be understood that anyoptional value or any combination of any one or more optional alternative values canbe used in conjunction of the wet cladding kits, methods, systems and/or constructions 10described herein, even if a given combination of any one or more optional alternativevalues is not explicitly described. Table 2 Item Specification Material e.g., Ceramic Porcelain, other SizeX: at least 35 cm;Y: at least 35 cm;Alternatively and optionally30x60 – 60x120 cm.

Inherent water absorption Less than 0.5 % w/w when soakedin water. E.g., less than 0.1 % w/w.Optionally, 0 % w/w.Substantially o water absorptionfrom the front surface of thecladding element.

Abrasion ResistanceClass, 1 or better, Class 2 or better,class 3 or better, Class 4 or better,According to Israeli BuildingStandard 314.Tile Thickness 9-12 mm, optionally about 10 mm.

Tile Breaking StrengthOver 1300 Newton, optionally over1600 Newton, optionally over 2000NewtonTile Bending StrengthNewton/mm, optionally 35Newton/mm Tile Breaking strengthAt least 1300 Newton, optionally atleast 1550 Newton, optionally atleast 1,800 Newton Mechanical Fixing of the Kit to the end cladding element Kit pull strengthOver 10 Kg pull strength,optionally over 20 Kg pull strength, optionally over 40 Kg pull strengthoptionally about 10 Kg pullstrength.Pin thickness (per kit)At least 3 mm, optionally at leastabout 4 mm.

Pin MaterialStainless steel (Nirosta), optionallystainless steel 316, optionallystainless steel 304 Load Dispersion Element (per kit) At least 20 mm in diameter,optionally at least 30 mm indiameter, optionally at least 40 mmin diameter, optionally at least 50mm in diameter. If not circular,diameter refers to the longestdiameter of an inclusion circle.Optionally 0.5-2 mm in thickness,optionally about 1 mm in thickness.Pin Length (per kit), protrusion intocement/concrete50-90 mm, optionally 50-80.Undercut Hole Diameter at surface 5-9 mm, optionally about 6 mm.Undercut Hole Depth 5-7 mm, optionally about 6 mm.

Cladding element pulling strength At least 100 Kg/m, optionally atleast 500 Kg/m, optionally at least1000 Kg/m, optionally at least1500 Kg/m, optionally at least2000 Kg/m, optionally at least2300 Kg/m.Kits per square meter of claddingelementAt least 11, at least 12; at least 13-20.Kits per Kg of cladding elementAt least 11/35 Kg, at least 12/35Kg; at least 13-20/35K.

The present inventors have now devised a method for attaching an undercutanchor to the back surface of an end-cladding element without the need to drill anundercut hole, provided the material of the end-cladding element is sufficiently non-brittle and plastic.Figures 18A-C illustrate how an undercut anchor may be attached to an end-cladding element without the need to drill undercut holes.Figure 18A depicts a round, blind hole 110 having an opening on a backsurface 101 of an end-cladding element 100 . Blind hole 110 is defined by internalwalls having a length and a substantially identical diameter along the length. Blindhole 110 does not penetrate the front surface 102 of the end-cladding element 100 .Figure 18B depicts an unflared undercut anchor 220 partially inserted into ablind hole 110 .

Figure 18C depicts a flared undercut anchor 220 which has now been fullyinserted into blind hole 110 , following the screwing of a flaring element 260 intoundercut anchor 220 . The screwing allows undercut anchor 220 to flare inside hole 110 beyond the internal walls of the hole. As the anchor flares, it compresses materialof the end-cladding element defining the hole. Thus, the material 270 of the end-cladding element surrounding undercut anchor 220 is more compressed than thematerial of the end-cladding element not surrounding the undercut anchor. Withoutbeing bound to theory, it is believed that the compression of the material around theundercut anchor leads to the enhanced retention force exerted by the end-claddingelement on the undercut anchor.For the sake of comparison, reference is now made to Figures 19A-19C whichdepicts various stages of securing an undercut anchor in an undercut hole whichtraverses a thickness of an end-cladding element, according to currently knownmethods.Figure 19A depicts undercut hole 105 on a back surface 101 of end-claddingelement 100 .Figure 19B depicts a non-flared undercut anchor 220 partially inserted intoundercut hole 105 .Figure 19C depicts flared undercut anchor 220 which has now been fullyinserted into undercut hole 105 , following the screwing of flaring element 260 intoundercut anchor 220 . The screwing allows the undercut anchor to flare inside the hole.The present method for securing an undercut anchor into an end-claddingelement portrayed in Figures 18A-C may be summarized as follows:A method of securing an undercut anchor in a blind hole which traverses athickness of an end-cladding element, the blind hole having an opening on a backsurface of the end-cladding element, the blind hole being defined by internal wallshaving a length and a substantially identical diameter along said length, the methodcomprises inserting the undercut anchor into the blind hole; and screwing a flaringelement into the undercut anchor, so as to allow the undercut anchor to flare inside thehole and beyond the internal walls of the hole, while compressing material of the end-cladding element surrounding the hole.According to some exemplary embodiments, the end-cladding elements maybe pre-formed with the uniform holes, e.g., during manufacturing or may be drilledfollowing manufacturing. In an exemplary embodiment, the hole is about 5-7 mm in diameter and about 4-7 mm in depth. According to exemplary embodiments, the end-cladding element is formed with a plurality of holes, e.g., 4-8, 4-12 or 4-50 holes.Typically, each end-cladding element comprises a plurality of holes - forexample at least four, one in each corner, at least 6, at least 8, at least 12. Dependingon the size of the end-cladding element more holes may be drilled.Thus, the present invention provides for an end-cladding element having aback surface which comprises a blind hole into which an undercut anchor has beenflared and secured, the end-cladding element being fabricated from a material, whereinthe material of the end-cladding element surrounding the undercut anchor, after theundercut anchor has been flared and secured, is more compressed than the material ofthe end-cladding element not surrounding the undercut anchor.The end-cladding elements which can be used in the present invention have awide range of thicknesses less than 3 cm, e.g., 1 cm - 3 cm, less than 2 cm, e.g., 1.9cm, or 1.5 cm or less, or even 9-12 mm. The end-cladding elements may be of anyshape (e.g., a polygon, such as rectangular or square; or combination of polygonshaving, for example, 5 and 6 gons to clad curved surfaces; or a non-polygon) and ofany size – e.g., between 20 cm – 5 meters in length and between 20 cm to 5 meters inheight. According to some exemplary embodiments at least one of the plurality ofcladding elements is a quadrangle having X and Y dimensions, whereby both X and Yare each independently greater than 35 cm. The back surface of the end-claddingelement may be smooth or rough.The end-cladding element is fabricated from a material having a plasticity andbeing sufficiently non-brittle, so as to allow flaring of the undercut anchor into thematerial without breaking the end-cladding element, the material having a retentionforce that allows rigid attachment of the undercut anchor to the end-cladding element.According to a particular embodiment, the end-cladding element is fabricatedfrom a cementitious material, including but not limited to pre-fabricated cementboards (e.g., cement bonded particle board or a cement fiber board).As mentioned herein above, the present invention also contemplates using U-shaped elements for connecting cementitious material engaging elements to end-cladding elements via holes (e.g. slots) in the sides of the end-cladding elements. Theend-cladding elements must be sufficiently thick and non-brittle so as to allow drillingof side holes therein. This method will be further described with the aid of FIGs. 21A-D, 22A-C and 23A-B.

FIG. 21A, 21B, 21C and 21D are respectively an alternate example systemincluding an example kit with an example U-shaped element, two perspective views ofthe example kit and a sectional view of the example kit installed on an edge of an endcladding element, all in accordance with some example embodiments. According tosome example embodiments, a system 400 includes an end cladding element 100 (or 120 ) and one or more end cladding kits 410 . According to some exampleembodiments, kit 410 includes a U-shaped element 412 and a pin 414 (i.e., acementitious material engaging element) extending out from U-shaped element 412 .U-shaped element is formed with a first wall 416 , a second wall 418 spaced from firstwall 416 and a base 420 extending from first wall 416 to second wall 418 . Accordingto some example embodiments, pin 414 extends out from first wall 416 in asubstantially normal direction. A distal end of pin 414 may include cement anchoringelement 422 . According to some example embodiments, second wall 418 isconfigured to be received within a slot formed through an edge surface of end claddingelement 100 .FIGS. 22A, 22B and 22C are two perspective views of another example kitwith a U-shaped piece and a sectional view of the example kit installed on an edge ofan end cladding element, all in accordance with some example embodiments. In someexample embodiments, second wall 418 of U-shaped element 412 may be shorter thanfirst wall 416 and/or otherwise shaped. Optionally, second wall 418 includes a curved 5shape to match a shape of a slot cut through an edge surface of end cladding elementthrough which second wall 418 is to be received.FIGS. 23A and 23B are respectively a perspective view and a side view of yetanother example kit including a U-shaped piece in accordance with some exampleembodiments. In some example embodiments, kit 410 includes a stud pin 424 with 10screw threads that extend to cement anchoring element 422 at a distal end. In otherexample embodiments, the screw threads do not extend into cement anchoring element 422 . Stud pin 424 may be fixed onto U-shaped element 412 based on welding or witha screw type connection.As used herein the term "about" refers to  10 %. 15The terms "comprises", "comprising", "includes", "including", "having" andtheir conjugates mean "including but not limited to".The term "consisting of" means "including and limited to".

The term "consisting essentially of" means that the composition, method orstructure may include additional ingredients, steps and/or parts, but only if theadditional ingredients, steps and/or parts do not materially alter the basic and novelcharacteristics of the claimed composition, method or structure.As used herein, the singular form "a", "an" and "the" include plural references 5unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. For example, the term "a compound" or"at least one compound" may include a plurality of compounds, including mixturesthereof.Throughout this application, various embodiments of this invention may bepresented in a range format. It should be understood that the description in range 10format is merely for convenience and brevity and should not be construed as aninflexible limitation on the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the description of arange should be considered to have specifically disclosed all the possible subranges aswell as individual numerical values within that range. For example, description of arange such as from 1 to 6 should be considered to have specifically disclosed 15subranges such as from 1 to 3, from 1 to 4, from 1 to 5, from 2 to 4, from 2 to 6, fromto 6 etc., as well as individual numbers within that range, for example, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,and 6. This applies regardless of the breadth of the range.Whenever a numerical range is indicated herein, it is meant to include anycited numeral (fractional or integral) within the indicated range. The phrases 20"ranging/ranges between" a first indicate number and a second indicate number and"ranging/ranges from" a first indicate number "to" a second indicate number are usedherein interchangeably and are meant to include the first and second indicatednumbers and all the fractional and integral numerals therebetween.As used herein the term "method" refers to manners, means, techniques and 25procedures for accomplishing a given task including, but not limited to, thosemanners, means, techniques and procedures either known to, or readily developedfrom known manners, means, techniques and procedures by practitioners of thechemical, and mechanical arts.It is appreciated that certain features of the invention, which are, for clarity, 30described in the context of separate embodiments, may also be provided incombination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the invention,which are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment, may also beprovided separately or in any suitable sub-combination or as suitable in any other described embodiment of the invention. Certain features described in the context ofvarious embodiments are not to be considered essential features of those embodiments,unless the embodiment is inoperative without those elements.In addition, any priority document(s) of this application is/are herebyincorporated herein by reference in its/their entirety. 5

Claims (11)

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A wet cladding kit for preparing a cladded wall comprising:(i) an undercut anchor for engaging an undercut hole formed in a claddingelement; and(ii) an elongated pin having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the proximal endis for flaring the undercut anchor and the distal end is for engaging cementitiousmaterial, wherein the proximal end is threaded, and wherein the distal end has a bend.

2. The wet cladding kit of claim 1, wherein the bend is at about 90 degrees.

3. The wet cladding kit of claim 1, wherein the bend is more than 90 degrees.

4. The wet cladding kit of any one of claims 1-3, wherein the elongated pin ismade from metal.

5. The wet cladding kit of claim 4, wherein said metal is stainless steel.

6. The wet cladding kit of any one of claims 1-5, wherein the pin has a diameterof at least 3 mm.

7. The wet cladding kit of claim of any one of claims 1-7, further comprising aload dispersion element comprising a central bore being of dimensions such that theproximal end of the elongated pin is capable of penetrating therethrough.

8. A method of preparing an end-cladding element for cladding a structurecomprising:(a) providing an end-cladding element having an undercut hole on a back surfacethereof;(b) providing the kit of any one of claims 1-7;(b) inserting said undercut anchor into said undercut hole; and(c) flaring said undercut anchor using said elongated pin.

9. A wet cladding method for constructing a cladded wall comprising: (a) preparing an end-cladding element according to the method of claim 8;(b) providing an inner and outer sheet of a formwork;(c) organizing said cladding elements onto said outer sheet of saidformwork; and(d) adding cementitious material between the outer and inner sheets of theformwork, thereby fixing the end cladding elements to said cementitious material oncehardened.

10. A wet cladding method for constructing a cladded wall comprising:(a) preparing an end-cladding element according to the method of claim 8;(b) arranging said end cladding element with a front surface thereof againsta back surface of a horizontal formwork;(c) applying said cementitious material onto said back surface of said end-cladding element; and(d) allowing said cementitious material to harden with said cementitiousmaterial engaging elements penetrating therein, thereby constructing the cladded wall.

11. A cladded wall constructed according to the method of claims 9 or 10. Dr. Gal Ehrlich Patent Attorney G.E. Ehrlich (1995) Ltd. 35 HaMasger Street Sky Tower, 13th Floor Tel Aviv 6721407