Building panel

Abstract

A fire-resistant panel comprising a frame surrounding a high density thermally insulating material 8 such as rock wool, wherein the frame has two opposing panels 10 with at least one being fibre cemen

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a building panel. More especially the invention relates to a building panel predominantly made from wood and which has a fire resistant layer. BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

[0002] The importance of external or internal building panels which do not contribute to the spread of smoke and fire within buildings is now recognised as extremely important. It is also important that such panelling acts as an effective barrier to the spread of fire and smoke from an external source to internal areas of a building.

[0003] Hitherto, panelling or cladding has been found to provide, at best, limited resistance to the spread of fire and smoke into and within a building with distressing consequences. Indeed, in many cases it has been shown that the panelling or cladding has contributed to such spreading.

[0004] The applicant has developed a fire-resistant structural panel, predominantly made from wood, as described, for example, in the applicant’s previous patent GB2603273. Whilst this panel is very effective, it does require the outer wooden panels to be treated with an intumescent coating, for example an intumescent paint manufactured by the applicant.

[0005] The present invention sets out to provide a fire-rated panel for external or internal walls of buildings with an improved construction requiring less treatment of the outer surface. Specifically, the present invention sets out to provide a building panel or wall structure that is predominantly constructed from wood but includes a layer of fibrous cement. STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0006] According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a fire-resistant structural panel which comprises a frame which borders a quantity of high density thermally insulating material, the frame comprising first and second opposing panel boards separated by opposing side panel members, at least one panel board being, or having secured thereto, a fibre cement board.

[0007] With reference to “board” includes panel or sheet or any structural layer or laminate.

[0008] Preferably, the side panel members are constructed from timber.

[0009] Preferably, the insulating material comprises sheets of rock-wall.

[0010] Preferably, at least one panel board is constructed from orientated strand board, medium density fibreboard, plywood or particle board.

[0011] Preferably, both panel members are made from orientated strand board, medium density fibreboard, plywood or particle board and have a fibre cement board secured to the outside surface.

[0012] Preferably, one panel is constructed from orientated strand board, medium density fibreboard, plywood or particle board and the other panel is constructed from fibre cement board.

[0013] Preferably, the fibre cement board and the side panel members are wrapped in a silicon cloth material. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0014] Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the drawings, in which:

[0015] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a structural building panel constructed in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention;

[0016] Figure 2 is an end view of the panel of figure 1;

[0017] Figure 3 is an end cross-section view of figure 2;

[0018] Figure 4 is a perspective view of a structural building panel constructed in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention;

[0019] Figure 5 is an end view of the panel of figure 4;

[0020] Figure 6 is an end cross-section view of figure 5;

[0021] Figure 7 is a perspective view of a structural building panel constructed in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention;

[0022] Figure 8 is a side view of the panel of figure 7;

[0023] Figure 9 is an end cross-section view taken through A-A of figure 8; and

[0024] Figure 10 is an end cross section view taken through B-B of figure 8. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0025] Referring first to figures 1 to 3, a structural building panel 2, forming part of an upright wall within a building is shown.

[0026] The panel 2 is generally rectangular and is constructed primarily from a box frame that borders a high density thermally insulating material 4.

[0027] The frame that bounders the insulating material 4 comprises side panel members or struts 6 made from timber for example, and first and second opposing panel face boards 8 extending across respective sides of the struts 6, 18. The boards 8 are preferably made from sheets of oriented strand boards (OSB), medium density fibreboards (MDF), plywood, particle boards or the like.

[0028] Adhered to the outside surface of each panel board 8 is a layer of fibre reinforced cement board 10. Such boards may be for example, those made using the Hatscheck process involving making a slurry formed by mixing Portland cement with fibres in water. The fibre reinforcement could be, for example, Kraft paper with asbestos, or an asbestos substitute such as PVA fibres (Kuralon).

[0029] The cement board 10 has a thickness of typically 6mm to 8mm.

[0030] The applicant has undertaken appropriate fire resting on the fibre reinforced cement panels 10 and has found them to be meet all the criteria of fire resistance for the relevant structural building components.

[0031] The fibre cement boards 10 are secured to the outside of the wooden panels 8 using mechanical fixings such as bolts or screws. Alternatively, or additionally, they may be secured with a fire retardant or intumescent adhesive.

[0032] In the figures shown, cement boards 10 are secured to both side panel boards 8 to provide fire protection on both sides of the wall structure. Only one face 8 may have a cement board layer 10. The wall panel 2 is suitable for both internal and external walls. Panels constructed for external walls may have a thicker wooden framework.

[0033] Figure 3 is an end cross section view of the building panel 2. In this figure the internal cavity holding the insulating material 4 can be seen. The insulating material is preferably formed from rock-wall sheets of thickness between 50mm and 70mm. A preferred sheet thickness is 60mm.

[0034] Figures 4 to 6 show a second embodiment. The structure of this panel 12 is the same as the first embodiment except for the fact that one edge of the structure, being the bottom edge of the panel 12 during construction, is formed with a recessed groove 14 extending the length of the panel 12.

[0035] The recessed edge forms the bottom edge of the panel 12 during installation such that the groove 14 extends along the length of the bottom of the panel 12. The groove 14 has a generally rectangular profile, defined by the ends of the panel boards 8 forming inwardly extending perpendicular walls 16, and the recessed frame member 6A forming a flat ceiling 20, making the groove 14 suitable for receiving a complementary shaped timber beam or baton in a floor construction to connect the panel 12 to the floor in a tongue / groove arrangement to from (the base of) an upstanding wall.

[0036] Figures 7 to 10 show a third embodiment a structural building panel 22. This panel 22 is more suitable as a floor panel. The structure of the panel 22 is similar to those of the first and second embodiments, in that it comprises a box frame of the same wooden construction that borders a high density thermally insulating material.

[0037] In this embodiment though, the bottom face, being the face that faces the ground when installed, is a layer of fibre cement board 24 to provide a fire barrier against heat and flames travelling vertically from above or below the floor structure.

[0038] The cement board 24 and timber side panels 26 are wrapped in a water impermeable silicon cloth 28 prevent the ingress of water or fluid into the floor structure. The cloth 28 may also be impregnated or coated with intumescent material for additional fire resistance.

[0039] A wooden panel or board 30 is then secured across the top of the frame structure. The top panel 30 is preferably made from OSB, MDF, plywood, particle boards or the like. This forms the internal floor of the building once installed.

[0040] The cloth may not envelope the framework and may only extend across the cement board 24 and side panels 26, held against the top surface of the side panels 26 by the panel board 30.

[0041] Figures 9 and 10 are cross-section end view of the building panel 22 taken from the end (A-A) and middle (B-B) of the panel 22 as shown in figure 8. The insulative material 32 can be seen in figure 10.

Claims

1. A fire-resistant structural panel which comprises a frame which borders a quantity of high density thermally insulating material, the frame comprising first and second opposing panel boards separated by opposing side panel members, at least one panel board being, or having secured thereto, a fibre cement board.

2. A panel according to claim 1, wherein the side panel members are constructed from timber.

3. A panel according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the insulating material comprises sheets of rock-walL4. A panel according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein at least one panel board is constructed from orientated strand board, medium density fibreboard, plywood or particle board.

5. A panel according to claim 4, wherein both panel boards are made from orientated strand board, medium density fibreboard, plywood or particle board and have a fibre cement board secured to the outside surface.

6. A panel according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein one side face of the panel comprises a panel board constructed from orientated strand board, medium density fibreboard, plywood or particle board and the other side face of the panel comprises fibre cement board.

7. A panel according to claim 6, wherein the fibre cement board and the side panel members are wrapped in a silicon cloth material.

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