Abstract:
Disclosed herein are embodiments of foam backing panels for use with lap siding and configured for mounting on a building. Also disclosed are lap siding assemblies and products of lap sidings. One such embodiment of the foam backing panel comprises a rear face configured to contact the building, a front face configured for attachment to the lap siding, alignment means for aligning the lap siding relative to the building, means for providing a shadow line, opposing vertical side edges, a top face extending between a top edge of the front face and rear face and a bottom face extending between a bottom edge of the front face and rear face.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/817,313, filed on Jun. 17, 2010, which is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/025,623, filed on Dec. 29, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,762,040, which claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/600,845 filed on Aug. 12, 2004. The disclosures of these applications are hereby fully incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is related to an insulated fiber cement siding. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A new category of lap siding, made from fiber cement or composite wood materials, has been introduced into the residential and light commercial siding market during the past ten or more years. It has replaced a large portion of the wafer board siding market, which has been devastated by huge warranty claims and lawsuits resulting from delamination and surface irregularity problems. 
     Fiber cement siding has a number of excellent attributes which are derived from its fiber cement base. Painted fiber cement looks and feels like wood. It is strong and has good impact resistance and it will not rot. It has a Class 1(A) fire rating and requires less frequent painting than wood siding. It will withstand termite attacks. Similarly composite wood siding has many advantages. 
     Fiber cement is available in at least 16 different faces that range in exposures from 4 inches to 10.75 inches. The panels are approximately 5/16 inch thick and are generally 12 feet in length. They are packaged for shipment and storage in units that weigh roughly 5,000 pounds. 
     Fiber cement panels are much heavier than wood and are hard to cut requiring diamond tipped saw blades or a mechanical shear. Composite wood siding can also be difficult to work with. For example, a standard 12 foot length of the most popular 8¼ inch fiber cement lap siding weighs 20.6 pounds per piece. Moreover, installers report that it is both difficult and time consuming to install. Fiber cement lap siding panels, as well as wood composite siding panels, are installed starting at the bottom of a wall. The first course is positioned with a starter strip and is then blind nailed in the 1¼ inch high overlap area at the top of the panel (see  FIG. 1 ). The next panel is installed so that the bottom 1¼ inch overlaps the piece that it is covering. This overlap is maintained on each successive course to give the siding the desired lapped siding appearance. The relative height of each panel must be meticulously measured and aligned before the panel can be fastened to each subsequent panel. If any panel is installed incorrectly the entire wall will thereafter be miss-spaced. 
     Current fiber cement lap siding has a very shallow 5/16 inch shadow line. The shadow line, in the case of this siding, is dictated by the 5/16 inch base material thickness. In recent years, to satisfy customer demand for the impressive appearance that is afforded by more attractive and dramatic shadow lines virtually all residential siding manufacturers have gradually increased their shadow lines from ½ inch and ⅝ inch to ¾ inch and 1 inch. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Disclosed herein are embodiments of foam backing panels for use with lap siding and configured for mounting on a building. One such embodiment of the foam backing panel comprises a rear face configured to contact the building, a front face configured for attachment to the lap siding, alignment means for aligning the lap siding relative to the building, means for providing a shadow line, opposing vertical side edges, a top face extending between a top edge of the front face and rear face and a bottom face extending between a bottom edge of the front face and rear face. 
     Also disclosed herein are embodiments of lap board assemblies. One such assembly comprises the foam backing panel described above, with the alignment means comprising alignment ribs extending a width of the front face, the alignment ribs spaced equidistant from the bottom edge to the top edge of the front face. A plurality of lap boards is configured to attach to the foam backing panel, each lap board having a top edge and a bottom edge, the top edge configured to align with one of the alignment ribs such that the bottom edge extends beyond an adjacent alignment rib. 
     Also disclosed herein are methods of making the backing and lap board. One such method comprises providing a lap board and joining a porous, closed cell foam to a substantial portion of a major surface of the fiber cement substrate, the foam providing a drainage path through cells throughout the foam. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The description herein makes reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a sectional view of a prior art fiber cement panel installation; 
         FIG. 2  is a plan view of a contoured alignment installation board according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2   a  is a portion of the installation board shown in  FIG. 2  featuring interlocking tabs; 
         FIG. 3  is a sectional view of a fiber cement or wood composite installation using a first preferred method of installation; 
         FIG. 4  is a rear perspective view of the installation board of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a plan view of an installation board according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention attached to a wall; 
         FIG. 6  is a plan view of an installation board on a wall; 
         FIG. 7  is a sectional view of the installation board illustrating the feature of a ship lap utilized to attach multiple EPS foam backers or other foam material backers when practicing the method of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7   a  is a sectional view of an upper ship lap joint; 
         FIG. 7   b  is a sectional view of a lower ship lap joint; 
         FIG. 8   a  is a sectional view of the fiber cement board of the prior art panel; 
         FIGS. 8   b - 8   d  are sectional views of fiber cement boards having various sized shadow lines; 
         FIG. 9  is a second preferred embodiment of a method to install a fiber cement panel; 
         FIG. 10   a  shows the cement board in  FIG. 8   b  installed over an installation board of the present invention; 
         FIG. 10   b  shows the cement board in  FIG. 8   c  installed over an installation board of the present invention; 
         FIG. 10   c  shows the cement board in  FIG. 8   d  installed over an installation board of the present invention; 
         FIG. 11  illustrates the improved fiber cement or wood composite panel utilizing an installation method using a cement starter board strip; 
         FIG. 12  is a sectional view of a starter board strip having a foam backer; and 
         FIG. 13  illustrates a method for installing a first and second layer of fiber cement or wood composite panels. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The invention outlined hereinafter addresses the concerns of the aforementioned shortcomings or limitations of current fiber cement siding  10 . 
     A shape molded, extruded or wire cut foam board  12  has been developed to serve as a combination installation/alignment tool and an insulation board. This rectangular board  12 , shown in  FIG. 2  is designed to work with 1¼ inch trim accessories. The board&#39;s  12  exterior dimensions will vary depending upon the profile it has been designed to incorporate, see  FIG. 3 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 2  there is shown a plan view of a contoured foam alignment backer utilized with the installation method of the first preferred embodiment. Installation and alignment foam board  12  includes a plurality or registration of alignment ribs  14  positioned longitudinally across board  12 . Alignment board  12  further includes interlocking tabs  16  which interlock into grooves or slots  18 . As illustrated in  FIG. 2   a , and in the preferred embodiment, this construction is a dovetail arrangement  16 ,  18 . It is understood that the dovetail arrangement could be used with any type of siding product, including composite siding and the like where it is beneficial to attach adjacent foam panels. 
     Typical fiber cement lap siding panels  10  are available in 12 foot lengths and heights ranging from 5¼ inches to 12 inches. However, the foam boards  12  are designed specifically for a given profile height and face such as, Dutch lap, flat, beaded, etc. Each foam board  12  generally is designed to incorporate between four and twelve courses of a given fiber cement lap siding  10 . Spacing between alignment ribs  14  may vary dependent upon a particular fiber cement siding panel  10  being used. Further size changes will naturally come with market requirements. Various materials may also be substituted for the fiber cement lap siding panels  10 . 
     One commercially available material is an engineered wood product coated with special binders to add strength and moisture resistance; and further treated with a zinc borate-based treatment to resist fungal decay and termites. This product is available under the name of LP SmartSide® manufactured by LP Specialty Products, a unit of Louisiana-Pacific Corporation (LP) headquartered in Nashville, Tenn. Other substituted materials may include a combination of cellulose, wood and a plastic, such as polyethylene. Therefore, although this invention is discussed with and is primarily beneficial for use with fiber board, the invention is also applicable with the aforementioned substitutes and other alternative materials such as vinyl and rubber. 
     The foam boards  12  incorporate a contour cut alignment configuration on the front side  20 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . The back side  22  is flat to support it against the wall, as shown in  FIG. 4 . The flat side  22  of the board,  FIG. 4 , will likely incorporate a drainage plane system  24  to assist in directing moisture runoff, if moisture finds its way into the wall  12 . It should be noted that moisture in the form of vapor, will pass through the foam from the warm side to the cold side with changes in temperature. The drainage plane system is incorporated by reference as disclosed in Application Ser. No. 60/511,527 filed on Oct. 15, 2003. 
     To install the fiber cement siding, according to the present invention, the installer must first establish a chalk line  26  at the bottom of the wall  28  of the building to serve as a straight reference line to position the foam board  12  for the first course  15  of foam board  12 , following siding manufacturer&#39;s instructions. 
     The foam boards  12  are designed to be installed or mated tightly next to each other on the wall  28 , both horizontally and vertically. The first course foam boards  12  are to be laid along the chalk line  26  beginning at the bottom corner of an exterior wall  28  of the building (as shown  FIG. 5 ) and tacked into position. When installed correctly, this grid formation provided will help insure the proper spacing and alignment of each piece of lap siding  10 . As shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the vertical edges  16   a ,  18   a  of each foam board  12  are fabricated with an interlocking tab  16  and slot  18  mechanism that insure proper height alignment. Ensuring that the tabs  16  are fully interlocked and seated in the slots  18 , provides proper alignment of the cement lap siding. As shown in  FIGS. 7 ,  7   a ,  7   b , the horizontal edges  30 ,  32  incorporate ship-lapped edges  30 ,  32  that allow both top and bottom foam boards  12  to mate tightly together. The foam boards  12  are also designed to provide proper horizontal spacing and alignment up the wall  28  from one course to the next, as shown in phantom in  FIGS. 7 and 7   a.    
     As the exterior wall  28  is covered with foam boards  12 , it may be necessary to cut and fit the foam boards  12  as they mate next to doorways, windows, gable corners, electrical outlets, water faucets, etc. This cutting and fitting can be accomplished using a circular saw, a razor knife or a hot knife. The opening (not shown) should be set back no more than ⅛ inches for foundation settling. 
     Once the first course  15  has been installed, the second course  15 ′ of foam boards  12  can be installed at any time. The entire first course  15  on any given wall should be covered before the second course  15 ′ is installed. It is important to insure that each foam board  12  is fully interlocked and seated on the interlocking tabs  16  to achieve correct alignment. 
     The first piece of fiber cement lap siding  10  is installed on the first course  15  of the foam board  12  and moved to a position approximately ⅛ inches set back from the corner and pushed up against the foam board registration or alignment rib  14  (see  FIG. 8 ) to maintain proper positioning of the panel  10 . The foam board registration or alignment rib  14  is used to align and space each fiber cement panel  10  properly as the siding job progresses. Unlike installing the fiber cement lap siding in the prior art, there is no need to measure the panel&#39;s relative face height to insure proper alignment. All the system mechanics have been accounted for in the rib  14  location on the foam board  12 . The applicator simply places the panel  10  in position and pushes it tightly up against the foam board alignment rib  14  immediately prior to fastening. A second piece of fiber cement lap siding can be butted tightly to the first, pushed up against the registration or alignment rib and fastened securely with fasteners  17  with either a nail gun or hammer. Because the alignment ribs  14  are preformed and pre-measured to correspond to the appropriate overlap  30  between adjacent fiber cement siding panels  10 , no measurement is required. Further, because the alignment ribs  14  are level with respect to one another, an installer need not perform the meticulous leveling tasks associated with the prior art methods of installation. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 7 ,  7   a ,  7   b , vertically aligned boards  20  include a ship lap  30 ,  32  mating arrangement which provides for a continuous foam surface. Furthermore, the interlocking tabs  16 ,  18  together with the ship lap  30 ,  32  ensures that adjacent fiber boards  12 , whether they be vertically adjacent or horizontally adjacent, may be tightly and precisely mated together such that no further measurement or alignment is required to maintain appropriate spacing between adjacent boards  12 . It is understood that as boards  12  are mounted and attached to one another it may be necessary to trim such boards when windows, corners, electrical outlets, water faucets, etc. are encountered. These cuts can be made with a circular saw, razor knife, or hot knife. 
     Thereafter, a second course of fiber cement siding  10 ′ can be installed above the first course  10  by simply repeating the steps and without the need for leveling or measuring operation. When fully seated up against the foam board alignment rib  14 , the fiber cement panel  10 ′ will project down over the first course  10  to overlap  34  by a desired 1¼ inches, as built into the system as shown in  FIG. 3 . The next course is fastened against wall  28  using fasteners  36  as previously described. The foam board  12  must be fully and properly placed under all of the fiber cement panels  10 . The installer should not attempt to fasten the fiber cement siding  10  in an area that it is not seated on and protected by a foam board  12 . 
     The board  12 , described above, will be fabricated from foam at a thickness of approximately 1¼ inch peak height. Depending on the siding profile, the board  12  should offer a system “R” value of 3.5 to 4.0. This addition is dramatic considering that the average home constructed in the 1960&#39;s has an “R” value of 8. An R-19 side wall is thought to be the optimum in thermal efficiency. The use of the foam board will provide a building that is cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. The use of the foam board  12  of the present invention also increases thermal efficiency, decreases drafts and provides added comfort to a home. 
     In an alternate embodiment, a family of insulated fiber cement lap siding panels  100  has been developed, as shown in  FIG. 9 , in the interest of solving several limitations associated with present fiber cement lap sidings. These composite panels  100  incorporate a foam backer  112  that has been bonded or laminated to a complementary fiber cement lap siding panel  110 . Foam backing  112  preferably includes an angled portion  130  and a complementary angled portion  132  to allow multiple courses of composite fiber cement siding panels  100  to be adjoined. Foam backer  112  is positioned against fiber cement siding  110  in such a manner as to leave an overlap region  134  which will provide for an overlap of siding panels on installation. 
     The fiber cement composite siding panels  100  of the second preferred embodiment may be formed by providing appropriately configured foam backing pieces  132  which may be adhesively attached to the fiber cement siding panel  110 . 
     The composite siding panels  100  according to the second preferred embodiment may be installed as follows with reference to  FIGS. 10   b ,  10   c  and  13 . A first course  115  is aligned appropriately against sill plate  40  adjacent to the foundation  42  to be level and is fastened into place with fasteners  36 . Thereafter, adjacent courses  115 ′ may be merely rested upon the previous installed course and fastened into place. The complementary nature of angled portions  130 ,  132  will create a substantially uniformed and sealed foam barrier behind composite siding panels  100 . Overlap  134 , which has been pre-measured in relation to the foam pieces allows multiple courses to be installed without the need for measuring or further alignment. This dramatic new siding of the present invention combines an insulation component with an automatic self-aligning, stack-on siding design. The foam backer  112  provides a system “R” value in the range of 3.5 to 4.0. The foam backer  112  will also be fabricated from expanded polystyrene (EPS), which has been treated with a chemical additive to deter termites and carpenter ants. 
     The new self-aligning, stack-on siding design of the present invention provides fast, reliable alignment, as compared to the time consuming, repeated face measuring and alignment required on each course with the present lap design. 
     The new foam backer  112  has significant flexural and compressive strength. The fiber cement siding manufacturer can reasonably take advantage of these attributes. The weight of the fiber cement siding  110  can be dramatically reduced by thinning, redesigning and shaping some of the profiles of the fiber cement  110 .  FIG. 8   a  shows the current dimensions of fiber cement boards,  FIGS. 8   b ,  8   c , and  8   c  show thinner fiber cement board. Experience with other laminated siding products has shown that dramatic reductions in the base material can be made without adversely affecting the product&#39;s performance. The combination of weight reduction with the new stack-on design provides the installers with answers to their major objections. It is conceivable that the present thickness (D′) of fiber cement lap siding panels  110  of approximately 0.313 inches could be reduced to a thickness (D′) of 0.125 inches or less. 
     The fiber cement siding panel may include a lip  144  which, when mated to another course of similarly configured composite fiber cement siding can give the fiber cement siding  110  the appearance of being much thicker thus achieving an appearance of an increased shadow line. Further, it is understood although not required, that the fiber cement siding panel  110  may be of substantially reduced thickness, as stated supra, compared to the 5/16″ thickness provided by the prior art. Reducing the thickness of the fiber cement siding panel  110  yields a substantially lighter product, thereby making it far easier to install. A pair of installed fiber cement composite panels having a thickness (D′) of 0.125″ or less is illustrated in  FIGS. 8B-8D  and  10 B and  10 C. Such installation is carried out in similar fashion as that described in the second preferred embodiment. 
     The present invention provides for an alternate arrangement of foam  112  supporting the novel configuration of fiber cement paneling. In particular, the foam may include an undercut recess  132  which is configured to accommodate an adjacent piece of foam siding. As shown in  FIGS. 10   a ,  10   b  and  10   c , the new, thinner, insulated fiber cement lap siding panel  110  will allow the siding manufacturers to market panels with virtually any desirable shadow line, such as the popular new ¾ inch vinyl siding shadow line with the lip  144  formation. The lip  144  can have various lengths such as approximately 0.313 inch (E), 0.50 inch (F), and 0.75 (G) inch to illustrate a few variations as shown in  FIGS. 8   b ,  8   c , and  8   d , respectively. This new attribute would offer an extremely valuable, previously unattainable, selling feature that is simply beyond the reach with the current system. 
     No special tools or equipment are required to install the new insulated fiber cement lap siding  100 . However, a new starter adapter or strip  150  has been designed for use with this system, as shown in  FIGS. 11 and 12 . It is preferable to drill nail holes  152  through the adapter  150  prior to installation. The installer must first establish a chalk line  26  at the bottom of the wall  28  to serve as a straight reference line to position the starter adapter  150  for the first course of siding and follow the siding manufacturer&#39;s instructions. 
     The siding job can be started at either corner  29 . The siding is placed on the starter adapter or strip  150  and seated fully and positioned, leaving a gap  154  of approximately ⅛ inches from the corner  29  of the building. Thereafter, the siding  100  is fastened per the siding manufacturer&#39;s installation recommendations using a nail gun or hammer to install the fasteners  36 . Thereafter, a second course of siding  115 ′ can be installed above the first course  115  by simply repeating the steps, as shown in  FIG. 13 . Where practical, it is preferable to fully install each course  115  before working up the wall, to help insure the best possible overall alignment. Installation in difficult and tight areas under and around windows, in gable ends, etc. is the same as the manufacturer&#39;s instruction of the current fiber cement lap siding  10 . 
     The lamination methods and adhesive system will be the same as those outlined in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,019,415 and 6,195,952B1. 
     The insulated fiber cement stack-on sliding panels  100  described above will have a composite thickness of approximately 1¼ inches. Depending on the siding profile, the composite siding  100  should offer a system “R” value of 3.5 to 4.0. This addition is dramatic when you consider that the average home constructed in the 1960&#39;s has an “R” value of 8. An “R-19” side wall is thought to be the optimum in energy efficiency. A building will be cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter with the use of the insulated fiber cement siding of the present invention. 
     While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the fiber cement siding board disclosed in the invention can be substituted with the aforementioned disclosed materials and is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims, which scope is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures as is permitted under the law.