Patent ID: 7713615

Claim:
A reinforced fiber cement article, comprising: a fiber cement article having a front surface, a back surface, a top surface and a top edge and wherein the front surface and the back surface each have a surface area; a substantially planar reinforcing fixture having a bonding portion bonded to a localized region on at least one of the front surface and the back surface at said top surface, said substantially planar reinforcing fixture comprising, an extending portion extending beyond said top edge and configured to receive a fastener for securing said article to a structure, and said substantially planar reinforcing fixture being disposed to reinforce at least one area on the fiber cement article and to improve the strength of the fiber cement article; and a high-shear strength adhesive layer situated between the fiber cement article and the substantially planar reinforcing fixture, wherein the high-shear strength adhesive layer is capable of maintaining the bond between the substantially planar reinforcing fixture and the fiber cement article even after being subjected to five wet/dry cycles of soaking in saturated CaO solution at 60° F.; wherein the surface of the substantially planar reinforcing fixture has an area that is less than the surface area of the at least one of the front surface and the back surface to which the substantially planar reinforcing fixture is bonded.