Lining with thermal panels: a warm facade under a brick or stone
Facing the facades of houses with thermal panels, can rightfully be considered the most convenient finishing option. Of course, there are many other types of facade panels that have undeniable aesthetic and operational advantages, but only thermal panels can boast of the presence of a warming layer, and a natural, rather than imitating, front surface.
In this article, we will talk about the characteristics that thermal panels have for wall cladding; you will also be offered instructions for their installation.
The content of the article
Some information about the material
Thermal panels are a composite modular material consisting of a rigid base (OSB board), a polymer insulation and a front layer of clinker or stone tiles. As a heat-insulating layer in the production of this material, either polyurethane foam (PPU) or expanded polystyrene (PPS) can be used.
So:
- Polymer heaters are highly resistant to moisture and temperature extremes, and in terms of their thermal insulation properties, they are an order of magnitude ahead of many other materials. Foamed polystyrene is inferior in characteristics to polyurethane foam, therefore, the price of thermal panels based on PPP is lower, about thirty percent.
- But the production technology does not depend on the type of insulation. Its essence is as follows: agglomerate or clinker tiles are placed on the bottom of the mold, quartz sand is poured, and liquid PPU (or PPS) is poured on top.
- Then, embedded parts are installed in the form - guides necessary for the installation of finished products. All this is covered with a rigid base and pressed. The result is solid multi-layer panels, light in weight, fairly strong and durable.
- Due to these properties, facade cladding Thermal panels are produced not only in private, but also in multi-storey construction. It is clear that it is simply unrealistic to veneer such a house, as in the photo above, with piece tiles - for a long, laborious and expensive.
The large size of the panels, and on average it is 1150 * 600 mm, will significantly speed up the process of exterior decoration of the building. In addition, the cladding of the house with thermal panels eliminates the need for installation of insulation, and, accordingly, helps to reduce the overall cost of construction.
The subtleties of installing thermal panels
We must say right away that the installation of cladding elements, in this case, can be carried out in two ways: directly to the wall, and to the frame. That is why, facade cladding with thermal panels, as an option for exterior walls, is perfect not only for concrete and brick, but also for wooden, as well as frame-panel houses.
So:
- The installation of panels directly on the base base is acceptable only for brick or concrete houses whose walls do not have significant curvature. Therefore, before deciding on the installation option, it makes sense to take a level and check if there are deviations.
- If the differences in elevations exceed 4-5 cm, then it is much easier to install the crate than align the walls. But the wooden surface and even something impossible.
So in this case, facade cladding thermal panels, is the best option to do the job yourself. - Like any other material mounted on a system of ventilated facades, this type of panel can be installed both on a wooden crate and on an aluminum profile frame. In the first case, a 20 * 50 mm rail is used - its thickness is sufficient to provide normal ventilation of the space under the cladding.
- The design of the aluminum frame is more complex; three types of profiles are required for its installation. The T-shaped profile is used as a guide, the Z-shaped is the supporting profile, and the L-shaped provides a good fit of the cladding to the openings. Such a frame, of course, is more expensive, but its service life is incomparably longer than that of a tree even treated with antiseptic impregnation.
- Whatever installation method is used, work should begin with the marking of the lower perimeter of the cladding. A starting corner will be installed along this line - it is on it that the first row of panels rests.
Before mounting the corner, in its horizontal shelf, you need to drill holes for the outflow of condensate. There is a special ebb tide on sale, and a camouflage profile - they are used in cases where a metal frame is installed. - The step between the racks is variable, and depends on the size of the selected panels. In the picture above you can see regular places designed for driving dowels.
So, the frame racks should be located so that they are under these holes. When two panels are joined, these recesses are closed by the protruding part of the adjacent panel, or by a special insert tile. - Do not start installation without first trying on, and start it from the corners. Corner elements are used for their decoration, and additional elements exist for facing the window areas.
They are installed in their places, baited, and then full-sized panels are placed, moving from the edges to the center.
- As a result, in the middle of the wall there will be an empty gap in which the standard panel, as a rule, does not fit. To fill this section of the wall, the panel will have to be cut, but so that the tile falling on the cut line is divided in half.
If necessary, two adjacent panels are trimmed. This is done using a manual milling cutter or grinder - you can’t cut a clinker with a knife. For clarity, you can watch the video. - When the entire row of panels is sized, you can proceed with the capital fastening. The baited panels are removed, and proceed to waterproofing the walls.
Brick walls are best treated with penetrating soil, and walls made of wood or foam concrete - close with a roll membrane. - Although the installation of thermal panels eliminates the need for wall insulation, this does not mean that it is not performed in principle. Do not forget that most regions of our country are in severe climatic conditions, and additional insulation of buildings located in the northern regions is a vital necessity.
- In such cases, the crate is mounted not from the rail, but from a bar with a section of 40 * 40 mm. Thermal insulation material is laid between the racks, and the ventilation gap is ensured by installing a counter grill from the rail, to which thermal panels will be attached.
In fact, this process is no different from exterior wall finishes any other panels - the only difference is in the way the elements are mounted on the frame. - Thermopanels are first put on glue, spotted on the crate and the back side, and then, through standard openings, they are fixed with plate dowels, if to the wall, and with 4 * 70 mm screws, if to the crate. The joints are sealed after installation with a polymer-based sealant, or with mounting foam.
Each next row begins to be mounted only after the previous one is completely finished. If on the sides of the panel are connected using a zigzag lock, then the top and bottom of the comb is inserted into the groove.
At the end of installation, the joints are decorated with grout in the same way as if it were a tiled cladding.
