Now in construction, the use for exterior decoration of facing panels imitating bricks is very popular.
Their popularity is due, first of all, to cheapness, speed and ease of installation, as well as a high level of similarity of products decorated with brick ornaments with real finishing bricks.
Varieties of material
The panels imitating bricks are made from various materials, according to which they can be divided into 2 types:
- PVC plates.
- Panels under a brick from MDF.
Pvc panels
PVC plates are made on the basis of polyvinyl chloride with a softening additive. The original material is white, after which it is subjected to a textured finish that simulates a brick, and painted. PVC plates have a uniform structure, and subsidence and modifiers included in the composition of the material, moreover, make it resistant to external deformation under the influence of temperature.
MDF panels
MDF brick wall panels are much better than the previous material, more durable, more stable and more durable. This material consists of compressed wood shavings. Remarkable technical parameters of MDF boards are provided by pressing technology under the influence of high temperatures. Finished boards have impressive sizes from 4 to 8 m²., However, they are easy to cut into suitable parts using a jigsaw or hacksaw for metal.
Advantages and disadvantages of artificial cladding
- installation of wall cladding panels under a brick is much simpler and faster than laying decorative bricks;
- panel installation on the frame can be done in any weather (if installation is done on glue, temperature and air humidity also matter);
- such casing copes with temperature extremes and high humidity, and is also resistant to ultraviolet rays;
- finishing panels do not have such a problem as efflorescence (the salt coating that forms on the brick after evaporation of moisture previously absorbed from it).
- long term of operation.
Among the disadvantages of panels for cladding the facade can be identified:
- low fire resistance;
- tendency to deform (especially PVC plates).
Facade Instruction
In order to clad the facade of the house does not need special skills. A house of simple construction can be faced very quickly, the main problems begin if there are any architectural elements on the facade of the house: arches, columns, cornices, etc.
Surface preparation
Installation of panels is carried out only on a flat surface (in this case, the plates are mounted on glue and dowels). If, when checking with the building level, a deviation of more than 2-3 centimeters was found, then the walls need to be leveled: eliminate the masonry protrusions and plaster the recesses. Some walls, for example, made of concrete, are very difficult to level in this way, in this case, the crate is first installed on them, and plates are attached to it.
Crate
The crate can be made of aluminum profile or wooden blocks with a step of 30-40 cm.
The installation of the crate should begin with the outline of an even horizontal lower border for the panels of the first row.
It is along this line that the starting runoff is mounted, which in the future will serve as a spontaneous drainage of condensate. A mask profile is installed over the casting bar.
Panel fastening
Lining the walls with panels begins with corner elements, and the support goes to the guide bar. The panels sit on glue, spotted in the center of the panel and around the perimeter, after which they are additionally fixed with dowels. When shrinking the panels on the crate, not dowels are used, but self-tapping screws. All free planes formed between the slabs and the wall must be blown out with foam.
Thin 14 mm tiles can be attached to the wall with hexagonal screws, while thicker tiles require fastening to durable metal plates.
Each subsequent row of plates is fixed in the same way: first, the corner element of the plates is attached, then all the others are attached to it through the groove-comb system. Before starting a new series, you need to finish all the work on finishing the previous one.
If the panel in its original size does not fit in a row, it must be cut so that it is evenly docked with the next fastener or with a door or window opening. Clinker tiles are best trimmed with a grinder, because they are quite strong.
After installing each new row of tiles, it is necessary to blow out the joints with mounting foam. So that after the end of the installation process these joints were not noticeable, they must be wiped using a facade grout (the same or contrasting color).
Thus, brick facing panels are a quick, reliable way to decorate the facade of a house. The main difficulty faced by the builder is the choice of a suitable finishing material. The above installation rules will help to assess the complexity of the work and conclude whether it is worth taking the job on your own or trust the professionals.