Wall panel covering

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Briefly stated, one aspect of the invention is directed to an improved wall panel.
The wall panel includes a rectangular frame, a pair of sheetlike wall members and two thin decorative sheets.
The rectangular frame includes, two spaced apart, and generally parallel vertical side frame members and spaced apart and generally parallel horizontal lower and upper frame members.
The frame members are connected at opposite ends thereof to form the rectangular frame.
Each of the frame members includes a core member and a pair of sidewall members attached to opposite sides of the core member.
The sheetlike wall members, preferably made of fiberboard, have an inner surface attached to the side walls of each frame member.
The thin decorative sheets, preferably cloth, cover the outer surface of the wall members on each side of the panel.
In a preferred embodiment, the sidewall members include a substantially flat leg portion having an inner surface attached to the core member and an outer surface attached to the wall member.
The sidewall member includes an edge portion extending laterally outward from the leg portion.
Preferably, the edge portion is configured as a C-shaped channel facing inwardly away from the wall panel surface.
When the frame members are assembled into a rectangular frame, the edge portions extend around the periphery of the wall panel.
The sidewalls, including the edge portions, form a shallow recess on opposite sides of the panel.
Each recess has a bottom surface defined by the outer surface of the leg portions.
The wall members are received in the recesses on opposite sides of the panel.
In another aspect of the invention, a thin barrier sheet, or scrim, is disposed between the decorative sheet and the outer surface of the wall member as a fire blocking member.
The barrier sheet preferably includes a thin aluminum foil layer laminated to a fiberglass layer.
The wall panel also includes an inner filler member disposed between the wall members.
The filler member extends between the upper and lower horizontal frame members