Panel system and method

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As can be seen in FIG.
1, a portion of the panel system 10 is shown with brick facing members (or bricks) held in place by frictional engagement due to the special configuration of the channel bars 18.
More specifically, the panel system 10 includes a panel 12 having bricks laid in channels 24 formed between channel bars 18.
Once the bricks have been laid in place, mortar is laid between abutting brick members in the same channel as well as the space formed by the channel bars 18 and adjacent bricks.
This system permits the bricks to be adhered in place within the channels by a relatively unskilled worker prior to mortar being laid in place.
The details of the panel configuration itself are described below.
With regard to FIG.
2, it can be seen that the panel 12 includes an inner portion of foamed plastic that is substantially thicker than an outer portion which is made of vacuum formed polystyrene.
Inner portion 20 is formed of extruded foamed polystyrene although other kinds of foamed polystyrene insulating materials can be used.
It has been found that the extruded foamed polystyrene yields the best insulative value for the thickness and cost of the material used.
In the preferred embodiment, this thickness is about one (1) inch and has an R factor between seven (7) and nine (9).
The vacuum formed polystyrene outer layer 22 is substantially thinner than the foamed polystyrene inner layer 20 and is about 0.
030 inches in thickness.
The outer layer 22 is bonded to the inner portion 20 to form a laminate structure, except for channel bars which may have portions distended from the inner portion.
A characteristic, of polystyrene layer 22, as well as the foamed polystyrene material, is its ability to be cut at the job site by an industrial knife or some other cutting means.
In addition, the vacuum formed polystyrene is substantially impervious to moisture and other fluids which could otherwise penetrate the panel and damage the interior walls