Kit and assembly for compensating for coefficients of thermal expansion of decorative mounted panels

A wall panel system, comprising:

• a plurality of rigid panels, each having at least a horizontal surface along a lower extending edge, said panels being further arranged in a vertical plane along a wall and each having a front face, a rear face, and at least four edges including said lower extending edge;
• a mounting system for removably attaching said panels upon a wall surface, said mounting system further including:
• a mated pair of reclosable fasteners with one of each mated pair of reclosable fasteners being secured to said rear face of the panel;
• a support channel in contact with at least a portion of said lower extending edge of each of said panels, said support channel bearing at least a majority portion of the weight of said panel;
• a seam-aligning profile spaced at intervals along the wall and located above said support channel and fastened directly to the wall;
• at least two columns of reclosable fastener attachment mechanisms, with each column lining up with at least one panel's edge and being located within a distance of said edge of a selected panel such that said reclosable fastening mechanisms require zero liftoff height to engage said panels and are flexible in each of three-dimensions upon their engagement to one another;
• and
• a panel-aligning element located between said panels and bearing at least partly upon said seam-aligning profile, such that said panel-aligning element is located between said columns of attachment mechanisms, said aligning profile being located proximate said rear face of said vertical edge of two adjacent panels and remaining in close proximity with both panels upon at least one of said rear face or said vertical edge of said panels and maintaining close proximity to said edges of each panel while a joint formed between said panels is permitted to flex in three dimension in response to building and panel movement.

A system for assembling and supporting a plurality of panels upon a wall surface, comprising:

• a plurality of moldings mounted to the wall and adapted for supporting at least one of interconnecting horizontal and vertical edge extending surfaces of panels;
• each of said moldings having, in cross section, a substrate portion which abuts the wall and through which is engaged a fastener for mounting to the wall;
• and
• each of said moldings further having a pair of splines which are connected in spaced fashion to said substrate and in turn define edge extending pockets for receiving in inserting fashion opposing edges of the panels, extrusion beads being formed upon inner facing surfaces of at least one of said splines and engaging end face locations of at least some of said panels to provide each of load bearing support and multi-axial inter movement of said panels relative to said moldings.