Cladding or siding assembly and installation method

A cladding or siding assembly for use as cladding or siding for a wall of a building or structure having a face,

• the assembly includes at least one panel member and at least two support rail members fixable to the wall to allow at least one panel member to slidably interfit between the support rail members, and at least one panel member slidably located and supported above or below at least one of the support rail members, to be supportedly located and be removable without damage and be re-insertable at any time during construction or any time later after completion of the assembly,
• wherein a body of each of the support rail members includes a rear support wall and spaced first and second channel walls projecting from a same face of the rear support wall, the first and second channel walls terminating in respective first and second tabs that project distally from the respective first or second channel wall, a middle space between the first and second channel walls, an upper channel between the rear support wall, first channel wall and first tab, a lower channel between the rear support wall, second channel wall and second tab, and the first tab projecting from the first channel wall less than does the second tab projects from the second channel wall
• and each panel member comprises a planar face panel member affixed to a perimeter frame, the face panel member is designed and shaped to provide an outwardly planar facing front portion with the perimeter frame being designed to support and locate the face panel member peripherally from behind,
• wherein the perimeter frame is formed of elongate extruded frame members with each frame member having an extruded body having in cross section a profile comprising side abutting parallel channels defining respective first and second recesses, the channels formed by a base wall residing proximal an edge of the panel member, first leg and a middle leg projecting from the base wall distally of the edge of the panel member and where the middle leg is common to both the channels,
• at least one of the first or second recesses of opposed frame members being adapted for interfitting within either the first or second channel of the proximal rail to secure the panel to the rails, wherein one of the recesses which is located at a backside edge close to a rear than to the front of the panel member,
• the support rail members being adapted to be affixed to a wall spaced apart substantially horizontally with respective channels opposed, the spacing of the proximal edges of the channels being less than the height of the panel member whilst the distance between bases of the respective channels being greater than the height of the panel member, and support rail member spacing, the width of the channels, a depth of the middle space and thickness of the panel member being adapted such that in use each panel member can be tilted slightly off vertical towards the wall, with its backside edge inserted upwardly into the lower channel of the upper support rail member then rotated more vertically so the lower edge of the panel member clears the edge of the upper channel of the lower support rail member and the panel member is lowered and inserted into the upper channel of the lower support rail member and the just mentioned panel installation process being reversible for the removal of the panel member,
• wherein each panel member is located and held vertically and laterally by the one recess at the backside edge, in the opposing channels of the support rail members and spaced vertically in horizontal rows from other panel members by the middle space of the support rail members affixed to the wall, to provide a weathertight cladding assembly for a wall.