Building panel and method of fabrication

A building panel of laminated construction for exterior use, said panel adapted to be mounted on a support structure, comprising:

• (a) a flat sheet of hardboard having a four-sided polygonal configuration with an upper and lower edge portion;
• (b) a flat sheet of high temperature thermoplastic material bonded to one surface of the hardboard and being substantially co-extensive therewith to form a first outer weather resistant surface;
• (c) a rigid layer of foam plastic material having thermal insulating properties bonded to another surface of the hardboard opposite from the flat sheet of thermoplastic material and having upper and lower edge portions and providing a second outer surface substantially co-extensive with the hardboard sheet;
• (d) said layer of foam plastic having, in cross-section, a tapered configuration with said outer weather resistant surface of said flat sheet of thermoplastic material and tapering from the lower edge portion thereof to the upper edge portion thereof;
• (e) a notch in and co-extensive with said lower edge portion of said layer of foam plastic;
• and
• (f) said notch being of a size to receive the upper edge portion of another building panel and having a configuration in cross-section to form with said second outer surface of the rigid layer of foam plastic material a tab having a camming surface which coacts with the upper edge portion of another building panel to urge the tab against the support structure.

A building panel of laminated construction for exterior use in combination with a plurality of fasteners each of which has a shank portion and a head portion of larger peripheral dimensions than the shank portion for securing the building panel to support structure, the panel comprising:

• (a) a flat sheet of hardboard having a four-sided polygonal configuration comprising first and second planar surfaces and an upper, lower and side edge portions;
• (b) a flat sheet of high temperature thermoplastic material bonded to said first planar surface of the hardboard and substantially co-extensive therewith;
• (c) a rigid layer of foam plastic material having thermal insulating properties bonded to the second planar surface of the hardboard;
• (d) a plurality of spaced openings in said hardboard and thermoplastic material each of which is aligned to receive a fastener;
• and
• (e) each of said aligned openings being elongated and having one side thereof substantially arcuate in shape and dimensioned to allow the head portion of an associated fastener to pass therethrough when the building panel is removed from and replaced on the support structure.