Method and apparatus for holding wall panel against adhesive

A method of securing wall panels to wall studs in a structure comprising the steps of:

• placing an adhesive on said wall studs;
• placing a first panel and a second panel on said adhesive in abutting edge-to-edge, generally coplanar relation;
• securing a clamp adjacent said first and second panels over a seam formed between said first and second panels;
• actuating a control to hold a first surface of said clamp in contact with said first and second panels over said seam, while holding said first and second panels in contact with said adhesive as said adhesive cures;
• and
• said seam being formed adjacent a wall stud, and said method includes actuating a fluid control comprising a source of vacuum followed by securing a securing member to said wall stud to secure said clamp adjacent said panels, thereby holding said first and second panels against said adhesive and forming said seam having a smooth aligned exposed surface.

A method of forming a structural panel assembly comprising a support assembly and a plurality of generally coplanar relatively flexible panels bonded to said support assembly in edge to edge abutting relation by a liquid curable polymer adhesive, said method comprising the following steps:

• forming said support assembly including a plurality of spaced generally parallel support members having coplanar surfaces;
• applying said liquid polymer adhesive to said coplanar surfaces of said support members;
• locating at least two of said panels on said support member surfaces in generally coplanar relation with adjacent edge portions of said panels in generally abutting relation bridging one of said support members surfaces;
• locating a clamp having an elongated vacuum chamber defined by a gasket and located over said edge portions of said adjacent panels, and drawing a vacuum in said vacuum chamber, said vacuum drawing said panel edge portions into parallel relation;
• driving said panel edge portions against said one support member surface, forming said adjacent panel edge portions in coplanar relation;
• curing said adhesive, permanently bonding said adjacent panel edge portions to said one support member surface in coplanar abutting relation;
• and
• said clamp including two generally elongated parallel spaced vacuum chambers, each defined by a gasket, said method including locating said clamp over said panel edge portions with a vacuum chamber located over each of said panel edge portions and spaced from said abutting panel edges, then drawing a vacuum in each of said spaced vacuum chambers, and sealing said spaced vacuum chambers from each other, and on each of said panel edge portions and mechanically driving said edge portions against said one support member surface and said polymer adhesive to cure.