Method and apparatus for covering surfaces

A system for covering a vertical wall comprising:

• a covering member for covering said wall;
• a support member for affixing to said wall and supporting said covering member;
• a support bracket, secured to the covering member, for removably engaging with the support member, to retain the covering member along the vertical wall;
• the support member including a channel;
• a brace secured to the support bracket, the brace residing in and being supported by the channel;
• and
• the support member, the support bracket and the brace being coextruded and separable along integrally-formed score lines.

A three piece system for supporting a wall covering member in covering relationship to a vertical wall comprising:

• a support member attachable to a vertical wall for supporting a wall covering member, the support member having a channel;
• support bracket securable to the wall covering member and removably engageable with the support member to retain the wall covering member along a vertical wall;
• and
• a brace secured to the support bracket, the brace residing in and being supported by the channel.

A system for covering a vertical wall comprising:

• a covering member for covering said wall;
• a support member for affixing to said wall and supporting said covering member;
• a support bracket secured to the covering member for removably engaging with the support member to retain the covering member along the vertical wall;
• the support member including a channel;
• a brace separate from and independent of the support bracket;
• the brace having one brace end portion secured to the support bracket independently of and in spaced relationship to the engagement between the support bracket and the support member and with the covering member sandwiched between the one brace end portion and the support bracket;
• and
• the brace having an opposite brace end portion residing in and being supported by the channel.

Apparatus for supporting a wall covering member on a vertical wall comprising:

• a support member having a wall attaching portion for attaching the support member to a vertical wall;
• said support member having an extending portion that extends outwardly away from said wall attaching portion;
• a bracket attachable to said extending portion of said support member for supporting a wall covering member parallel to a vertical wall;
• said bracket and said extending portion of said support member having a cooperating cavity and head thereon for supporting the bracket in outwardly-spaced parallel relationship to a vertical wall with said head received in said cavity;
• said cavity having a slot that opens outwardly in a direction parallel to a vertical wall to which said support member is attached;
• a brace extending between said wall attaching portion of said support member and said bracket;
• and
• said brace having one brace end portion attachable to said bracket and an opposite brace end portion supportable on said wall attaching portion of said support member.

A system for covering a vertical wall comprising:

• a covering member for covering said wall;
• a support member for affixing to said wall and supporting said covering member;
• a support bracket secured to the covering member for removably engaging with the support member to retain the covering member along the vertical wall;
• the support member including a channel;
• a brace having one brace end portion secured to the support bracket by a plurality of fasteners with the covering member sandwiched therebetween;
• and
• the brace having an opposite brace end portion residing in and being supported by the channel.

A system for covering a vertical wall comprising:

• a covering member for covering said wall;
• a support member for affixing to said wall and supporting said covering member;
• a support bracket secured to the covering member for removably engaging with the support member to retain the covering member along the vertical wall;
• the support member including a channel;
• a brace having one brace end portion secured to the support bracket with the covering member sandwiched therebetween;
• the brace having an opposite brace end portion residing in and being support by the channel;
• one of the support member and the support bracket having a cavity and the other having a head receivable in the cavity;
• and
• the wall covering member being secured between the one brace end portion and the support bracket outside of the cavity and in spaced relationship to both the cavity and the head.