Wall panel systems for rigid wall panels

A system for attaching ceramic wall panels to an exterior building wall, each wall panel having a dead load, and the system comprising:

• a plurality of bracket assemblies having a first end and a second end, with each bracket assembly being fastened at its first end to the exterior wall, and each bracket assembly comprising two back-to-back L-angle brackets fastened to each other to form a generally Z-shaped assembly, a first end of which is for attachment to the exterior wall;
• a plurality of rigid wall panels;
• a plurality of wall mounting brackets configured to carry the dead loads of the respective wall panels, each wall mounting bracket having:
• an exterior surface configured to reside adjacent to the building wall,
• a central fastening surface along the exterior surface, and connected to a bracket assembly at its second end;
• an upper channel above the central fastening surface extending opposite the exterior surface, and
• a lower channel below the central fastening surface and also extending opposite the exterior surface;
• a plurality of panel brackets, each panel bracket comprising:
• an exterior surface configured to reside along a rear surface of a respective wall panel,
• an adhesive material along the rear surface of each of the panels connecting each of the panel brackets to a respective panel, and gravitationally supporting the panel;
• an upper channel extending opposite the exterior surface of the panel bracket and configured to nest on and to be gravitationally supported by the upper channel of a respective wall mounting bracket, and
• a lower channel also extending opposite the exterior surface of the panel bracket and configured to nest on and to be gravitationally supported by the lower channel of the respective wall mounting bracket;
• and
• wherein:
• the system is configured to allow panel brackets and attached wall panels to be hung on the wall mounting brackets in any vertical or horizontal sequence, and
• each of the wall mounting brackets and the panel brackets is identical in profile.

A method for attaching architectural wall panels to an exterior building wall, comprising:

• securing a plurality of bracket assemblies to a wall, as sub-structure, with each bracket assembly being fastened at a first end to the exterior wall;
• providing a plurality of rigid wall panels;
• attaching each of a plurality of wall mounting brackets to a second end of a bracket assembly, each of the wall mounting brackets being spaced to accommodate the position of a corresponding wall panel, and each of the wall mounting brackets having:
• an exterior surface configured to reside adjacent to the building wall,
• a central fastening surface along the exterior surface;
• an upper channel above the central fastening surface extending opposite the exterior surface, and
• a lower channel below the central fastening surface and also extending opposite the exterior surface;
• hanging a wall panel onto each of the wall mounting brackets, wherein each wall panel has an attached panel bracket, with each panel bracket comprising:
• an exterior surface configured to reside along a rear surface of a respective wall panel,
• an adhesive along the exterior surface connecting the panel bracket to a respective panel, and gravitationally supporting the panel,
• an upper channel nesting on and gravitationally supported by the upper channel of a respective wall mounting bracket, and
• a lower channel nesting over and gravitationally supported by the lower channel of the respective wall mounting bracket;
• wherein:
• each of the wall mounting brackets and the respective panel brackets is substantially similar in profile.

A system for attaching architectural wall panels to an exterior building wall, each wall panel having a dead load, and the system comprising:

• a plurality of rigid wall panels;
• a plurality of wall mounting brackets configured to carry the dead loads of the respective wall panels, each wall mounting bracket having:
• an exterior surface configured to reside adjacent to the building wall,
• a central fastening surface along the exterior surface,
• an upper channel above the central fastening surface extending opposite the exterior surface, and
• a lower channel below the central fastening surface facing opposite the upper channel, and also extending opposite the exterior surface;
• a plurality of panel brackets, each panel bracket comprising:
• an exterior surface configured to reside along a rear surface of a respective wall panel,
• an adhesive along the exterior surface for connecting the panel bracket to a respective panel, and gravitationally supporting the panel,
• an upper channel extending opposite the exterior surface of the panel bracket and configured to nest within and to be gravitationally supported by the upper channel of a respective wall mounting bracket, and
• a lower channel also extending opposite the exterior surface of the panel bracket, and configured to nest over and to be gravitationally supported by the lower channel of the respective wall mounting bracket;
• a plurality of bracket assemblies fastened to the exterior wall, each bracket assembly comprising two back-to-back L-angle brackets fastened to each other to form a generally Z-shaped assembly, a first end of which is for attachment to the wall and a second end of which is for fastening to a wall mounting bracket by means of the mechanical fastener;
• and
• wherein each of the wall mounting brackets is identical in profile and substantially similar in dimension to a corresponding panel bracket.