Cladding assembly and method of cladding posts

Abstract

A post cladding assembly, a cladded building assembly and method of cladding a building structure using the cladding assembly are provided. The post cladding assembly includes at least one cladding panel and at least one connection element, wherein the connection element includes an androgynous means for engaging the at least one cladding panel to secure the at least one cladding panel to a building structure.

1 . A cladding assembly, comprising: 
 at least one cladding panel; and    at least one connection element, wherein the connection element includes an androgynous means for engaging the at least one cladding panel to secure the at least one cladding panel to a building structure.    
   
   
       2 . The cladding assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one cladding panel comprises at least one pair of outwardly or inwardly extending, oppositely disposed catches, and said at least one connection element is configured to mate with said catches.  
   
   
       3 . The cladding assembly of  claim 2 , wherein said at least one connection element comprises at least one pair of inwardly extending, oppositely disposed catches disposed to mate with said at least one pair of outwardly extending, oppositely disposed catches of said at least one cladding panel, or 
 at least one pair of outwardly extending, oppositely disposed catches disposed to mate with said at least on pair of inwardly extending, oppositely disposed catches of said at least one cladding panel.    
   
   
       4 . The cladding assembly of  claim 3 , wherein said inwardly extending, oppositely disposed catches of said at least one connection element include respective hook portions for securing said connection element to said outwardly extending, oppositely disposed catches of said at least on cladding panel, or 
 said outwardly extending oppositely disposed catches of said at least one connection element include respective hook portions for securing said connection element to said inwardly extending, oppositely disposed catches of said at least one cladding panel.    
   
   
       5 . The cladding assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one connection element and at least one cladding panel comprise a thermoplastic polymer.  
   
   
       6 . The cladding assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one connection element and at least one cladding panel comprise polyvinyl chloride, a polyolefin, a polystyrene, polypropylene, an acrylic, an ABS polymer or an ASA polymer.  
   
   
       7 . The cladding assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said assembly comprises four cladding panels and four connection elements, each one of said four cladding panels comprising a pair of outwardly extending, oppositely disposed catches along opposite edges thereof, each of said connection elements comprises a pair of inwardly extending, oppositely disposed catches, or 
 each one of said four cladding panels comprising a pair of inwardly extending, oppositely disposed catches along opposite edges thereof, each of said connection elements comprises a pair of outwardly extending, oppositely disposed catches.    
   
   
       8 . A cladded building assembly, comprising: 
 a building structure; and    a cladding assembly secured to said building structure, said cladding assembly comprising: 
 at least one cladding panel; and  
 at least one connection element, wherein the connection element includes an androgynous means for engaging the at least one cladding panel to secure the cladding panel to said building structure.  
   
   
   
       9 . The building assembly of  claim 8 , wherein said at least one cladding panel comprises at least one pair of outwardly or inwardly extending, oppositely disposed catches, and said at least one connection element is configured to mate with said catches.  
   
   
       10 . The building assembly of  claim 9 , wherein said at least one connection element comprises at least one pair of inwardly extending, oppositely disposed catches disposed to mate with said at least one pair of outwardly extending, oppositely disposed catches of said at least one cladding panel, or 
 said at least one connection element comprises at least one pair of outwardly extending, oppositely disposed catches disposed to mate with said at least one pair of inwardly extending, oppositely disposed catches of said at least one cladding panel.    
   
   
       11 . The building assembly of  claim 10 , wherein said inwardly extending, oppositely disposed catches of said at least one connection element include respective hook portions for securing said connection element to said outwardly extending, oppositely disposed catches of said at least one cladding panel, or 
 said outwardly extending, oppositely disposed catches of said at least one connection element include respective hook portions for securing said connection element to said inwardly extending, oppositely disposed catches of said at least one cladding panel.    
   
   
       12 . The building assembly of  claim 8 , wherein said at least one connection element and at least one cladding panel comprise a thermoplastic polymer.  
   
   
       13 . The building assembly of  claim 8 , wherein said at least one connection element and at least one cladding panel comprise polyvinyl chloride, a polyolefin, a polystyrene, polypropylene, an acrylic, an ABS polymer or an ASA polymer.  
   
   
       14 . The building assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the cladding assembly comprises four cladding panels and four connection elements, each one of said four cladding panels comprising a pair of outwardly extending, oppositely disposed catches along opposite edges thereof, each of said connection elements comprising a pair of inwardly extending, oppositely disposed catches, or 
 each one of said four cladding panels comprising a pair of inwardly extending, oppositely disposed catches along opposite edges thereof, each of said connection elements comprising a pair of outwardly extending, oppositely disposed catches.    
   
   
       15 . The building assembly of  claim 8 , wherein said building structure comprises a pre-installed post.  
   
   
       16 . A method of cladding a building structure, comprising the following steps: 
 aligning at least one cladding panel along said building structure;    providing at least one connection element, wherein the connection element includes an androgynous means for engaging the at least one cladding panel to secure the at least one cladding panel to said building structure; and    securing said at least one connection element to said at least one cladding panel, whereby said building structure is clad.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said at least one cladding panel comprises at least one pair of outwardly or inwardly extending, oppositely disposed catches, and said at least one connection element is configured to mate with said catches.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said at least one connection element comprises at least one pair of inwardly extending, oppositely disposed catches disposed to mate with said at least one pair of outwardly extending, oppositely disposed catches of said at least one cladding panel, or 
 said at least one connection element comprises at least one pair of outwardly extending, oppositely disposed catches disposed to mate with said at least one pair of inwardly extending, oppositely disposed catches of said at least one cladding panel.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said inwardly extending, oppositely disposed catches of said at least one connection element include respective hook portions for securing said connection element to said outwardly extending, oppositely disposed catches of said at least one cladding panel, or 
 said outwardly extending, oppositely disposed catches of said at least one connection element include respective hook portions for securing said connection element to said inwardly extending, oppositely disposed catches of said at least one cladding panel.    
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said at least one connection element and at least one cladding panel comprise polyvinyl chloride, a polyolefin, a polystyrene, polypropylene, an acrylic, an ABS polymer or an ASA polymer.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one cladding panel comprises four cladding panels and said at least one connection element comprises four connection elements, each one of said four cladding panels comprising a pair of outwardly extending, oppositely disposed catches along opposite edges thereof, each of said connection elements comprising a pair of inwardly extending, oppositely disposed catches, or 
 each one of said four cladding panels comprising a pair of inwardly extending, oppositely disposed catches along opposite edges thereof, each of said connection elements comprising a pair of outwardly extending, oppositely disposed catches.    
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein at least two cladding panels are aligned along said building structure, said at least two cladding panels being aligned adjacent to one another, wherein said cladding panels comprise a pair of outwardly or inwardly extending, oppositely disposed catches, said method further comprising: 
 securing the cladding panels to said building structure; and    after said securing step, securing said at least one connection element to said pair of outwardly or inwardly extending, oppositely disposed catches.    
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising the steps of: 
 providing said cladding panels, wherein the catches run substantially along the entire length of said cladding panels; and    removing a portion of said catches from a portion of said cladding panels proximate to at least one of the top and bottom of said cladding panels.    
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising installing a trim or molding section proximate to at least one of the top and bottom of said cladding panels, whereby an area from which said portion was removed is concealed from view.  
   
   
       25 . A post cladding assembly, comprising: 
 a plurality of polymeric cladding panels, said plurality of cladding panels comprising at least one pair of outwardly or inwardly extending, oppositely disposed catches; and    at least one polymeric connection element, comprising at least one pair of inwardly or outwardly extending, oppositely disposed catches, wherein said at least one connection element is secured to said plurality of cladding panels with said inwardly or outwardly disposed catches of said at least one polymeric connection element mated to said outwardly or inwardly disposed catches of said plurality of polymeric cladding panels, respectively, to couple said cladding panels together in cladding a building structure.