Wall panel system

Abstract

A wall panel system comprises an array of panels that provide a prefinished wall surface. The panels may be of the same or different sizes and include grooves or reveals supporting inserts that cooperate to provide rectangular faux panels or other wall panel designs. A trim system for mounting the panels to a support wall includes elongated trim strips for completing panel edges and corners.

1 . A kit for constructing a prefinished wall comprising a plurality of trim elements for mounting of rectangular panels in an array to a support wall to form said prefinished wall, said panels having horizontal edges, vertical edges and substantially planar surfaces extending between panel edges, said prefinished wall including at least one outside corner formed by angularly intersecting panels, said trim elements including horizontal trim elements for mounting in a horizontal direction along said horizontal panel edges, vertical trim elements for mounting in a vertical direction along said vertical panel edges and outside corner trim elements for mounting along vertical panel edges at said outside corner of said prefinished wall, each of said trim elements including a base to be secured to said support wall and a trim wall extending from said base along the adjacent panel edge, said trim wall having a planar configuration that is in substantial continuous contact with the entire area of said panel edge and projects beyond the adjacent panel surface to a trim surface that is parallel with said panel surface.  
   
   
       2 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein said vertical trim element has an L-shape cross-section, said prefinished wall includes at least one inside corner formed by abutting first and second panels separated by a corner mounted vertical trim element having opposed first and second vertical sides, said corner mounted trim element extending along an adjacent edge of said first abutting panel with said first vertical side in substantial contact with said panel edge and said second vertical side extending along the adjacent surface of said second abutting panel, said trim surface of said trim element being spaced from and parallel with said panel surface of said first abutting panel and extending perpendicularly along said panel surface of said second abutting panel whereby said inside corner provides a finished trim appearance similar to that provided by said trim elements extending along the horizontal and vertical edges of said panels.  
   
   
       3 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein said trim surface has a width equal to less than about 0.1 inch.  
   
   
       4 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein said trim surface has a width equal to from about 0.05 inch to about 0.125 inch.  
   
   
       5 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein said outside corner trim element comprises a elongate channel having an X shaped cross section formed by a pair of said trim walls joined at a right angle intersection, each of said trim walls extending from said intersection to form said base as a pair of mounting legs.  
   
   
       6 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein said outside corner trim element comprises an elongate channel having a double-Y shaped cross-section formed by a pair of said trim walls joined at a first right angle intersection to form a common leg extending from said intersection to a second right angle intersection formed by a pair of mounting legs projecting away from each other at right angles and parallel with said trim walls.  
   
   
       7 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein a said outside corner trim element includes a central corner element aligned with said intersection and laterally extending trim portions, said trim portions extending over adjacent vertical panel edges and including separately mounted trim pieces selected to match or contrast said planar surfaces of said panels.  
   
   
       8 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein said outside corner trim element is an integrally formed metallic extrusion.  
   
   
       9 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of intersecting grooves extend in said planar surfaces of said panels, and said kit further includes a plurality of reveal inserts mounted in said grooves.  
   
   
       10 . A wall panel system comprising a plurality of rectangular panels adapted to be mounted in abutting relationship to a support wall in a planar array to form a finished wall, each panel having a generally planar surface extending between panel edges arranged along horizontally and vertically extending directions, each of said panels having a plurality of intersecting grooves extending in the panel surface intermediate said panel edges, and a plurality of reveal inserts mounted in said grooves to subdivide the panel surface into a plurality of smaller rectangular faux panels.  
   
   
       11 . The wall panel system of  claim 10 , wherein said intersecting groove has a cross-section, adjacent panel edges each provide one-half of said groove cross-section and cooperate to form an edge groove corresponding in cross-section with said cross-section of said intersecting groove, and said reveal inserts are also mounted in said edge groove.  
   
   
       12 . The wall panel system of  claim 11 , wherein said panel array includes an array edge formed by vertical panel edges and an inside corner formed by angularly intersecting panels, and identical elongate trim strips having trim walls for engaging panel edges form both a vertical trim for said vertical panel edges and an inside corner trim disposed between said angular and he intersecting panels.  
   
   
       13 . The wall panel system of  claim 11 , wherein said intersecting grooves in each of said panels cooperate to form horizontally aligned grooves in an adjacent panels in said array of panels.  
   
   
       14 . The wall panel system of  claim 11 , wherein said panels are of at least two different area sizes.  
   
   
       15 . The wall panel system of  claim 14 , wherein said panels are of the same height and different widths.  
   
   
       16 . The wall panel system of  claim 15 , wherein said panels of different sizes are arranged in a selected panel sequence and said panel sequence is repeated to form said panel array of said prefinished wall.  
   
   
       17 . The wall panel system of  claim 10 , wherein mounting fasteners extend through said grooves to secure said panel to said support wall, said mounting fasteners being hidden from view by said reveal inserts.  
   
   
       18 . The wall panel system of  claim 17 , wherein said panels are individually mounted to said support wall to provide a nonprogressive panel system wherein any panel may be removed without prior removal of an adjacent panel.  
   
   
       19 . The wall panel system of  claim 10 , wherein said intersecting grooves in each of said panels cooperate to form a plaid-like pattern of unevenly spaced repeated grooves crossing at right angles whereby the pattern has an overall linear appearance.  
   
   
       20 . The wall panel system of  claim 19 , wherein said panels are of at least two different area sizes.  
   
   
       21 . The wall panel system of  claim 20 , wherein said panels are of the same height and different widths.  
   
   
       22 . The wall panel system of  claim 20 , wherein said panels of different sizes are arranged in a selected panel sequence and said panel sequence is repeated to form said panel array of said prefinished wall.  
   
   
       23 . In a wall panel system comprising a plurality of panels adapted to be mounted to a support wall to form a prefinished wall, each of said panels having a finished front surface extending between panel edges lying in vertical and horizontal orientations, said panels including adjacent vertical edges forming at least one outside corner at the adjacent edges of intersecting first and second panels, the improvement comprising an outside corner trim element mounted to said support wall along said corner, said trim element including a central corner element aligned with said intersection and laterally extending trim portions, said trim portions extending over said adjacent vertical edges and including separately mounted trim pieces that may be selected to match or contrast said finished front surfaces of said panels.  
   
   
       24 . The wall system of  claim 23 , wherein said trim portions include insert channels for receiving said trim pieces.  
   
   
       25 . The wall system of  claim 24 , wherein said insert channel has a height substantially equal to the height of said outside corner trim element, a width substantially equal to the lateral extent of said trim portion and a thickness substantially equal to the thickness of said trim piece.  
   
   
       26 . The wall system of  claim 25 , wherein said insert channel is formed with a generally flat bottom and first and second opposed overhangs for receiving opposite vertical edges of said trim piece.  
   
   
       27 . The wall system of  claim 26 , wherein said central corner element includes said first overhang adjacent each of said trim portions, and a lip projecting from said trim portion provides said second overhang adjacent a lateral extremity of said trim portion.  
   
   
       28 . The wall system of  claim 25 , wherein said trim pieces are formed of a laminated plastic.  
   
   
       29 . The wall system of  claim 23 , wherein said trim portions resiliently engage said panels.  
   
   
       30 . The wall system of  claim 23 , wherein said trim portions cover and hide from view said vertical panel edges at said corner.