Building surface product including attachment structures, building surface system, and method of assembly

Abstract

The present disclosure relates generally to building surface systems, for example, suitable for forming an internal or external surface of a building. The present disclosure relates more particularly to a building surface product that includes a panel and a first attachment post extending outward from a rear surface of the panel. The first attachment post includes a shaft having a first end that penetrates the rear surface of the panel and second end that is spaced from the panel. The first attachment post also includes a lip extending radially outward from the shaft that is configured to hold the first attachment post in an aperture of a support structure. The disclosure also relates to a building surface system including a plurality of rails configured to panels that include an attachment post.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A building surface product comprising:
 a substantially planar panel having a first side, a second side, a first end, a second end, a front surface, a rear surface, and a gypsum body between the front surface and rear surface;   a first attachment post extending outward from the rear surface of the panel, the first attachment post including:
 a shaft having a first end that penetrates the rear surface of the panel and second end that is spaced from the panel, and 
 a lip extending radially outward from the shaft and configured to hold the first attachment post in an aperture of a support structure. 
   
     
     
         2 . The building surface product according to  claim 1 , wherein the gypsum body includes a front layer and a reinforcing layer disposed behind the front layer,
 wherein the first attachment post extends at least partially through the reinforcing layer.   
     
     
         3 . The building surface product according to  claim 2 , wherein the reinforcing layer includes a first section along a first edge of the panel, and wherein the first section is disposed behind the front layer along the first edge. 
     
     
         4 . The building surface product according to  claim 3 , wherein the gypsum body includes a first edge section between the front layer and the first section of the reinforcing layer at the first edge. 
     
     
         5 . The building surface product according to  claim 4 , wherein the front layer has a first tapered face along the first edge, the first section of the reinforcing layer has a tapered face along the first edge, and the first edge section has a triangular shape including a front face that is adjacent to the first tapered face of the front layer and a rear face that is adjacent to the tapered face of the first section of the reinforcing layer. 
     
     
         6 . The building surface product according to  claim 4 , wherein a continuous facing sheet extends around the first edge so as to cover a rear face of the first section of the reinforcing layer, an outer face of the first edge section, and the front face of the front layer. 
     
     
         7 . The building surface product according to  claim 2 , wherein the panel includes a first receiver sleeve and the shaft of the first attachment post extends into the first receiver sleeve. 
     
     
         8 . The building surface product according to  claim 7 , wherein the first receiver sleeve includes an external flange disposed between the front layer and the reinforcing layer. 
     
     
         9 . The building surface system according to  claim 1 , wherein the first attachment post includes a collar spaced from the lip and surrounding the shaft, and wherein the collar engages the rear surface of the panel. 
     
     
         10 . A building surface system comprising:
 a support structure including a plurality of rails that form a support surface, wherein the plurality of rails comprises a first rail including a longitudinal plate and a first receiving slot in the longitudinal plate; and   a first building surface product according to  claim 1  attached to the support structure, wherein the first attachment post of the first building surface product is received in the first receiving slot so as to secure the first building surface product against the support structure.   
     
     
         11 . The building surface system according to  claim 10 , wherein the longitudinal plate includes a first engagement edge extending along one side of the slot, wherein the shaft of the first attachment post extends through the first receiving slot and the lip of the first attachment post abuts the first engagement edge of the longitudinal plate. 
     
     
         12 . The building surface system according to  claim 10 , wherein a first end of the first receiving slot is wider than a second end of the first receiving slot, and wherein the first attachment post is held at the second end of the first receiving slot. 
     
     
         13 . The building surface system according to  claim 10 , wherein the longitudinal plate includes a front face and a first indentation that protrudes rearward from the front face, wherein the first receiving slot is disposed in the first indentation. 
     
     
         14 . A method of forming a building surface system, the method comprising:
 providing a support structure including a plurality of rails that form a support surface, wherein the plurality of rails comprises a first rail including a longitudinal plate and a first receiving slot in the longitudinal plate;   providing a first building surface product comprising:
 a substantially planar panel having a first side, a second side, a first end, a second end, a front surface, a rear surface, and a gypsum body between the front surface and rear surface, and 
 a first attachment post extending outward from the rear surface of the panel, the first attachment post including:
 a shaft having a first end that penetrates the rear surface of the panel and second end that is spaced from the panel, and 
 a lip extending radially outward from the shaft and configured to hold the first attachment post in an aperture of a support structure; 
 
   positioning the first building surface product in front of a support structure such that the rear surface of the panel of the first building surface product faces the support structure and the first attachment post is inserted in the first receiving slot of the longitudinal plate of the first rail; and   securing the first building surface product to the support structure by sliding the first building surface product to an assembled position where the first attachment post is secured in the first receiving slot of the longitudinal plate of the first rail, and the first attachment post retains the first building surface product against the support structure.   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , further comprising:
 positioning a second building surface product in front of the support structure such that a rear surface of a panel of the second building surface product faces the support structure and an attachment post of the second building surface product is inserted in another receiving slot of the longitudinal plate of the first rail; and   securing the second building surface product to the support structure by sliding the second building surface product to an assembled position where the attachment post of the second building surface product is secured in the other receiving slot of the longitudinal plate of the first rail, and the attachment post retains the second building surface product against the support structure.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 14 , further comprising;
 positioning a second rail behind the first building surface product with a second attachment post of the first building surface inserted into a receiving slot of the second rail; and   securing the second rail to the first building surface product by sliding the second rail to an assembled position where the second attachment post of the first building surface product is secured in the receiving slot of the second rail.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein positioning the second rail behind the first building surface product includes placing a projection of the second rail on an upper edge of the panel of the first building surface product. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 16 , further comprising attaching the second rail to vertical framing members of the support structure after sliding the second rail into the assembled position.