Lap and panel siding with ventilation elements

Abstract

A plurality of ventilation elements, vents, slots, or gap elements or similar features that are applied to, or machined into, one or more sides or faces of exterior siding products. When the exterior siding product is installed, the ventilation elements, vents, slots, or gap elements or similar features provide a built-in air and water gap to facilitate and increase water drainage and air circulation behind the siding or panel, thereby minimizing water storage in the space behind the product and lowering the equilibrium moisture content of the siding itself. The ventilation features are incorporated into the corresponding product in-line or during the manufacturing process, and do not require any further work during assembly or construction on-site (e.g., furring strips or other similar drainage mechanisms are not needed).

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of producing a panel with ventilation elements, comprising the steps of:
 providing a panel with a first face, a second face, a top edge, a bottom edge, a right edge, and a left edge;   applying, on a production line, a first set of first ventilation elements to a first area of said first face, wherein each first raised ventilation element in said first set has a longitudinal axis and projects a first distance from the first face;   applying, on said production line, a second set of second ventilation elements to a second area of said first face; wherein each second raised ventilation element in said second set has a longitudinal axis and projects a second distance from the first face;   wherein the first area and the second area overlap at least in part, but the first raised ventilation elements and the second raised ventilation elements do not contact each other.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first raised ventilation features are oriented at an angle to the second raised ventilation features so that the longitudinal axis of the first raised ventilation elements is not parallel to the longitudinal axis of the second raised ventilation features. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , herein the first and second raised ventilation elements are polymers. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first set of first raised ventilation elements and the second set of second raised ventilation elements are arranged to provide ventilation and drainage whether the panel is installed in a vertical or horizontal orientation. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
 applying, on said production line, a third set of third ventilation elements to a third area of said first face; wherein each third raised ventilation element in said third set has a longitudinal axis and projects a third distance from the first face; and   applying, on said production line, a fourth set of fourth ventilation elements to a fourth area of said first face; wherein each fourth raised ventilation element in said fourth set has a longitudinal axis and projects a third distance from the first face;   wherein the third area and the fourth area overlap at least in part, but do not overlap with the first area.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the third set of third ventilation elements are arranged to provide ventilation between adjacent panels in a multiple-panel stack. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the third set of third ventilation elements are arranged to accelerate equilibration by the panel. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first ventilation elements and/or the second ventilation element comprise polymers. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first ventilation elements and/or the second ventilation element are rectilinear in shape. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the panel is a lap siding panel. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the panel is a flat siding panel, a vertical siding panel, a trim panel, or a cladding panel. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the panel is a wood-based panel. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the panel is a manufactured wood panel. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first face is the inner face of the panel.