Facade panels for exterior decoration of the house: types, features, installation

Facade finishing is one of the most important events. Not only the appearance, but also the performance of the building depends on it. One of the ways to quickly and efficiently cope with the task is to use facade panels for the exterior of the house. They are different, from different materials with different characteristics and appearance. 

Types of facade panels

Facade panels for the exterior of a house are a solid group of materials with different technical characteristics, made from different materials. To choose, you need to at least roughly imagine their appearance, features and properties.

For finishing the facades of private houses

Not all facade panels are used for facing private houses. The point is not that “it is impossible”, but that they do not fit, moreover, almost everything in appearance. Another reason is the complexity of installation and high cost. Today you can find the following facade panels for the exterior of a house of various types. We list all of them below.

facade siding

A well-known finishing material in the form of long planks mounted on a frame. There are traditional options painted in one of the colors, there is an imitation of timber, logs, brickwork.

This is the most affordable material for finishing the facade of a house, but it is too thin and has a low resistance to mechanical damage. Another nuance is that the sunny side fades, and not everyone likes the look.

Ground siding

Basement siding is also made of polymers – PVC (vinyl), polypropylene. It is produced in the form of rectangular panels, some with locks along the edges. Basically, they imitate brickwork of different colors and textures, wild or faceted stone.

The mass from which the plinth facade panels are formed is colored in mass, therefore scratches and other damages do not differ from the front surface. They differ from facade siding not only in shape and price (more expensive), but also in greater thickness (20-30 mm, versus 15 mm) and more plausible imitation of stone or brick.

Fiber cement façade panels for house exteriors

Fiber cement is an environmentally friendly material that is obtained from a mixture of fiber (small synthetic fibers) and cement. Boards or slabs are formed from the mass, after which they are painted. They were invented in Japan, therefore they are also called “Japanese facade plates”.

Disadvantages – a large mass and color of the surface layer (the cement base is visible on deep chips). Dignity – the material does not burn and does not support combustion. If we talk about the price, then Japanese stoves are expensive, but there are analogues of Chinese and domestic production with more loyal prices. Chinese, A-Vent groups, by the way, are of good quality. The company has been on the market for a long time, the reviews are mostly good.

WPC (Wood Polymer Composite)

The wood ground to fibers is mixed with a liquid polymer, a dye is added. Plates or boards (lining, planken) are formed from the resulting mass. This material is used not only for finishing facades, it is used for flooring near the pool, in the gazebo, on the open veranda.

In appearance, and even in tactile sensations, the wood-polymer composite is very similar to wood. The difference is that these “boards” do not need to be painted or varnished. They retain their original appearance for a long time. The disadvantage is a considerable mass and high price. But they are durable, as they are painted in mass, chips and damage (if any) are not visible.

Porcelain tiles

The appearance of this material is known to everyone, since a thinner variety is used to finish the floor. Facade porcelain tile differs in greater thickness and dimensions.

Facing the facade with porcelain stoneware has serious drawbacks: a lot of weight, the complexity of cutting and installation, which entails a high cost of installation work. And this is a plus to the fact that the material itself is far from cheap. The disadvantages also include an overly pompous appearance, so the architecture must be appropriate. And so, the decoration of the house with porcelain stoneware facade slabs is beautiful, durable, resistant to climatic factors.

Clinker facade panels

This is a multilayer material. A layer of insulation (polystyrene foam) is glued onto the OSB layer (not always available), and a thin clinker tile is glued to it. There is an option only from polystyrene foam and clinker. Produced in the form of rectangular blocks with serrated edges.

The material is expensive, but at the same time durable and attractive in appearance. In addition, thermal insulation characteristics are improved simultaneously with the finish. This is the only material that goes along with the insulation, therefore it is also called facade thermal panels.

So which is better?

It is impossible to say unequivocally which of the listed materials is better. In appearance, many of them are similar, although there are exceptions. For example, porcelain stoneware or facade siding can hardly be confused with anything. But all the rest have a similar flourish. So in this matter you have to focus on your own preferences.

As for the performance properties, there are no clear favorites either. All have features and disadvantages. So, according to these parameters, it is necessary to select facade panels for the exterior of the house, depending on the properties of the material from which the house is built and the need for heat / wind / sound insulation.

For example, vapor-permeable walls are best finished without foam. It does not conduct moisture. At all. In this regard, the use of clinker thermal panels is undesirable. No, you can add vapor barrier material from the inside. The vapor barrier will block moisture from entering the wall, everything will be fine with the finish. But moisture will remain indoors. To remove it, you need a powerful ventilation system, and its installation is an expensive pleasure. And it must be designed at the design stage of the house. So thermal panels can be used on houses made of wood or aerated concrete only if they are mounted on a crate. No direct wall mounting.

If we talk about cost. Of all the listed cheapest way of finishing – facade siding. Next in price are basement siding, fiber cement boards and WPC. And the most expensive are porcelain stoneware and clinker facade panels.

For decoration of industrial buildings and offices

In this section, we list the facade panels that are most often used to decorate offices, industrial, commercial or warehouse buildings. This does not mean that they cannot be used for a private house or cottage. It’s just that their look is not very suitable for “home” in the broadest sense. But houses with non-standard architecture – in the style of techno, minimalism and other similar ones – can be finished very well. They will look even more unusual.

• Metal panels. They are produced in the form of rectangular or square blocks of different sizes. They are made from steel or aluminum. Steel is cheaper, but prone to corrosion. Aluminum do not corrode, but are expensive. This type of facade panels for private houses is also sharply used due to their “noisiness”, which makes them the least attractive of the whole group.
  

• translucent panels. This type of facade panels is used for finishing office high-rise buildings. They are made from transparent sheet plycarbonate or double-glazed windows – several glasses installed in one profile. In private housing construction, they can be used for arranging a winter garden, an indoor pool, glazing a large terrace, a balcony, a loggia. They can be made of transparent material, dyed in mass or sprayed (mainly mirror, on one side). You can, probably, decorate the whole house with translucent facade panels, but for this you need to involve an architect – the material is too demanding on aesthetics, and even with difficult technical installation conditions.
  

• Sandwich panels. Produced in the form of blocks of large format. These are two metal plates (the front one is very similar to corrugated board), between which a heat-insulating material is laid. Appointment – finishing industrial and warehouse buildings. It is not suitable for private houses for aesthetic reasons, although it can be used for summer cottages if there are no too high requirements for appearance. It is possible to build technical premises from them – garages, gatehouses, utility blocks.
  

• Aluminum composite boards. One of the varieties of sandwich panels. Between two flat sheets of aluminum is a layer of composite material. Again, not very common to see in the private sector. There are two reasons – the high price and the same “office” look, although it may be suitable for finishing the basement, since the aluminum composite finish is not as “noisy” as just “metal”.
  

As you can see, any of the materials of this group can also be used to decorate a private house. The view will be non-standard. If this is what you need, choose the appropriate option.

Mounting method

Facade panels for exterior decoration of a house are made of different materials, have different shapes, but their installation method is very similar. During the installation process, special elements for fastening can be used, but the device is the same – according to the principle of ventilated facades. In short, the installation looks like this: a lattice is assembled from profiles, and facade finishing panels are attached to it.

Facade panels for exterior decoration of the house are attached to a special frame. It is exposed in a horizontal and vertical plane, after which facade panels are screwed onto it for exterior decoration of the house.

The frame is assembled from metal and plastic profiles, sometimes wooden bars are used. A wooden beam is an economical option, since in most areas of the country it costs much less than metal products. But it is suitable only for materials with low weight and not particularly demanding on the installation system.

Facade and basement siding, fiber cement boards, WPC, clinker panels can be fixed on the bars. Only before installation, the wood must be treated with antibacterial and flame retardant compounds. Bars can be replaced with galvanized drywall profiles. They also do their job well. But we must remember that most facade panels have their own system of profiles with special fasteners. Regular fastening provides, as a rule, hidden installation – without damaging the front surface. Replacing the profiles with a beam, you have to drill holes in the finish for the installation of fasteners, and this is not very good, as it violates the tightness.

The system of ventilated facades is good because at the same time as finishing it is possible to insulate the building, improve sound insulation (lay appropriate materials between the profiles). Another important advantage is that the problem of removing condensate is easily solved. Disadvantage: significant material costs for the fastening system itself (plus the cost of facade panels).

Let’s take an example of how to finish the facade with basement siding, fiber cement and clinker slabs. Why these materials? Because you can read about the installation of facade siding here, and the materials presented are the closest competitors, gradually forcing it out of the market.

Installation of basement siding

From traditional lathing for linear finishing materials (siding, for example), the installation of basement siding differs in that the lathing must be “in a cage” – profiles / bars must pass at the junction of the panels. Since the basement siding looks like a rectangle, the crate should also look like this. Another feature is the installation of the start and J-profile. They close the sections of the material, give support, give a finished look. They are not so expensive, so it’s not worth it to be smart trying to do without them.

And we must also remember that there are special corner panels for decorating the corners of the building. They are purchased separately, and often have a different color or even a different texture. So even a rectangular or square house looks more interesting.

The procedure for installing basement siding is as follows:

• The surface is cleared of everything that can fall, fall off. Large holes are sealed with mortar, loose bricks are fixed, seams are sealed, the surface is leveled. The maximum allowable difference is 2 cm per 1 meter.
• A crate is stuffed onto the prepared base. You can use timber, profiles. First, horizontal strips are stuffed – in increments equal to the height of the panel. The junction of two fragments should fall on the profile. By the same principle, a step is selected for installing vertical slats. They are stuffed between horizontal ones. For greater rigidity of the cladding, two vertical lintels can be installed on one fragment of the basement siding. After all, one panel has a length of more than a meter – 1130-1160 mm, so it can sag in the middle.
  

• The starting profile is attached to the lower horizontal lath of the crate. It can be fastened to a bar with small nails or staples from a construction stapler, to a metal profile – with metal screws. It is attached to the corners of the building.
• A fragment of the basement siding is inserted into the profile, leveled, fixed along the perimeter with nails / self-tapping screws to the crate.
• The second panel is connected to the first with a lock. We insert, we achieve full coincidence, we fix. Then the process is repeated. In cases where the panel has to be cut (the corner of a building, for example), a J-profile is installed. It is slightly different from the starting one, designed just for such cases.

That’s the whole installation of basement siding. After the crate is assembled, the process goes quickly (if the dimensions of the panels match and there are no problems with shades).

How to install fiber cement boards

Fiber cement facade panels for the exterior of the house can also be mounted on a crate of wooden bars, but they will have to be fixed through, having previously drilled a hole. Regular frame for the installation of fiber cement boards consists of horizontal and vertical profiles. In this case, the plates can be installed on clamps – special plates for flush mounting.

Assembling the frame

The order of work is as follows:

• First, in increments of 100 cm, horizontal profiles in the form of the letter “G” are attached. They are installed using brackets, which correct the irregularities of the base wall.
• If necessary, a heater is attached, on top of which a steam-wind protective film is fixed.
  

• Vertical profiles are mounted, which are fastened to horizontal ones with self-tapping screws. Installation step – 60 cm. There are two types of vertical ones;
  • Basic U-shaped (wide). They are placed at the joints of the plates. Two adjacent sheets of fiber cement are inserted into this profile.
  • Auxiliary (thin). They are installed in the middle of the sheet, in the corners and on the slopes. Those in the middle of the sheet are needed to install fasteners and to support the middle of the slab.
• Attach fiber cement boards. You can use self-tapping screws, making holes in the surface or using clamps. About mounting methods in more detail below.

When fastening with self-tapping screws, they are screwed in so that they fall into the profile. At the same time, one should try to get into the technological recess (the seam between the “bricks”). In this case, the fastening is less noticeable.

Fastening fiber cement boards to the frame

Fastening with clamps is hidden. In this case, the surface of the plate is not damaged. Clamps are attached to the profiles and hold the plates with special tongues. The order of work is as follows:

• The bottom drain is installed.
• The starting bar is attached.
• The corners are set.
• The first row of plates is placed in the starting bar, fixed with clamps from above. They are put, trying to get into the established profiles.
• The next sheet rests on the ledges on the clamps. On the reverse side of the fiber cement board there is a special seal that guarantees the tightness of the connection.

This installation method is invisible – the clamps are located so that they are behind the panel, and the protruding tongues are closed with the next fiber cement slab.

Most of the ventilated facades are mounted according to this principle, which include all or almost all facade panels for the exterior of the house. The shape of the profiles and clamps is different, the installation step, everything else is very, very similar.

Installation of clinker facade panels

As already mentioned, any facade panels for exterior decoration of a house are mounted according to the same principle, therefore we will only talk about the differences that are specific to clinker thermal blocks.

Features of choice

Their main difference is that they come immediately with a heater – polystyrene foam. When choosing them, it is necessary to choose not only the quality of the clinker (when struck with a metal object, the sound should be sonorous). It is important to choose the right thickness of the insulation. The dew point should be in the thickness of the insulation. This is very important for normal operation (the walls will not get wet and freeze, the house will be warm and dry).

The second important point: on even walls (height difference no more than 3 mm) they can be mounted without crates, directly to the wall. In this case, it is necessary to use long dowels or self-tapping screws (when mounting on wooden walls). Otherwise, a frame is assembled from a wooden beam, which compensates for all the irregularities.

How is installation different?

Other significant installation differences:

• Each facade thermal panel has a number of factory-formed holes for fasteners. When installing on the crate, you do not need to drill anything. The panel is installed in place, its position is checked, the screws are tightened. When mounting on a wall, you must first install plugs for dowels. Then the order of work is as follows: the panel is installed, holes are marked with a thin drill in the places where the fasteners are installed, the panel is removed, plugs are installed. Put the panel back in place, install the dowels. The process is lengthy, and even when re-installing, it is necessary to set the block so that the fastener holes match.
• Facade clinker thermal panels have a tongue/groove connection. It is necessary to insert them into each other all the way, achieving the absence of gaps and cracks (you can tap with your palm, but not on the insulation, but on the surface, so as not to damage the spike).
  

• It is not necessary to tighten the fasteners to the stop. Mounting holes are designed to allow freedom of movement. This is necessary when changing temperatures – to compensate for thermal expansion.
• It is necessary to fasten the facade clinker panels from the corner.
• First, the first row of panels along the wall is located. When installing it, you must strictly monitor the horizontal position. Then the whole finish will be mounted without problems. A starting bar can make things easier. It can be a flat board, a beam, a profile, which is mounted so that its upper edge is a support for the first row of facade panels. The second row is installed after the first is completed.
• When forming corners, cut off the edge of the panel. The cut is exactly at 90°. Then the tile and the layer of insulation under it are cut at an angle of 45 °. By adding two panels cut in this way, we get an angle of 90 °.
• When bypassing window and door openings, the panels are cut so that they can then be joined to the insulation. The joints are then filled with mounting foam.
• After installation, the seams are overwritten. Grout consumption – about 2 kg per square meter.

Clinker facade panels for the exterior of a house after installation look exactly the same as a house built from clinker bricks. You will not find any differences at first or second glance. Unless the laying is too perfect.