Finishing Material Standoff Member For A Structural Support and Installation Method Therefor

Abstract

A standoff members and a method of installation of fastenable standoff members for use in fastening finishing material to structural metal supports. The standoff member is configured with a structural support mating surface a transversely spaced finishing material mating surface. The structural support mating surface has a fastener penetration zone within which zone a fastener may be driven into the structural support. The structural support mating surface may also include an intermediary bonding adhesive or double sided adhesive tape designed for structural applications present between the structural support mating surface and the structural support. The present invention also encompasses, in a preferred form, a method of installation and / or utilization of fastenable standoff framing members wherein a structural support mating surface having a transversely spaced finishing material mating surface is fixed to a structural support. The fastenable standoff is fixed at a fastener penetration zone of the structural support mating surface. A fastener is driven through the fastener penetration zone into the structural support.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention relates to the finishing of structural supports. In particular, this invention relates to structural support finishing components and a method of installing the structural support finishing components so that finishing material such as wallboard may be affixed to the structural supports.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]The construction of commercial and residential structures often requires the use of structural supports such as metal load bearing supports. These structural supports are typically sturdy rectangular, square, and / or planar members having dimensions which are often several inches in width and which incorporate substantially surfaces meeting at right angles. The structural supports are commonly constructed of such materials as steel, aluminum, iron, and / or alloys of such metals. In one application, the structural supports are typically intended to receive a compressive load on one end and transmit the compressive load to...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0007]The fastenable standoff member is configured to provide a finishing material mating surface which is transversely spaced from the structural support by a desired distance. Multiple finishing material mating surfaces can be employed for the efficient attachment of finishing material to the exterior surface of multiple structural supports. In addition, the exterior of a structural support may be converted from a channeled or fluted surface to a substantially square or rectangular shape.

[0009]The present invention also provides a new and improved method of installing and utilizing a standoff member for attachment of finishing material to a structural support in an efficient, safe and cost effective manner.

Problems solved by technology

It is well known that exposed structural supports introduce several potential problems.

For instance, the exposed structural supports often do not mesh or blend into the aesthetic design flow of the building into which they are incorporated.

In addition, unprotected structural supports, when composed mainly of metal, may be subject to corrosion from salts and moisture.

Furthermore, the structural supports are often formed of extremely heavy, dense, and thick metals and / or concrete that prevent finishing material fasteners from embedding into the structural supports.

For at least this reason, the sealing, coating, covering, and / or encasing of these structural supports is a labor intensive and expensive operation.

A full-length steel stud is often several feet in length and is relatively expensive.

The full-length steel studs, because of their sizable dimensions, require a number of man-hours to install in a typical building project.

In addition, since the typical full-length steel stud is configured to be a load bearing structure, the use of steel studs for the purpose of merely attaching finishing material to the structural supports is wasteful and inefficient.

Furthermore, the full-length steel studs, due to their large dimensions, often waste valuable interior room space due to the void they create between the finishing material and the structural supports.

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