Fiber cement slabs: photo, characteristics

The market of building materials in our time is filled with a lot of finishing materials for exterior facing buildings, structures and individual houses. Among them - slabs of fiber cement, which produce with the use of modern high technologies. These are environmentally friendly products that do not contain tar and such a toxic and hazardous to health component as asbestos. Fibrocement slabs are a structural element in the device of ventilated hinged facade in buildings with capital and skeleton walls.

What is a fiber cement board

Fibrocement slabs are a modern decorative covering, which is intended for arrangement of interiors and facing of facades. The composition of this lining material includes such components: cement - 90%, mineral fillers and cellulose fibers - 10%. The panel structure consists of such layers:

• Fiber cement sheet;
• Water-repellent layer;
• Decorative layer.

Fibrocement slabs, photos of which you can find in the article, can have the following dimensions: length 1200-3600 mm, width - from 445 to 1500 mm, thickness 4-18 mm. These products are manufactured by the pressing method with subsequent heat treatment, as a result of which they have high strength, flexibility, homogeneous structure.

Differences from other finishing materials

Plates made of fiber cement have a mass of positive qualities that favorably differ from other finishing materials. The main characteristics of the coating are:

• Resistance to atmospheric influences;
• Low thermal conductivity;
• Good sound insulation;
• Air permeability.

Facing fibrocement slabs does not require special attention and care during operation. The material is stronger than the others several times, so it does not break under the influence of mechanical loads. The service life of the plates is about 50 years.

Scope of fiber-cement slabs

This material is used for cladding stations, supermarkets, sports complexes, multi-storey and individual houses (both newly-built and old ones). Refractory fibrocement slab, the characteristics of which allow it to be used for finishing baths, saunas, stoves and fireplaces, has a wide variety of species. The combination of this material with other decorative coatings makes it possible to create a unique exterior. The flexibility of the plates allows them to be used for finishing buildings of different configurations. A large selection of color palette and textures promotes the implementation of any design ideas.

Advantages of fiber cement slabs

Facade fiber-cement slabs have a number of advantages:

• Strength and ductility;
• Refractoriness;
• Frost resistance;
• Resistance to ultraviolet radiation;
• Environmental friendliness and safety;
• Sound and heat insulation;
• Mud resistance;
• Do not undergo corrosion and decay.

Installation of fiber cement slabs

The installation of slabs from fiber cement is started from the frame device. For this, metal supports with a paronit gasket are fastened to the supporting wall by means of dowels . The vertical distance between them should correspond to the dimensions of the thermal insulation sheet , but not more than 60 cm. The horizontal profiles of the battens are fixed to the metal brackets with screws or rivets.

Insulating plates are fixed with dowels, without gaps between them and the surface. The main and intermediate vertical profiles are mounted on horizontal. The stepwise distance of the main elements along the vertical depends on the size of the fiber-fiber panels. Intermediate profiles are mounted with a distance of no more than 60 cm horizontally.

Fibre-cement slabs are produced with or without grooves, of different thicknesses, on which the method of installation depends. Panels with grooves are fixed with the help of kleimers, and thin products to the vertical profiles of the crate are attached to the sealing tape with colored screws at a distance of no more than 40 cm vertically. At the fastening point of the front panel, drill the required hole at least 5 cm from the edge of the plate.

Vertical and horizontal joints between linings should not exceed 2 mm. If a decorative façade cast is used in horizontal joints, the gap between panels can be 10 mm. When using a corner decorative profile in vertical joints, the gap from the edge of the plate to the corner is 2 mm.

The scheme of the sequence of mounting plates is as follows:

• Fiber cement board;
• Heat-insulating layer;
• Mounting brackets;
• Horizontal profile;
• Framed vertical element;
• Sealing tape EPDM;
• Horizontal decorative profile;
• surface.

Variants of registration of facades by plates

The facilities can be faced with slabs having colored coatings that mimic bricks, natural stone and other materials. Facade facing from the front side contains a protective layer, which consists of polyurethane and acrylic. This material has a margin of safety, ensuring the reliability and durability of buildings. The installation of it on the frame is made by one of two ways of fastening: in the form of clamping panels or kleimers.

Facade fibrocement slabs, which have a "natural stone" coating, consist of three layers. The fiber cement sheet is located inside, the front side is covered with a painted decor in the form of a natural stone. On the other side of the panel there is a polymer layer of vapor barrier.

The coating of natural stone chips consists of several layers:

• Water-repellent layer;
• Fiber cement board;
• A colored chemical composition based on epoxy resin;
• Natural stone crumbs.

Practicality of fiber-cement slabs

Fibrocement slabs are very simple and convenient to install, which allows to shorten the time for finishing works. Thanks to the layer of light catalyst applied on them, they do not need special care. The surface from contamination is cleared during rain or with water from a hose. Facing buildings with such slabs can be carried out in any climatic conditions. Due to the strength of the plates they are used not only on the walls, but also on the plinth.