Method of making building panel structure

Abstract

An improved method is disclosed for manufacturing composite panels of sandwich-types, with each composite panel including an outer layer formed from a mixture of solid particles and a resinous binder and a structural inner layer or core element which penetrates and is bonded to the outer resinous layer. The improved method achieves more accurate and consistent spacing of the outer layer relative to the inner core element by providing means for accurately and consistently controlling the degree of penetration of the outer layer by the inner core element. This is done by spreading a first layer of the mixture of solid particles and liquid resinous binder on a mold base. A sheet of material which is permeable to the mixture of particles and resinous binder is applied to the surface of the first layer, and the resinous binder in the first layer is allowed to gel. A second layer of the mixture of solid particles and liquid resinous binder is spread over the gelled first layer and the sheet of material which is positioned substantially at the surface of the first layer. One side of the inner core element of the composite panel is then applied to the second layer of the mixture of solid particles and liquid binder so as to penetrate such second layer sufficiently that the contacting side of the core element is positioned adjacent to the sheet of material at the surface of the gelled first layer. Both the first and second layers are then cured to a hardened, rigid, solid state.