Japanese facade panels for a private house: an overview of materials and manufacturers

The attractive appearance of any building is created, first of all, by its facade. One of the innovative ways to decorate houses is to use a ventilated façade system. Such practical and durable panels on the market of finishing materials are offered by the Japanese brands Nichiha, Kmew, Asahi and Konoshima.

The zealous owners care not only about the quality and reasonable price of materials used to decorate the house, but also about their maximum environmental friendliness. That is why they should pay attention to the technologies of Japanese manufacturers. The cardinal difference between such finishing options is the ventilating facades.

One of the features of Japanese finishing materials is practicality., which is due to the self-cleaning surface. Decorating structures with such panels, you get neat facades that do not require special care, because the dirt from them is easily washed off by itself during the rain.

The standard dimensions of facade finishing panels from Japan are 455x3030 mm with a thickness of 14 to 21 mm. Another distinctive feature of such materials is ease of installation. All Japanese fastening systems and their components are identical. Therefore, you can not only change parts without problems, but also arrange materials from different manufacturers to your liking.

Japanese panels can be mounted horizontally or vertically. In addition to the finishing material, the kit includes fasteners, accessories, as well as a sealant and special masking paint in accordance with the selected shade of the panels. Modern cladding panels have hidden locks for fastening, due to which the surface of the facade is solid and almost without joints. And thanks to the ventilation gap in the material, air circulation is ensured, due to which condensation does not form between the tiles.

Panels consist of several layers (primary, main, connecting and external color). It is due to the multilayer effect that the strength, fire resistance, sound and heat insulation of products are ensured. Japanese manufacturers use cladding material that resembles natural stone, brick, wood, slate or decorative plaster. Accordingly, you can choose the option of wall decoration for any style.

For example, wood-like tiles are suitable for a country house or a country-style cottage. Stone finishing will be appropriate for a multi-storey massive cottage. At the same time, the imitation of natural stone with external finishing with Japanese panels is so believable that even such small details as scuffs, scratches or color changes will be visible.

In the modern world, Japanese facade materials are used not only for decorating summer cottages and houses, but also for cladding offices, cafes, shops, restaurants, cinemas, libraries and other public facilities. In this case, the option "under plaster" is usually chosen, while they can be used both outside and inside the premises.

Japanese manufacturer Nichiha has been in the finishing materials market for many decades. In our country, he has been known since 2012. Today it is one of the most popular brands selling this kind of products. Products of this brand are distinguished by a long service life, environmental friendliness and durability.All this is possible thanks to the innovative technologies used in the production of panels and the special components that make up them.

Environmental friendliness and safety of materials for human health is achieved through the use of such additional componentslike mica, quartz, wood fiber and even green tea fibers. It is for this reason that Nichiha finishing panels are often used not only for facades, but also for decorating interior walls in a room. The surface of Nichiha façade materials is self-cleaning. This means that after the first rain, your home will shine in the sun like new. Panels of this brand "on the top five" cope with the tasks of sound and heat insulation, and are also fireproof and frost-resistant.

Also, Russian consumers are pleased with the rich selection of designs, textures and shades of Nichina facade panels. Especially popular with our compatriots are options that imitate brick, metal or stone, wood-like siding. Since the general palette of shades of facade panels of this Japanese brand includes about 1000 items, everyone can choose an option to their liking and in accordance with a specific design of an architectural object.

The Japanese brand Kmew has earned a solid reputation worldwide as a reliable and proven manufacturer of fiber cement facade and roofing panels. This finishing material is made with the addition of natural additives and cellulose fibers. Thanks to this, the company's panels are classified as environmentally friendly and safe for human and animal health.

The strength of such panels is ensured by a special production technology. The material is pressed under high pressure and then processed in an oven at a temperature of about 180 degrees Celsius. Thanks to this, Kmew facade panels are resistant to external influences, impacts and various mechanical damage.

Advantages of Kmew panels:

• fire resistance;
• lightness of the material, which simplifies the installation process and eliminates the need to mount supporting structures;
• high degree of sound insulation;
• seismic resistance (the finish will withstand even a strong earthquake);
• frost resistance (material tests are carried out at different temperatures);
• ease of care (due to the properties of self-cleaning from dust and dirt);

• color fastness (the manufacturer guarantees color retention up to 50 years);
• resistance to ultraviolet radiation;
• ease of installation and solidity of the facade surface, which is achieved due to special hidden fastening;
• the ability to install panels at any temperature and at any time of the year;
• a wide range of colors and textures of Japanese finishing materials, which allows not only to select panels for any architectural solution, but also to combine materials from different collections to implement the most daring design ideas.

As for design, the company's assortment includes panels of several series. The Neoroc direction offers materials with a large cavity in the form of capsules. Thanks to this, the panels are lightweight and prevent the formation of moisture during temperature extremes. The Seradir series is distinguished by the presence of small porous formations, and the panels have the same innovative properties as the previous ones.

The company also offers several types of materials suitable for external surfaces.

• "Hydrofilceramics" - ceramic coating with the addition of silicone gel, due to which the panels become immune to UV radiation and retain their original color longer.
• "Powercoat" is an acrylic coating with silicone that protects the fiber cement outer layer from dirt and dust.
• The composition of "Photoceramics" includes photocatalysts, thanks to which the panels have enhanced self-cleaning properties.
• "Powercoat Hydrofil" thanks to a special coating, it prevents any dirt from entering the facade panels.

Another manufacturer of facade panels, less popular in our country, but no less in demand all over the world, is Asahi. Its panels are not afraid of wind, precipitation, dust and dirt. Their feature is the presence of cellulose and Portland cement in the composition, which ensures an increased service life and durability of facade products.

The fade resistance of the products of this brand is not lower than that of other Japanese manufacturers. Among the advantages of the products, one can note a wide variety of shades, as well as excellent heat and energy saving properties. Ease of installation is ensured by the fact that the panels can be installed on profiles made of various materials (for example, wood or metal).

Fiber cement panels of another trade mark from Japan Konoshima have a nanoceramic coating of minimum thickness, which protects the facade from the effects of precipitation, ultraviolet radiation, dust and pollution. The titanium oxide present in them in combination with oxygen oxidizes mold and dirt, thereby destroying them. And water or condensation falling on the surface can form a kind of film, where dust and dirt settle, without penetrating into the panel itself. Therefore, even a light rain can easily wash away all dirt from the facade. It is also important that Konoshima finishing panels do not contain toxic substances or asbestos.

When using Japanese facade panels, it is worth remembering the recommendations of professionals and taking into account the reviews of the masters. In the harsh Russian climate (of course, if you do not live in the south, where there are no cold winters), experts strongly recommend placing a layer of insulation between the wall and the façade lined with panels. This will not only make any building warmer, but also significantly improve its performance.

Mineral wool or expanded polystyrene can be used as insulating material. Cheap foam is also allowed, but unfortunately it does not allow condensate to evaporate from internal structures. Therefore, in this case, you will need to create additional ventilation holes. The selected insulation can be fixed both with special glue and with ordinary dowels and self-tapping screws.

With the help of Japanese fiber cement panels of the brands Nichiha, Kmewca, Asahi and Konoshima, you can easily turn an ordinary modest house into a real work of architectural art and surprise your neighbors.

However, when buying, it is worth remembering that there are a large number of fakes on the building materials market. As you know, the miser always pays twice. For this reason, it is recommended to purchase facade panels exclusively from official distributors of Japanese companies. There you can also order the installation of finishing materials with the help of craftsmen specially trained in Japan.

For manufacturers of Japanese facade panels for a private house, see the following video.