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The technology of building houses from SIP panels has been used for several decades in North America. Such construction is also common in Europe. The popularity of this technology is due to the reliability of the design, high speed of construction regardless of weather conditions, and good heat-protective properties. The ease of assembly makes it possible to build a house from SIP panels with your own hands without the involvement of a large team and heavy equipment.
Features of this technology
You can be convinced that this type of construction is feasible by looking at the photo report below on the completed construction work. The information below shows how to build a house from SIP panels yourself.
For complete clarity, it should be noted that the concept of a SIP panel comes from the English language - SIP (Structural Insulated Panel) is translated as a structural insulated panel (see photo).
Houses made from such sandwich panels cope with both lateral loads (hurricane winds) and the weight of snow on the roof.
The main stages of building a house from SIP panels
If construction is planned on land where there was nothing previously, the placement of a house on the site will be associated solely with the personal preferences of the owners, and with the placement standards regarding land boundaries. If there is a pipeline nearby, they are equipped sewage, care must be taken not to damage communications during the construction process.
Markings are made for the foundation.
Construction of the foundation
The light weight of a house made of sandwich panels allows you to minimize the cost of building a foundation. A massive structure is not needed here. Lightweight buildings made from SIP panels can be placed on the following types of foundations:
- tape;
- pile-screw;
- slab.
Of course, you can equip the basement floor.
Here it was decided to build a house without a basement. First, with the help of heavy equipment, they equipped the site and made a small deepening under the foundation. When the recesses are made according to project documentation, arrange the formwork and fill it with concrete mortar.
Cinder blocks are installed on the strip foundation, which are reinforced and filled with concrete.
In this situation, 988 blocks were used. It turns out to be a rather high base of the house. This helps protect your home from moisture and insects. Instead of cinder blocks, you can simply use concrete to fill the base.
Arrangement of the lower level
SIP panels are considered to be very durable. You can easily find a video of a truck driving over such a panel, and it does not deform at all. Therefore, the floor in the house is made from this material. Only first, waterproofing is laid on the foundation. The first panel is placed on it, aligned with the corner of the foundation. The joints between the panels are filled with foam. A connecting key is also installed there. The second panel is attached close to the first. The connecting dowels to which the panels themselves are screwed will add rigidity to the entire structure.
When laying panels, you need to check the level. If there are deviations, they must be eliminated. The end part of the laid panels is covered with strapping boards; foam is used to fasten them. As a result, the floor of the first floor will externally resemble a monolithic panel.
Laying communications
Pre-prepared technological holes are used for laying communications. This is both a water supply system and a sewerage system.
This work must be carried out before laying the finished floor.
Arrangement of internal partitions
Typically, internal partitions are installed simultaneously with the construction of load-bearing walls.
But if there are delays in the delivery of panels, you can first install the frame of the internal partitions in accordance with the diagrams and drawings of the project documentation.
Installation of SIP panels
The main stage of building a house from SIP panels with your own hands is the installation of the panels themselves.
This material must be fixed without gaps or voids. The more airtight the connection, the more comfortable it will be to live in the house. The joints must be filled with foam. Fastening is carried out with self-tapping screws. It is better to secure the panel to the guide beam on the foundation with anchor bolts to eliminate possible shifts during shrinkage of the foundation. The number of joining seams should be minimal. That's why best option- construction of a house from SIP panels made specifically for a specific project.
When the walls of the first floor are assembled, timber and floor panels are laid.
Roof construction
The Mauerlat is made, a rafter system is installed, onto which SIP panels are installed, and the roof is already attached to it. You can see in detail how the roof is installed
Prefabricated houses made from vulture panels are gaining increasing popularity in do-it-yourself construction. Let's look at the main points of building a house using Canadian technology using sip panels.
Foundation for a frame vulture house
The houses are quite light and durable. At the base of the structure, a pile foundation will suffice; the grillage can even be made from timber of the appropriate diameter.
Watch the video about SIP panels on Discovery, interesting experiments!
Construction technology
Sip construction is the assembly of ready-made factory panels using the tongue-and-groove connection principle. The most important point here is quality source material, only with proper execution of the panels themselves will the house be built without gaps at the joints, which will ensure good and durable structure.
When assembling a sip house, the seams and joints are treated with polyurethane foam, which is not recommended to be cut off after hardening. Foam tends to degrade under the influence of ultraviolet radiation; cutting off the edge only speeds up this process.
Construction of a semi-structured house can be carried out in any season, but the most favorable is winter time, because The summer construction rush may delay you at some stages of construction, and in the off-season there is a chance of rain and bad weather.
Finishing a house from sip panels
The finishing of the vulture panels (and the external one) can be chosen to suit your taste - any will do. There are no restrictions here, except financial ones, since sip panels perform equally well when finishing wooden materials, and when using tiles or, and in all other options.
Advantages and disadvantages of sip houses
Let's consider the main advantages of houses using Canadian technology and the existing disadvantages of these buildings.
Sip panels advantages - houses
- Interest in sip construction is explained by the low cost of such structures compared to other types of private construction, short terms construction of houses, a simplified system and.
- A lightweight structure made of sip panels can be erected on a simple screw or. Quick assembly prefabricated panels at the construction site significantly reduces the time of building a house with your own hands.
- Finishing sip panels is extremely simple. Smooth and smooth walls of panels do not require alignment or additional processing before starting finishing work. Which also has a beneficial effect on the cost of the finished home.
Cons of sip panel houses
- However, despite the fact that sip panels have unconditional advantages, these houses are not environmentally friendly, although companies try to claim the opposite, do not believe it (when using sip panels the level of formaldehyde should be controlled); therefore good finish, protection from sunlight is required!
- despite the good ones thermal insulation properties, cannot boast of a good one, and their indicator is quite low.
- You should be extremely careful when installing electrical wiring and heating systems in vulture houses.
- Also, one of the features of vulture houses is that they need constant ventilation, because... The materials used do not allow air to pass through.
Is it worth building a sip house? conclusions
Building a house using Canadian technology with your own hands is quite possible, but you should be careful when choosing materials and manufacturers. The strength, durability, beauty and reliability of a sip house directly depends on the quality of the materials (panels) used.
It has now become commonplace for a two-story private house to be roofed in a few days. This is almost impossible during construction or wood - houses built according to traditional technology. Today we will talk about building houses from SIP panels with our own hands - a relatively young Canadian technology that has proven itself everywhere. In this article we will take a detailed look at all the pros and cons of a house made of sip panels, and find out why this technology still causes concern among many builders.
A sip panel is a pie made from two OSB boards (oriented - particle boards) 9-12 mm thick, between which there is a thick layer of polystyrene foam. The elements are glued together with polyurethane glue under a pressure of about twenty tons. This method of molding makes the panels not only “warm”, but also very durable, which allows them to be used not only as walls, but also as floor and roof elements. The abbreviation SIP itself stands for the term Structurally Insulated Slab, which in itself speaks about its structure.
The thickness of sip panels starts from 68 and ends at 244 mm and is selected depending on the type of building and the climate of the area. For the external walls of a house, as a rule, a panel with a thickness of 174 mm is chosen. The overall dimensions of such panels are 250 (280) cm in height and 125 cm in width. But, as a rule, the manufacturer can produce the panel according to the dimensions required by the customer.
The density of sip panels is low, which means that two people can handle their installation without the use of special equipment. The panels are connected using a beam 80 mm thick (or a double beam 2x40 thick), which is inserted into specially selected grooves of the sip panels and secured to them with self-tapping screws. The width of the beam should be equal to the width of the panel. So, with the help of inserts, all panels are connected to each other.
Pros and cons of houses made of SIP panels
Over more than 50 years of experience in operating houses built using Canadian technology all over the world, we have been able to collect many reviews, summarize all the information and formulate the advantages of houses made from sip panels.
Despite a large number of advantages, during the entire period of operation of such houses, certain disadvantages houses made of sip panels, many of which are myths and speculation. Let's talk about this in more detail and dispel some myths.
Installation instructions for houses made of SIP panels
As we have already figured out, SIP is a ready-made element produced at a factory according to standard sizes, or according to the customer’s dimensions, so building a house comes down to assembling ready-made elements as a constructor according to developed instructions for each specific building.
The entire technology of building a house from sip panels consists of the following typical steps:
- foundation installation;
- installation of strapping;
- installation of the first floor ceiling;
- assembly of the walls of the first floor;
- installation of the second floor ceiling;
- assembly of the walls of the second floor;
- installation attic floor and roofs.
If you are building cottage, then the installation of the ceiling and walls of the second floor is excluded. So, let's look at each step separately.
Foundation and piping arrangement
For SIP houses, it is recommended to use lightweight foundations, since there is no need for heavy monolithic foundations and economic feasibility. As a foundation for such buildings, either , or a bored foundation due to ease of installation, low price, and no need to bear heavy loads. We will talk about them in the future.
The dimensions of the pile field and the number of piles are selected individually depending on the project. The installation depth of the piles is selected depending on the depth of soil freezing characteristic of the given area. As a rule, piles are installed to a depth of 1.8-2.4 m.
After installing the piles, they make a frame from timber or metal profile. The pile binding is a ready-made base that connects all the piles into one single structure, onto which the basement floor is mounted.
As a harness metal piles As a rule, they choose 100x150 or 150x150 timber, which is laid along the perimeter of the building on piles using the tongue-and-groove method and attached to the pile heads with M10x210 anchors (or M10x260, respectively), or M10x80 (M10x100) anchors from under the lower part of the head.
The installation of the harness must be approached with special attention, since it is the zero level of the entire structure, and the accuracy of the installation of the entire house will depend on the accuracy of its installation. All strapping beams must be treated with a special fire-resistant impregnation, and also waterproofed with sheets of roofing felt in places of contact with the pile heads.
Installation of the first floor ceiling
The basement floor in panel houses is similar in design to conventional wooden floors - the load from the beams is transferred to the foundation of the building, but is not used as insulation mineral wool with waterproofing and vapor barrier, and finished panels. There is also a difference in installation - beams and sip panels are mounted sequentially, like a constructor. Let's take a closer look at the installation process.
Laying of panel elements begins from the corner of the building. The next panel in the row is attached to the end groove of the panel using a double block of 2x40x200 and 3.5x40 mm wood screws with a pitch of 150 mm. The length of the double block is chosen equal to the width sip panels. Before installation, all panel grooves are additionally sealed with polyurethane foam. In this way, the entire row of overlap is formed.
After this, a double beam 2x40x200 long, equal to the length of the entire row, is mounted in the side groove of the entire row (pre-filled with foam) and similarly fastened to the panel with self-tapping screws. This creates a rigid lag structure with insulation that can withstand significant loads.
The following rows of sip panels are similarly attached to the double longitudinal beam according to a pre-approved scheme. After completing the installation of the ceiling, 40x200 timber is also installed in all external grooves of the panels.
Assembly of walls from SIP panels
It is important to note that the strapping beam must be installed with a 12mm indentation into the building (OSB thickness), so that after installing the walls, their outer part will be in the same plane with the base of the building and will not overhang it.
The installation of wall blocks begins from the corner of the house. First, the stand that will fit into the groove of the panel is attached to bottom harness self-tapping screws 4.2x75. Then a sip panel with a pre-foamed groove is inserted into this rack. This entire structure is fastened with 3.5x40 self-tapping screws in 15cm increments. The second panel is fastened in a similar way - the stand is attached to the strapping beam and to the already installed panel, and then the panel itself is wound up and fastened.
Next, all the other panels are installed, which are connected to each other using double bars (as when installing the ceiling), and the grooves are filled with polyurethane foam. Sip panels at the joints with interior panels internal partitions and in the corners they are also additionally tightened with long wood grouse 8x200 in increments of 30-50cm.
After completing the installation of the walls, the upper grooves of the panels are filled with polyurethane foam and similarly closed with 40x140 timber, forming the top frame.
Installation of walls and ceilings of subsequent floors is carried out similarly to the previous ones.
Assembling a roof from SIP panels
Production of panels in a factory according to individual projects and according to the customer’s needs, it allows you to design roofs of any complexity using tens and hundreds of elements. When installing such roofs, it is important to strictly follow the instructions or carry out installation with the participation of professional roofers or representatives of the manufacturer.
In the simplest case, during installation gable roof, after installing the attic floor, a simple rafter system is installed, mounted on a Mauerlat with a section of 100x150. Such a rafter system includes racks on which it is installed ridge beam and rafters, which are mounted in the grooves of the sip panels and rest on the ridge beam at one end, and on the mauerlat at the other.
In this case, installation of sheathing is not required, since sip panels have the necessary rigidity and ensure the stability of the entire roof.
The roof panels are installed using standard technology. As a rule, for small buildings it is possible to use panel elements that are one-piece along the length without splicing, which can significantly simplify the process of their installation. If it is necessary to splice the panels to increase the length, then this procedure is carried out on the ground, and on the roof they are installed with the seams staggered.
Finishing the facade of a house from SIP panels
The final stage of building a house is the exterior finishing. When building houses from SIP, it is not recommended to delay this stage. Despite the fact that the panels are treated with special protective compounds, constant exposure to precipitation and sunlight can negatively affect their properties over time.
Today there are a lot of materials that can be used to decorate the facade of such houses. Due to the fact that the walls of the house are absolutely vertical and smooth, there are no restrictions on their finishing, which is a big plus. The most common houses are finished with vinyl siding, as the most available material, and imitation timber - wood panels, which give the house a more expensive look.
After the construction of the box and exterior finishing, they begin to install and install water in the house. engineering systems and communications and interior decoration.
The experience of constructing such houses shows that when using qualified work force, construction of a house from sip panels, starting with installation of the foundation and ending external finishing, takes a week. You can build such a house with your own hands within a month. Such deadlines attract many people, which is why this technology is so widespread lately.
The video shows good example building housing from panels in a very short time:
SIP panels or frame house – which is better?
When choosing a project and technology for building a house, people often wonder what is better - sip panels or. The technology for building houses from SIP is positioned as a type of panel construction, since houses are assembled from factory-made elements. But, as a rule, when constructing a building, a wooden beam is used to connect the panels, which forms a rigid frame (as in a frame house), providing the structure with greater strength.
In fact, a house made of vulture panels is the same frame structure, where ready-made factory panels are used as an insulation cake. When filling the insides of a frame house, the human factor plays a role when it is possible to miss cold bridges, make an incorrect overlap between layers of insulation, or make a mistake when installing a vapor barrier, which is practically impossible in vulture construction (with the exception of possible un-foamed cracks, as discussed above).
Typically, housing made from sip panels is cheaper than a frame structure, so ultimately the decision is made based on the allocated construction budgets and the project you like.
The construction of houses from sip panels is a novelty in the domestic construction market. If Europeans have not been surprised by such houses for 50-60 years, then for Russian developers this technology is a reason for heated discussions.
Sip panels are a structure made of polystyrene foam layer, enclosed on both sides in OSB boards. The internal heat and sound insulating layer can be different thicknesses, it all depends on the future purpose of the panels. Thickened sip panels are purchased for installation external walls winter buildings, and thinner panels are used for interior walls or for furnishing summer houses.
Advantages of the technology for building houses from sip panels
The main factor in the high popularity of this material for construction is the proper level of its factory readiness. That is, when buying sip panels, the developer buys a product assembled using technology and ready for use. At the construction site, all that remains is to correctly assemble the box of the house itself, which eliminates defects that arise as a result of excessive “independent activity” of the developer.
Advantages of sip panels
In addition, build using panels frame house the customer can do it with his own hands, saving quite an impressive amount.
Under frame houses no need for a complex, expensive foundation. Installation does not require a lot of manpower - everything can be done with your own hands, besides, you do not need to spend money on ordering special equipment, the panels are easy to carry yourself.
Although frame houses have a significant number of advantages, panels for them are still produced by more than one manufacturer; great amount, and everyone makes panels using their own technology. So the assessment of the quality of the purchased material lies entirely with the buyer.
It is worth paying attention to the level of formaldehyde emission in the slabs - it should be no more than E1 (this level is safe for humans).
In addition, the inner layer of the slab should be high-quality self-extinguishing foam, polystyrene foam or polyurethane foam Despite the fact that the thermal protection of such houses is an advantage, it also has one significant drawback: the house functions like a thermos, because OSB boards, saving energy, do not allow water vapor to pass through. Therefore, frame houses require mechanical ventilation technology. A recuperation unit that removes air from living rooms , and warming up cold air masses
coming from the street. Pad ventilation system
in such houses it is thought out at the design stage, otherwise the elements of the slabs tightly fitted to each other will tightly clog the box of the house, creating unsuitable living conditions inside. In addition, houses made of sip panels have poor sound insulation. Polystyrene foam and polystyrene foam inside the boards are not soundproofing materials; on the contrary, they conduct well and sometimes increase impact noise.
Of course, if your frame house is located in the wilderness, oh unnecessary noise There is no need to worry, but if the house is located in a fairly busy place, you will have to strengthen its interior decoration with noise-absorbing material yourself.
How to choose a foundation for a frame house?
Despite the fact that laying the foundation for a house made of sip panels does not require large expenses (about 20% of the total construction budget), you still have to put in some effort and ingenuity. The thing is that the frame of the house has an unusually low weight, plus, it is necessary to take into account the specific characteristics of the soil, climate conditions, and the depth of groundwater of the building site.
The main nuance associated with these houses is seasonal heaving of the soil, after which the entire frame of the house can shift, crack or tilt. The best foundation options for them include:
- Screw piles– a simple, quickly installed, cheap foundation. A screw pile is a steel tube to which a blade is attached, designed to be screwed into the soil. This foundation has a good load bearing capacity, because in the process of screwing the blade into the ground, it does not loosen it, but, on the contrary, compacts it.
- – a rarely used technology. It is unprofitable for developers, because it is suitable only for non-heaving soils, while the rest will provoke its deformation after a season or two. To make such a foundation, you need to remove 40 cm of soil, install formwork with reinforcement and fill it with cement. Main disadvantage such a foundation takes a long time to dry out concrete pouring(up to a month). In addition, the underground floor of such a house will be much less ventilated than in a pile house.
- – a good option for slightly heaving soils. Its arrangement consists of a thick reinforced concrete slab lying on a bulk cushion. Such a foundation allows you to evenly distribute the load on the ground and protect the house from seasonal shifts.
- - a good option for slightly heaving soil, much cheaper than the monolithic type. Such a foundation is a structure made of individual slabs located at the corners of the future frame of the house, at the junction of rooms and massive load-bearing beams.
How to install panels yourself?
Despite the fact that the procedure for building a frame house is simple and quick, to build it, you will need many auxiliary tools, finishing materials and fasteners.
A careful calculation is made specifically to find out how much material will be spent on construction. This calculation must take into account all door and door locations. window openings, their width and height, as well as the thickness of all external and internal walls of the house and the location of communication networks.
Panel country houses– installation technology Installation panel houses do it yourself as follows:
- waterproofing (for example, roofing felt) and a strapping beam impregnated with an antiseptic substance are placed on the existing foundation base;
- starting boards are attached to the strapping beam using screws;
- standard width of sip panels: 125, 250 and 280 cm. They are attached to each other using special grooves into which wooden dowels are inserted. The fastening must take place seamlessly, hermetically, with further blowing of polyurethane foam, so that the future construction does not allow the cold to pass through;
- if the house is on a shallow foundation, the starting boards are attached to composite panels, and not the harness.
Roof laying
Roof panel fastening diagram Roof construction in panel house very easy to do with your own hands. Besides the fact that in this case there is no need to do the sheathing, you can roofing pie there is also no need to assemble it, because the sandwich panel is a ready-made element.
You just need to lay the sip panels on the rafters, secure them with self-tapping screws, and, leaving a small ventilation gap, cover them with a roof. Bituminous shingles and metal tiles are best suited.
In addition, if you have the means and can afford the services of a light crane, assemble the roof on the ground with your own hands, and then install it in place using a crane.
External and internal decoration of the house with vulture panels
Finishing, both internal and external, is done very quickly. Since the panels are smooth and even, the finishing cladding does not require preliminary screeding or plastering.
However, before installing drywall and finishing, you need to sand and seal the joints between the panels with paint mesh. In addition, before carrying out any finishing work, it is necessary to make holes for communications.
In rooms with high humidity (bathroom, toilet), the joints are closed silicone sealant, and sip panels are overlapped in order to protect the wall materials from getting wet. The floors in these rooms need to be additionally waterproofed or even self-leveling acrylic floors should be laid.
Among the exterior finishing methods, the most attractive are:
- thin plastic vinyl siding panels do not rot and perfectly protect from moisture;
- facade plaster– the most common finishing variation;
- corrugated sheet- easy finishing material made of metal, characterized by its strength and resistance to rust;
- fiber cement It is a strong, compressed slab made of cement (more than 90%) and cellulose.
- facade tiles– cheap and popular material, imitating natural finishing elements.
Thus, having considered all the nuances and features of building houses from sip panels, we can conclude that the positive characteristics of the material prevail over the negative ones.
In addition, the constant rise in price of housing, especially apartments in cities, will soon make country frame houses the only option for those wishing to own personal property.
If you are looking for an opportunity to build warm house for little money, consider building a house from SIP panels. The cost of a two-story “box” of 10*10 meters without finishing is around 17-20 thousand dollars. In this case, there is no need for additional insulation; you can move into the house immediately after construction (if communications are connected) and you can immediately begin finishing.
What is a SIP panel
The construction of houses from SIP panels began in the second half of the last century in Canada. The technology is simple, the construction of a building requires very little time (from two to three weeks, depending on the complexity of the project), it can only be cheaper, and even then not in all regions.
Houses are built from thermal insulation panels, which themselves have sufficient strength. On English language These panels are called SIP, which is an abbreviation for the following name: StructuralInsulated Panel. This translates as “Structural Thermal Insulated Panel”. It turns out, in theory, in Russian, the name of this material should sound like KTP. In reality, regular transliteration is used (replacing English letters Cyrillic). As a result, the name “SIP panels” is in use.
This material consists of two, between which a layer of expanded polystyrene (foam) is laid. The result is a kind of sandwich (a construction “multi-layer sandwich”). Hence another name - sandwich panels.
When building a house, there are two types of assembly:
In our country, the first option is most popular. Wooden frame gives the structure additional strength. The load-bearing capacity of sandwich panels without a frame is more than enough for the construction of one or two-story private houses. But knowing that the house is built on solid timber is reassuring. This technology has one more advantage - maintainability. If there are problems, you can remove the damaged panel and replace it with a new one, which will frameless technology impossible.
Advantages and disadvantages
Like any new technology for our country, building a house from SIP panels has its adherents and opponents. Opponents have the most important argument - the unnaturalness of the materials, the possibility of highlighting harmful substances. Indeed, these boards consist of foam and OSB. Polystyrene foam is a common material and is only dangerous when it burns. OSB has also been on the market for a long time; it is made from pressed large shavings and wood chips. Resins containing formaldehyde are added as a binder. It is this binder that raises the most questions: formaldehyde is a strong poison and its presence in the atmosphere in large quantities causes poisoning.
Formaldehyde emissions must be controlled by the SES (sanitary and epidemiological station), and only safe building materials must be put on sale. So if you are planning to build a house from SIP panels, carefully choose the manufacturer - the quality of the material depends on his integrity. The highest quality and safest panels are those assembled using German OSB from Egger. Their formaldehyde emissions are E1 (safe).
Excerpt from GOST R 56309-2014 (date of introduction 2015-07-01): “Depending on the content (emission) of formaldehyde, the boards are manufactured in emission classes E0.5, E1 and E2.”
At the same time, they easily tolerate high humidity, do not absorb water and are not deformed.
SIP panel Egger E1 2800x625x174 (Romania) is the best option for walls. Height - 2800 mm, thickness of polystyrene foam - 150 mm. If you prefer “standard” ceilings with a height of 2.5 meters, then you should purchase Egger E1 2500x1250x174
German Glunz Agepan panels are also good, but few people use them. If speak about Russian manufacturers, then you should pay attention to the products of the Kalevala company. Only safe and high-quality materials are used in production:
1. OSB-3 Kalevala Russia emission class E1;
2. Glue – TOP-UR (Russia);
3. Expanded polystyrene – PSBS – 25C Knauf (Russia).
Speaking about the advantages of construction from SIP panels, it is necessary to pay attention to the fact that the technology has been thoroughly developed. Panels are produced for different elements houses: external walls, partitions, interfloor ceilings etc.
Why do people build houses from SIP panels? Because such a house has solid advantages:
- Light weight, which allows you to save on the foundation. Pile or construction is ideal for this type of building.
- Low heat loss, low heating costs. Expanded polystyrene is an excellent insulation material, and it is sandwiched on both sides OSB sheets. This is what makes a sandwich panel house very warm.
- Low cost per square meter.
- Short construction time. box two-story house can be collected in a month.
- No shrinkage. There may be settlement at the foundation. The structure made from SIP panels has no settlement.
- Finishing work can begin immediately after the box is assembled.
In general, it is this set of properties that makes people choose a house made from SIP panels. Build like houses permanent residence, and summer cottages for seasonal visits. So, with a limited budget, building a house from SIP panels can be a very good solution.
How to build it yourself
There are two ways to build a house from SIP panels with your own hands:
- Buy a house kit for a specific project from a company that deals with this, and assemble it yourself. Not all companies agree to this, but many have a supervising installation service. This is when a company specialist supervises your installation.
- Buy slabs. Trim them under required sizes, purchase timber, all this - on your own. In this case, all responsibility for the quality of construction will fall on you. If you have carpentry skills or have someone to help you with, you can choose this option.
Briefly about what a house kit is. This is a set of ready-made SIP panels, wooden beams of the required size and fasteners for the construction of a specific house. All components are cut at the factory and numbered. When assembling, you use the resulting blocks in a certain order. The process is reminiscent of building a house from children's construction set, only you are assembling a real house.
Building a house from SIP panels when ordering a house kit is like playing construction kit
A house kit is good if everything is done accurately. This is not only about the quality of SIP panels (it must be checked separately), but also about the use dry wood (kiln drying), and about cutting accuracy. The edges of the panels must precisely “grab” the beam, the two panels must be joined with an expansion gap of about 3 mm - all this is achieved using precision equipment.
Reference. The expansion gap is the required distance that is left between building materials, subject to expansion (dilatation). If the house is being built in a region with a humid climate (for example, Leningrad region), then it is imperative to leave an expansion gap, otherwise the OSB will swell. In dry climates, there is no need for a gap between OSB.
Construction stages: photo report
Construction of a house from SIP panels, like any other, begins with the selection and construction of a foundation. It is considered optimal for light houses pile foundation. This is exactly what is done in most cases when starting the construction of a house using SIP technology. Sometimes it is impossible to install a pile foundation:
- on hard soils that are too expensive to drill (rocks);
- on unstable soils with low bearing capacity (peat bogs);
- in the presence of cavities in the rock mass.
In these cases, they do or (more often USHP - an insulated Swedish stove). They are much more expensive, but more reliable.
Once the foundation has been selected and calculated, its construction can begin.
Making a pile foundation
Since the foundation is from screw piles is done most often, we will illustrate its production. Piles are screwed into the ground manually (if the soil and strength allow) or using special equipment. The height of the heads is 80 cm above the ground level, the distance between the piles is no more than 2.5 meters.
The heads are welded to the installed piles, and the strapping beam is attached to them (in in this example 200*200 mm).
Important! The joints of the timber must be located on the heads. When laying the strapping beam, do not forget to lubricate the locks before joining protective composition (bitumen mastic).
There is no support under the joint - you can’t do that!
To protect against rotting and insects, the strapping beams are impregnated with a protective compound. Roofing material was laid in two layers under the timber (on the heads).
This stage takes from 3-4 days to a week. It depends on the complexity of the soil, whether you work with the equipment or turn it yourself. Now you can start laying the floor slabs, but before that you should familiarize yourself with the methods of connecting them.
How to connect SIP panels: basic principle
When connecting panels, a wooden dowel (beam) or a thermal key (a piece of SIP panel of smaller thickness) is inserted between them. As mentioned above, in our country the technology using a frame is more popular, i.e. Dry timber is used as a key. It is this option that we will focus on.
The beam is inserted into the groove and fixed using self-tapping screws and/or nails, which are twisted/hammered through the OSB into the body of the beam. In the presence of nail gun, initially we recommend grabbing the panels with “yellow” wood screws 40-50 mm long, and then punching out the joints rough nails 50-65 mm long in increments of 10-15 cm.
The following can be used to fasten SIP panels: “yellow” wood screws, galvanized screw nails, galvanized rough nails. Do not use “black” hardened screws - they break off and quickly corrode
There is always a risk that the connection will be leaky, and the entire construction technology of SIP panels is based on the thermos effect, that is, on maximum tightness. Therefore, before assembling this unit (and any other) on lateral surface polyurethane foam is applied to the panel. It fills all the cracks, providing the proper level of heat and moisture insulation.
Note! The picture above shows a dowel made from double timber. Often similar recommendations are perceived incorrectly, and in order to save money, unplaned edged board 50x150x6000 mm natural humidity. Once the board dries, the joint is unlikely to remain sealed.
When making a composite wooden dowel 100*150, in our opinion, it is preferable to use three dry bars with a cross-section of 50*100 mm - in this case the connections overlap (see video below).
If we're talking about about wall panels, it makes sense to insert and secure the dowels in advance.
The foam was applied, the beam was inserted, and secured with self-tapping screws. On side edge On the second slab, foam was applied, the groove was placed under the protruding part of the beam, an expansion gap of 3 mm was set, and secured with self-tapping screws. The foam that came out of the seams during the installation process is cut off after polymerization.
This technique with minor changes is repeated in any connection of SIP panels. The diagram of this node is presented above.
After cutting the slabs, it becomes necessary to remove polystyrene foam to the required depth. For these purposes, an electric thermal knife (cutter) for foam plastic is used. They are various designs, but the thermal knife must be equipped with a limiter. Only in this case will you be able to remove polystyrene foam exactly to the required depth. “Overdoing” can lead to the appearance of cold bridges at the junction of the panels.
You can make the cutter yourself, but at the same time Do not forget about safety precautions when working with electric current.
First overlap
The first floor is nothing more than a floor that does not require insulation. As melted, it is assembled from SIP panels with a thickness of 224 mm and a width of 625 mm. With this width of slabs wooden beams located in increments of about 60 cm, which is enough to withstand the load.
If you have slabs with a width of 1250 mm, then they need to be sawn lengthwise into two equal parts.
When installing the ceiling, the panels should be laid like bricks in masonry - with the seams mismatching (staggered). This is necessary to ensure that the seams do not warp when humidity increases.
These are the pieces that floor blocks should be cut into when using 1250 mm wide slabs
To protect the bottom OSB board from moisture, each of the boards is coated on one side with the same bitumen mastic. You can use other compositions with similar properties.
Assembly of SIP floor panels for the first floor
When connecting the slabs, it is placed between them mounting beam(diagram in the previous paragraph). The beam is attached at the edges to the frame (with long nails), and the edges of the slabs are attached to it using self-tapping screws.
We close the side sections of the slabs (all floors) with an edged board suitable size. Apply foam to the side surface of the slab with a snake, then place a board and fasten it through OSB self-tapping screws at the end of the board.
A starting (crown) board is laid on top of the sandwich along the perimeter, on which the SIP wall panels will rest. It is laid around the perimeter and in those places where partitions will be installed.
The crown boards are fastened with nails/screws, but to be sure, they were secured through and through with studs to the pile heads. Holes were drilled for the studs. A pin is driven into them and tightened with bolts.
Walling
We continue the construction of a house from SIP panels: we are installing the walls of the first floor. For this work, it is advisable to have two assistants, then the process will go faster and easier.
We place the first panel so that it “fits” onto the crown board
Wall installation begins from one of the corners. When installing, the panel is “slipped” onto the installed starting board with a recess at the bottom (first apply a layer of foam to the board or the end of the sandwich). The panel is placed, aligned vertically, attached to the starting board on both sides with self-tapping screws in increments of 10-15 cm.
On the side surface installed slab foam is applied, another plate is set at an angle of 90°. An embedded board (end block) is pre-attached to its side part, the thickness of which is equal to the depth of the groove. Like the first one, this panel is attached to the strapping starting board.
In addition, we fasten the corner using long self-tapping screws.
As a rule, self-tapping screws with a length of 220 to 280 mm are used
The length of the self-tapping screw must be such that it passes through the slab and the entire thickness of the embedded board. The installation step of this fastener is 40-50 cm.
In window and door openings, for more reliable fastening, you can install metal perforated reinforced corners. The element is optional, but adds rigidity and inspires confidence.
External walls and partitions are immediately erected
The installation of partitions from SIP panels follows the same principle: we attach a crown board and partition blocks to it. They can be the same thickness as for external walls, but thinner ones can be used. The decrease in sound insulation properties is compensated by the interior finishing.
To save money, partitions can be made using frame technology. Then initially only the frame can be installed, and its cladding can be transferred to a later period. It is more convenient to do this when the roof is already installed.
In a house, frame partitions can be made from SIP panels
Interfloor ceiling
For installing floor slabs into grooves wall panels Boards are installed on foam and self-tapping screws. They create a harness for installing the ceiling.
Next we lay the floor slabs. If the partitions are assembled from SIP panels, their load-bearing capacity is quite high and no additional reinforcement measures are required. If the partitions were assembled using frame technology, we make the upper beams reinforced: they are assembled from three boards glued together. For greater strength, the beams can also be fastened on both sides with self-tapping screws.
Floor slabs made of SIP panels are laid on the finished frame. They should be no more than 625 mm wide and should be laid staggered (with the seams mismatched). Since the panels are narrow, there is a lot of wooden beams in the ceiling. Due to this, such a floor can withstand loads in places where there are no floor beams.
We fasten the laid slabs to the framing beam with self-tapping screws or nails. The edges of the OSB are at the top and bottom to each intermediate beam. After securing the installation of the ceiling, we close the open side sections along the perimeter of the building according to the same principle: foam + edged board. For greater rigidity, in those places where the floor beams pass, we fasten the floor panels with long self-tapping screws (220 mm) all the way through.
This stage after assembling the first floor does not seem difficult. Everything is the same, but the work is at height, tightening the sandwich panels takes longer and is more difficult than installing them.
Second floor walls
The second floor in this project is , so the wall panels are low. We also install partitions at the same time as the external walls. Before installing the roof, an embedded beam is installed in the upper open groove; roofing SIP panels will be attached to it.
Standard panels will have to be cut to fit the gables, since the shape is non-standard. The installation and connection of the wall panels themselves on the second floor is no different.
Roof made of SIP panels
Special sandwich panels are used for the roof. Under them, the ends of the slabs are cut at a certain angle, which is determined by the angle of inclination of the roof slope. Here, just as with flooring, you can get by with a minimum of beams, because each connection has its own beam. That's why rafter system not collected.
For a roof made of SIP panels, beams need a minimum
Skate decoration
The roof of a small to medium sized house is made of SIP panels and usually has a central ridge beam. Here two planes of the roof converge. This node can be designed in two ways (in the pictures below). The first one is symmetrical. The sandwich panels are cut at an angle, and the top of the ridge beam is cut at the same angle. Two planes are fastened with long self-tapping screws through the panel to the beam on both sides. The fastener installation step is 30-40 cm.
IN this method There is no usual timber between the two slabs; they are connected only by foam. After the foam has polymerized, the excess is cut off, the seam is treated with a waterproof sealant, and then it is put on the ridge. protective strip- made of metal, plastic, etc. - depends on the type of roofing chosen.
There is another way to join roofing SIP panels on the ridge. The second method does not require cutting the slabs at an angle, but one part of the panels must be longer (by the thickness of the roofing slab). The beam is still cut at an angle, the slabs are joined at right angles, and fastened through and through with long self-tapping screws to the beam.
This connection uses embedded end bars. They are installed as usual - on polyurethane foam and self-tapping screws. To block the access of moisture to the under-roof space, the junction of the two panels is also additionally coated with a waterproof sealant.
There is an option to install a roof from SIP panels without a central beam. There are roofing options with two load-bearing beams, which are located off-center. These can be either specially laid floor beams, or partitions assembled from SIP panels or using frame technology. In the second case, it is better to strengthen the beams (make them prefabricated with glue and nails).
The most difficult thing in this unit is to cut the embedded beams at the right angle. This can be done on the ground, which greatly simplifies the task. The panels are fastened through the slab with long self-tapping screws to the floor beams or mortgages in the partitions. Also, two planes are fastened together at the junction point - on opposite sides with long self-tapping screws.
Roof and wall panel connections
For laying SIP roofing slabs, wall slabs are cut at the required angle. The internal part of the OSB is higher than the external one. The foam plastic is “cut” at the same angle, and the edges of the embedded beam are trimmed. It is this part that is the most difficult if you did not buy a house kit, but are building a house from SIP panels using standard panels, cutting them to the required dimensions with your own hands.
How to connect wall and roof SIP panels
If you have the appropriate equipment, cutting them at an angle is not a problem. Problem cut between OSB boards foam to the desired depth. You can select the core using a thermal knife, and then remove the remains purely mechanically. Most likely, the cut will still not be smooth, so you will have to add more foam to fill the unevenness.
In the pictures, the roof overhang is also made of slabs with insulation. This is easier to implement, but it is an unreasonable expense. To save money, the length of the SIP panel is taken up to the intersection with the walls, and then only the timber goes (as in the photo). In this case, the beam is made composite: one part is longer by the amount of the overhang, the second is shorter and ends where the wall ends.
Features of joining roofing slabs
Connection of two roofing slabs happens exactly the same as others: timber, foam, screws. But since precipitation is possible here, it is advisable to seal all seams.
To improve the tightness, all seams on the roof are additionally coated with waterproof sealant. First, the hardened foam is cut into a plane with the roof, then a sealant is applied. After filing the overhangs, we can consider that the construction of a house made of SIP panels is completed. Install windows/doors, connect communications and the home is already suitable for habitation. Finishing can be done immediately after installing the box.
Mice and other troubles
To save our readers from unnecessary headaches, we decided to talk about the mistakes made during the construction of one residential building. First of all, the material is intended for those who hire contractors for construction. However, it will also be useful for those who build a house on their own.
The facility was built according to the program " Country house", and local would-be builders acted as the contractor. Unfortunately, the future residents did not pay due attention to the quality of the work. The result is natural - a large number of significant “jambs”.
Brief information about the house:
- Commissioning date: 2008
- Number of floors: 2
- Foundation type: strip
- Technology: frameless
- Panel sizes: 2740x1220x224 (floors), 2740x1220x174 (walls), 2740x1220x145 (dowel for connecting wall panels)
Problems appeared quite quickly and were associated with the most important part of any structure - the foundation. Strip foundation was filled with low quality concrete, this led to the fact that when moisture entered, it began to crumble.
In extreme cold (below -30°C), another “jamb” was identified - part of the plastic floor plinth in the kitchen.
It was decided to remove the bottom panels vinyl siding, remove cold bridges at junctions wall slabs to the ceiling of the first floor and sheathe the foundation with corrugated sheets to look like stone.
After dismantling the lower siding panels, signs of field mice appeared.
During construction, the ends of the floor were not covered with boards. Pieces of plywood are installed, with large distances between them. Also note that the roofing felt does not start from the timber, but from the floor level
A brief explanation of roofing felt. At the time the house was built, vapor-permeable membranes had not been heard of in a particular locality. The contractor was going to lay on the walls plastic film. The customer opposed this, and as a result, roofing felt was used.
It is clearly visible that the mice did not waste any time...
As a result, the owner of the house had to mitigate the consequences using his modest construction experience.
Related errors:
- Not treated with bitumen mastic Bottom part ceilings of the first floor.
- SIP panels with a width of 1220 mm were laid on the floors of the first and second floors (they had to be cut in half lengthwise).
- Raw wood was used.
- The panel for making thermal keys is thinner than the polystyrene foam layer.
- The corners of the house are not tightened with long screws.
- Self-tapping screws are exclusively black.
There were other mistakes, but we do not talk about them, as they do not directly relate to the technology of constructing SIP houses.
Alas, the case discussed above is not the most severe - the fatal option is discussed in the video below.
The conclusion is very simple: you should not blindly trust the customer. All stages of construction must be supervised personally, or seek the help of a knowledgeable person from the outside.
If the construction is carried out by contractors, then the quality of their work can be assessed already at the stage of acceptance of the first floor slab.