SIP panels were invented recently, but quickly became popular among professionals and private developers. Houses made of this material have many advantages. Their walls are well protected from the cold, the installation time is minimal, and the facade is quite easy to finish. SIP panels are also called sandwich panels, and they appeared in Europe about 50 years ago. Domestic consumers got the opportunity to purchase this material relatively recently.
The main advantages of sandwich panels
If you want to build a house from SIP panels for permanent residence, then first you need to consider the main features of these products. Among the advantages, it is worth highlighting the ability of the material to act as an excellent protector from the cold. The panels are highly durable, and it takes much less time to build a house than to erect buildings from any other material. It is based on environmentally friendly materials that do not pose a risk to human health, animals and do not harm the environment.
You can easily build a house from SIP panels with your own hands. The construction will be durable, fireproof and will have excellent soundproofing characteristics. You will have the opportunity to save. Work will cost half as much as when building a brick house. As practice shows, the construction erected from SIP panels has heat-insulating properties 5 times better than that of a brick house.
The plates have a special design, which allows them to retain heat. The connection is provided in a special way, which does not allow the cold to penetrate inside. In winter, such buildings are warm, and in the summer there is cool. The material at the base of the walls is capable of undergoing temperature changes ranging from -50 to +50 ˚. This allows you to use the described material for the construction of houses operating in the Far North.
The construction of houses from SIP panels is so popular also because of the high strength of such buildings. The one-piece construction can withstand about 10 tons with regard to vertical loading. If it is a transverse load, then up to two tons can be affected per square meter.
You can finish the construction work in just 3 months, if the house will have an area of up to 150 m 2 . And you can install a box of a house with an area of 50 m 2 in just a few hours. Consumers also like longevity. If you correctly finish the walls, then they will be ready to stand for at least 80 years. This is due to the properties of expanded polystyrene, which is not exposed to rot and parasites.
Consumers also value fire safety. The panels are able to withstand about 3 hours under the influence of direct fire. In case of fire, the material does not ignite and does not support combustion. This is due to the fact that it is impregnated with flame retardants in the manufacturing process. If a fire does occur, then the energy released in this case will be 7 times less than in the case of wooden products. When the interior finish is made of drywall, fire is minimized, because the material is characterized by high fire resistance.
The construction of houses from SIP panels is becoming increasingly popular also because of the high soundproofing characteristics of such buildings. In such a building it will be cozy and quiet, since polystyrene foam does not allow air to pass through, which transfers sound vibrations. Its ability to absorb sounds reaches 70 dB.
If you want to save, then you should choose a house built using Canadian technology, because its construction will cost you 2 times cheaper than in the case of a brick house. The construction of a private house will be more profitable than the purchase of an apartment in the city. This is due to the fact that under a light house there is no need to build a powerful foundation. Not the least role is played by tight construction deadlines. In addition, you do not have to use heavy equipment. Panels can be lifted and moved independently. It will be possible to save even during the operation of the building - on heating. Panels retain heat well. Transportation of material will also cost inexpensively, because sometimes manufacturers take on the delivery of large quantities of goods.
Key Cons
If you want to build a house from SIP panels, reviews about such buildings should be read first. Among them, you can find out about the cons. Sometimes you can hear the assertion that the material described in the article is relatively short-lived. This is true when compared with concrete or brick. The fact that the walls of the sandwich panels do not breathe can also make one’s choice toward another material, because of this, the question of proper ventilation is acute.
The disadvantages of SIP-panel houses are also expressed in the fact that the described buildings do not tolerate hurricane winds very well - a fallen tree can make another entrance to the wall. If you do not install an intensive ventilation system in the house, then the premises will create conditions for the development of mold and fungi, which will negatively affect the well-being of residents.
After reading reviews of houses from SIP panels, you can find out that it will be quite difficult to sell such a building after several years of operation. If such a deal can be made, then the price will be lower than that of a brick building. Cons of houses from SIP panels are often far-fetched, but there are also veiled ones. Finding out where the truth is will help customer opinions.
Consumer Reviews
If you are just going to build your own house, you probably paid attention to the abundance of advertising, which is replete with proposals for the construction of houses from sandwich panels. Consumers, in their words, quite often prefer such buildings to others for the reason that the building can be commissioned in a short time. This can happen in just a few weeks. You can start work at any time of the year - there are no temperature restrictions.
Consumers, they argue, also like the fact that due to the thin walls you can increase the internal usable area. In harsh climates, the issue of thermal insulation remains relevant. Such houses warm up quickly and retain heat well indoors. The walls are not deformed or seated. This indicates that it is possible to start finishing immediately after the completion of the construction. Then you can immediately call in and live in such a house. Walls, according to home masters, are strictly vertical and even. They are easy to install. Assembly can be carried out using the principle of the designer. Any home master will be able to handle this.
Reviews of houses from SIP panels also say that the material for the construction of walls is cheap. This plus acts as one of the main ones. Buyers pay special attention to the issue of the need to use a special type of heating system. It should be airy. You can install radiators under the window, but this approach is impractical because of the complete tightness of the structure.
Project creation
Projects of houses from SIP panels most often include one- or two-story buildings. Usually they belong to the economy class. The total area of such structures, as a rule, does not exceed 100 m 2 . You can plan your interior in a special way. Thanks to this, the area will be used with maximum efficiency.
The basement, for example, can be used as a garage, which is most often equipped as a workshop. Projects of houses from SIP panels usually include the presence of:
- living room;
- the hall;
- kitchens;
- a bathroom.
If there is a second floor, then you can arrange a study and a bedroom. Here you can install a bathroom. In addition to the garage in the basement, you can equip a boiler room. This part of the building is usually separated from the residential vestibule. The most suitable option as a link between the living area and the rest of the house is the hall on the ground floor. In addition to the main exit from the cottage, it is desirable to make an additional one. It can be located in the dining room, which will open onto the terrace. A two-story house made of SIP panels can be made budgetary by adding a small attic to the ground floor.
Foundation selection
For the described type of construction there is no need to build an expensive foundation. A box at home will weigh a little. When choosing the type of foundation, it is necessary to take into account the properties of the soil, climatic conditions and the level of groundwater. You can choose either a screw or columnar base, a monolithic reinforced concrete slab or a tape shallow foundation.
When constructing a frame house from SIP panels, the main danger can be lateral tangential forces under the building. They appear during spring heaving. The foundation at the same time comes to the surface, and the house bends and is covered with cracks. Whatever the foundation, its cost will be approximately 20% of all construction costs. Saving at this stage is not worth it, otherwise the subsequent repair and correction of errors will take even more money.
Should I choose screw piles
The country house from SIP panels can be installed on screw piles. Most experts believe that frame houses built according to Canadian technology are best installed on such grounds. They are characterized by simplicity, efficiency and high installation speed.
Foundation on screw piles costs 40% cheaper than any other. This is true even if you consider that for work you will have to seek professional help. A screw pile is a steel pipe to which a blade of a special configuration is welded. It has a high bearing capacity, since in the process of screwing in the soil does not loosen, but is compacted.
Should I choose a shallow foundation
You can install a summer house from SIP panels on a shallow foundation. It is suitable for slightly loose or not at all heaving soils. In other cases, such a basis will "go" in the first spring. For arrangement, it is necessary to go deep by 40 cm, removing the fertile soil layer.
Next, formwork with reinforcement is installed, and at the next stage, cement mortar is poured. The shallow base is able to support the weight of the sandwich panels. In order to reduce the risk of deformation from uneven soil heaving, experts recommend filling after laying a gravel-sand cushion.
The foundation will turn out to be more durable and strong if it is reinforced with a reinforcing cage. Filling is done in one go. For operational work, you may need the help of 3 people. The solution is processed by a vibrating plate. If this was not found, then the concrete is pierced by reinforcement in several places, which allows air bubbles to be expelled.
Such a foundation dries for a long time, it can take about 4 weeks. Underground ventilation will not be as good as with piles. To eliminate the deficiency, special holes are made. If in a few years you want to make an extension to the house, then building a shallow base will be problematic. Before pouring concrete, it is necessary to lay all communications: water supply, sewage and electricity.
Monolithic foundation
If you want to build a house from SIP panels with your own hands, then you can choose a monolithic slab. It is relevant if the construction will be carried out on slightly paved soil. Such a design will be the only right decision. The principle of building such a foundation is simple: first you need to remove the fertile soil layer, make a drainage pillow of crushed stone and sand, and then pour everything with concrete, reinforcing the screed with iron reinforcement. The only disadvantage is the high cost and difficulties that may arise if it is necessary to build outbuildings to the house.
Column foundation
It can be considered a "relative" of the pile, but the work will take more time and effort. The cost in this case is lower than that of a monolithic or tape. The columnar base is suitable for slightly or non-porous soils. The pillars are located at the intersection of the walls.
Supports should also be installed in places of massive load-bearing beams, at points with a high load and in the area of the piers. The columnar base eliminates the possibility of arranging the basement, but gives underground ventilation.
Construction Features
Houses from SIP-panels for permanent residence are being built without special equipment. At the first stage after the construction of the foundation, a waterproofing layer is laid on the foundation, it can be bitumen and roofing material. On top is a strapping beam, which is pre-treated with an antiseptic.
The assembly of the house from SIP panels at the next stage involves the strengthening of the starting board using screws. Starting from the corners of the building, sandwich panels are fixed to the boards. They are fastened by joining the groove and the comb. Screw connection is strengthened.
In order to achieve tightness of the joints, they are filled with polyurethane foam. From the end of each product should do the same. After reading reviews of houses from SIP panels, you can find out which technology is better to give preference. If you chose a tape base, then the starting boards are fixed to the composite panels, and not to the strapping beam. By the same principle, vertical seams are connected. As a result, you should get a construction without gaps with high thermal insulation properties. The panel house does not shrink and does not crack, like a block or brick building.
Erection of a roof
The construction of the roof is another story. At this stage, there is no need to create a crate to lay the material of the roofing “pie”. You don’t need the “pie” itself, because the sandwich panels are impenetrable heat-saving protection. Products are laid on the rafters and fastened with screws. Roofing material is laid on top.
The roof of the house from SIP panels can be covered with metal or bitumen tiles. A ventilation gap is left between the cover layer and the panels. When the structure is small, then there is no need for it to install a rafter system, this function will be performed by the beam built into the panel. The roof can be assembled on the ground, and then lift the structure up and install it in its place. To do this, however, you will need a light crane. The same technology can be applied in the case of walls.
Finally
Decorating houses from SIP panels is carried out inside and out. In the latter case, vinyl siding is often used. You can apply and facade plaster. This facing option is one of the most popular. With the help of decorative compositions you can achieve an interesting effect and protect the plates from the negative effects of the external environment.