Canadian house building technology has gained popularity for a long time. True, at first it became widespread in European countries and the United States. Today, homes using Canadian technology receive positive reviews from Russians. What is the secret of the popularity of such technology and is it worth building such a home?
A bit of history
Canadian technology, aka SIP, has been used for 50 years in Europe and North America, and therefore it has been worked out to the smallest detail. At the same time, in our country, such technology has not been studied until recently, SIP panels have not been studied in terms of environmental friendliness, fire safety, and therefore there are a lot of rumors and myths about Canadian house-building, most of which simply do not correspond to reality. The Canadian house is based on the frame, and it was named “Canadian” because it was developed in Russia on the basis of Canadian housing standards. Although, in fact, houses using Canadian technology were built in our country before, they were only called Finnish.
What is SIP?
As already mentioned, Canadian housing construction is based on the frame, but, in fact, it is the same panel construction, because factory-built panels are supplied for building a house on the object. As a rule, SIP panels are assembled on the basis of a wooden beam, as a result of which a strong and rigid frame capable of withstanding the load is created inside the structure. That's exactly how houses are built using Canadian technology. Reviews say that the construction is carried out quickly, while the final result is pleased with its quality. A feature of SIP panels is their high strength, they are able to withstand any wind loads, as well as the power of snow or rain. A lot of such housing was built in the USA, where earthquakes or tornadoes often happen, and these seemingly fragile houses withstand a lot.
Build Features
Canadian technology often called frameless, because for this design, the presence of a frame - external or internal - is not necessary. Often, dowels or thermal inserts, which are created from the same SIP panels, only have a smaller thickness, are used to connect the panels. However, most construction companies prefer to use the traditional method of construction, and therefore the basis of the frame of the house is a wooden beam. Firstly, this design is durable. Secondly, the presence of a wooden beam allows timely repairs if necessary.
Canadian technology for the construction of houses suggests that the supporting walls, ceilings, and roof will be assembled from SIP panels, but it is possible to use them for the construction of internal partitions. Very often, panels are also used for sheathing the power frame. That is, it turns out that in a Canadian house the elements of the frame and panels are closely intertwined, therefore, residential buildings are often called frame-panel elements.
What are the advantages?
It’s no coincidence Canadian technology homes are receiving positive reviews. The advantages of these residential facilities include:
- Unique thermal protection: objects from SIP panels are one and a half times warmer than wooden, brick or aerated concrete houses.
- High rates of energy saving and heating savings.
- There remains a lot of usable area, almost 30% more.
- The construction process itself is economical, since you will have to spend much less on materials than if you were building from brick or logs.
- The construction of housing is carried out in one to two weeks.
- Canadian technology frame houses do not shrink, therefore, immediately after assembly, you can engage in finishing work.
- Due to the light weight of the structure, a powerful foundation is not needed.
- Assembly of the frame house is quick, without the use of special equipment.
- All panels are manufactured at the factory, so Canadian technology almost completely eliminates the risk of marriage.
- Construction can be carried out at any time of the year, while the landscape will not be harmed.
- Frame houses are reliable and unpretentious in maintenance.
For the conditions of Russia with its cold climate, homebuilding using Canadian technology is an advantageous solution. Firstly, the housing will be heatproof. Secondly, during the construction process there will be no technological errors, since all the components of the future cottage will be made at the factory, which means they will have exact dimensions and markings. Thirdly, the SIP panel, which consists of several layers of material, has no air gaps, which means that the house will simply not need additional wind and vapor insulation. In addition, the house using Canadian technology (photo confirms the variety of design decisions that can be made for frame housing) is energy efficient. It is this principle that our state is gradually introducing into modern construction in order to make it more profitable and efficient.
What are the disadvantages?
Of course, as in any other construction, frame housing construction can not do without nuances. So, it is worth considering that such houses do not differ in resistance to burning, and this is perhaps the most important drawback of these structures. But, on the other hand, all cottages and apartments are subject to burning, since what is located inside them burns in the first place. Therefore, in order to protect your home from fire or arson, you should think about a competent fire safety system. SIP-panel, like any other wood product, has a third degree of fire resistance, while it is used in the same place where wood is used. Designs of this class can be used for the construction of single-family and private houses - this is approved by building codes.
Canadian frame house construction technology involves the use of panels in which polystyrene foam acts as a heater. It is protected from open flame with OSB-3 boards, and they are resistant to burning. That is, it turns out that the SIP panel is no more secure than any other wooden structure. To make it even stronger, the panel is finished with drywall. In addition, deciding to build a house using Canadian technology, give preference to SIP panels made without disturbances in the process. As a rule, such materials are more expensive.
Should you be afraid of rodents?
Many mistakenly believe that frame houses are susceptible to rodents. However, the fact remains that rodents do not start in SIP panels. And this is confirmed by the many years of experience of buyers who have been operating this housing for more than a dozen years. Firstly, polystyrene foam for mice is of no interest, and they do not like their nests in it. Secondly, in any case, you need to block access to the rodent insulation - this will naturally remove the problem.
Environmentally friendly material
SIP panels are ideal for building a house using Canadian technology. Reviews, however, are often filled with doubts about the environmental component. By and large, each material has its pros and cons, and therefore only choose the buyer. We will touch on SIP panels. Many believe that the OSB outdoor slabs in them are not the safest option for construction. Moreover, almost all developed countries have been using these panels in the construction of residential facilities for more than a dozen years. It is noteworthy that the material was developed specifically for housing!
Canadian technology frame houses in Russia they are just beginning to become popular, respectively, there are a lot of questions and doubts among buyers. But it should be remembered that in our country OSB-3 boards are still produced in small quantities, and the main part is imported from abroad: North America and Europe. And here high demands are placed on the environmental friendliness of the materials produced.
The main thing is to protect the tree
Canadian house building technology - This is the construction of housing using a large number of wooden materials. This, on the one hand, is good, because wood is environmentally friendly, durable and reliable. But on the other hand, it must be properly exploited, that is, take into account instability to humidity or dryness. In such cases, it is important not only to treat the tree with certain compounds, but also to think through the ventilation of the problem areas of the house. Many buyers believe that this is too long and costly work, so they prefer the construction of other materials.
When building a house using Canadian technology, projects are required. Firstly, they will take into account the design features of future housing. Secondly, an estimate will be thought out and planned, which plays a very important role if you want to build profitably. Thirdly, the entire engineering communications network is thought out precisely in the design solution. Thus, if the project is drafted competently and professionally, you can not worry about the strength, reliability and quality of your home - all these indicators will be at a high level!
Additional finishes: pros and cons
In the reviews of customers who have already built their homes using Canadian technology, the question often arises whether it is necessary to do external or internal decoration. Experts advise all the same to spend time and make your home even stronger and more reliable. For example, you can sheathe it with a brick, siding. At the same time, it is noted that the SIP panel itself is distinguished by strength and reliability, and therefore it is almost impossible to break it, and if possible, then using a special tool. Therefore, to ensure safety, the main thing is to strengthen the window and door openings.
Another point that excites buyers is the achievement of sound insulation. It is believed that the SIP panel has insufficient thickness, and therefore it is unlikely that it will be possible to provide yourself with peace in a frame house. For such cases, there is an effective and cost-effective solution - a panel lined with plasterboard in two layers. Such material meets the requirements of European standards for sound insulation, which are presented to residential facilities. Drywall is a very successful material, since it will protect against noise from the street, and from the sounds that come from the next room.
Many owners of frame houses easily solve the problem with ventilation. To do this, some prefer to make inserts for the supply valves in the walls, and some buy compact ventilation systems that also heat the air. It all depends on the capabilities and wishes of each customer.
How much does it cost to build a house?
Everyone who decides to build a private home, is looking for materials that are not only and not so much quality and reliable, as much as cheap. True, saving is still not worth it, especially if you want your home to last a long and reliable life. In this regard, it is very advantageous to build houses using Canadian technology: the prices for wooden components are not so high, and the factory assembly makes the construction process even easier, and therefore cheaper. But if you take the SIP panel specifically, it is considered an elite material, and therefore the factory price for it is about 2000 rubles per cubic meter. However, the peculiarity of these panels is that they can be made with your own hands using a press, OSB-3, polystyrene foam blocks of a certain size and glue. True, in this case, the construction process may be delayed.
In fact, it’s Canadian technology building houses: the prices delight many buyers, while the cottage is reliable, high-quality, retaining heat and saving energy and heating costs. For example, a house made of edged timber will cost a little more, and it will take a lot of time to prepare it for further operation. That is why the edged beam is used less often today, and it is replaced by a profiled and glued beam. True, such construction will not be the cheapest.
In general, prices for Canadian homes are approximately the following:
- If you take SIP panels separately, they will cost about 1200-1400 rubles per square meter. The final cost depends on the thickness of the material.
- If you decide to build a turnkey Canadian house, then the cost of a house kit without finishing will be approximately 1,300,000 rubles. As a rule, construction companies understand a home set as its manufacture and delivery to an object, assembly, insulation of walls, roofs, floors, installation of doors and windows, as well as roofs. All additional work, for example, exterior finishing, installation of the foundation and communications, rough and finish finishing will be calculated additionally. On average, the implementation of all these works and the house kit will cost about 5-6 million rubles.
The modern real estate market is constantly being improved, developed and changed. Technologies and materials do not remain unchanged. Accordingly, customers are offered a huge selection of projects, among which everyone will be able to choose what he likes. Frame construction today is very in demand, this is evidenced by customer reviews and those wishing to build such housing. If you want to build a warm, reliable and high-quality private house, then SIP-panels can be just the perfect solution for you!