Do-it-yourself frame house from sip panels, making sip panels at home. Do-it-yourself construction of houses from SIP panels: video Do-it-yourself houses from SIP wooden panels

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 of 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 of 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.

Frame houses do not require 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, there are a huge number of them, and each makes panels using its 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).


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.


Technology for laying a ventilation system in a house made of sip panels

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 stands in the wilderness, there is no need to worry about unnecessary noise, but if the house is located in a rather busy place, you will have to strengthen it with your own hands interior decoration sound-absorbing material.

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 total budget for construction), you still have to put in some effort and ingenuity. The thing is that the box of the house has an unusually low weight, plus, it is necessary to take into account the specific characteristics of the soil, climate conditions, depth groundwater building plot.




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:

  1. 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 rather compacts it.
  2. - 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 For such a foundation, it takes a long time for the concrete pour to dry out (up to a month). In addition, the underground floor of such a house will be much less ventilated than in pile house.
  3. – 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.
  4. - 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

Do-it-yourself installation of panel houses is done 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 without any gaps, 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 rather than frames.

Roof laying


Roof panel fastening diagram

Roof construction in panel house very easy to do with your own hands. In addition to the fact that in this case there is no need to make lathing, the roofing cake itself also does not need to be assembled, 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– lightweight 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- a cheap and popular material that imitates 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.

How are panel-frame buildings heated?

Assembling vulture houses

Buy a house made of SIP panels

Do-it-yourself construction of houses from sip panels, video, instructions, step-by-step guide

Step-by-step video instructions - how to build a house from sandwich - SIP panels yourself

How to assemble a vulture at home. Video

Every instruction is very detailed guide, study everything carefully, carefully, pay attention to all the nuances and details!!! Be sure to read and study both documents, as this is the only way you will gain a complete understanding of the entire construction process yourself! Remember that SIP at home is just one option among types of prefabricated buildings.

In the documents, you will learn EVERYTHING about how to make a panel-frame building with your own hands, what materials are used for this, what you need to know, and, of course, you will find and get acquainted with practical skills in the construction of prefabricated buildings.

Stages of building a frame house from SIP panels - step-by-step sequence of actions

Any construction of a panel-frame structure is a step-by-step process that involves a sequence construction work. When we build a house from sip panels with our own hands, we not only have to pour the foundation ourselves, but also install windows, doors, and also carry out interior wall decoration, conduct electrical networks and communications, not forgetting construction of an attic floor And facade finishing.

Construction – manufacturing, foundation pouring

Building a foundation - This is the foundation of your future home. The most common foundation options are shallow strip foundations and foundations on screw piles. It's no secret that prefabricated houses have a relatively light weight, good environmental friendliness and do not require massive foundations.

Foundation on screw piles with piping for a vulture house. Photo

Foundation from screw piles with your own hands, on your own. Video

This significantly reduces construction costs and increases its speed. From this link you can learn in detail about all types of foundations for houses made of SIP panels.

Planning and choosing the foundation of a house will depend on the type of soil, the slope of your land, as well as directly on the area of ​​the building itself. If the foundation is from monolithic concrete. This is something you definitely need to do waterproofing layer. Details at the link above. It happens that if the soil is loose and sandy, then it makes sense to use a monolithic slab as a foundation.

The foundation for a vulture house is a monolithic slab. Photo

Strapping beam - floor base

The next stage of building a semi-structured house with your own hands is to arrange the base of the floor and walls of the first floor. If the building is two storeys. As a rule, dry strapping timber is used for this, which is pre-treated antiseptic compounds– this significantly improves fire safety.

Laying the strapping beam on the foundation. Photo

Laying is carried out around the perimeter of the house and along the contours of load-bearing internal partitions. If the foundation is on screw piles, then you should first arrange a base of steel channel.

Installation of SIP panels - assembly of a house kit

So you bought SIP panels and your next action is theirs self installation. Assembling a house from SIP panels is a process that requires special attention! If you are a beginner, then it is best for you to install the walls of the house according to the instructions, which you can download at the beginning of the article. It should be understood that making a kit at home occurs individually for each project.

Assembling a house from sip panels yourself, using your own resources. Video

Preparing a house set from sip panels for assembly. Photo

When a house kit is delivered to you, you need to pay attention to the assembly sequence. All panels must be numbered, and the numbering must clearly correspond to the assembly diagram of the house kit. Your task is to lay out all SIP panels according to numbering along the perimeter of the foundation. If the building consists of two floors, then the first floor set is laid out first.

Installing sip panels with your own hands. Video

SIP panels have quite a large weight, which ensures good sound insulation. You will definitely need help, at least two people, be sure to take care of this. The panels are installed by splicing them together, as well as by tying the lower base to the strapping beam.

Installing SIP panels yourself. Photo from idealfoundations.com.au

The connecting element between SIP panels is the frame elements - this is a wooden antiseptic beam. Also, to enhance the fastening properties, a mounting sealant is used - this is a one-component material based on polyurethane foam, commonly known as mounting foam.

This connection scheme is called “tongue-and-groove”; it is reliable enough to provide long-term service life of prefabricated buildings. After connecting the panels using a wooden beam, it is necessary to screw in self-tapping screws on both sides, which significantly increases the rigidity of the entire structure.

Installation of wall panels occurs only when the bottom trim is completely done. First, the corner components of the house kit are installed, and only then the remaining load-bearing posts and the panels themselves are attached (installation is carried out from the first corner panel and is simultaneously carried out in both directions, to the second corner sandwich panel).

Correct installation of a house kit made of sip panels. Video

After installation, each panel must be adjusted using a building level. This approach allows you to correctly position all the walls of the set in space independently. During detection of deviations and adjustments are the key to correct installation.

Assembly of house walls from SIP panels. Photo

Strictly adhere to the SIP panel assembly diagram and carefully monitor the sequence of actions. Remember that all joints and cracks between SIP panels must be treated with polyurethane foam!

Assembly, installation, installation of floors

There are the following types of floors- zero overlap, interfloor overlap and attic floor.

Zero overlap made of sip panels. Photo from the site stavimsteni.ru

You can organize any of these floors either from SIP panels or using wooden frame from T-beams or two T-beams. Just as it is pros and cons of sip panels, and each type of flooring has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Between the floors the ceiling is made of sip panels. Photo from the site sipdom.ucoz.ru

If you decide to assemble floors from sandwich panels, then this is done by analogy with assembling walls. This is a completely acceptable approach, since the heat-insulating properties justify the laboriousness of the process. Of the minuses, if the house area is large. You may need heavy equipment.

Assembly frame floor at home in a vulture house. Photo

Assembling floors using T-beams or two T-beams (depending on the load-bearing loads) is reliable, inexpensive and efficient. This approach is also justified from the point of view of laying utility networks - ventilation,sewerage systems, water supply And heating system.

Top frame with wooden beam

Top trim around the perimeter of the house is required. It serves to securely fix the entire structure and increase the overall seismic resistance of the building. Strapping wooden beam, which is laid on top, is also at the same time the basis for the ceiling, either between floors or under the roof.

The upper frame of the walls is made of SIP panels. Photo

Construction of the roof of a SIP house - do-it-yourself roof

Arrangement and construction of the roof is the final stage of installing a set of SIP panels. Your further actions will depend on what type of roofing is included in the house kit.

Roofing a house from sip panels with your own hands. Photo from achfoam.com

In most cases, the roof is built directly from SIP panels. With this approach, the organization of a rafter-transom system is not required. The performance qualities of sandwich panels are quite sufficient for them to withstand all bearing loads. A roof made of SIP panels is assembled on the same principle as Wall panels, according to the house kit drawing.

You will also be interested in: Return to main SIP Electrical equipment in SIP houses Finishing in houses made from SIP panels Pros and cons of construction from SIP Fire safety Service life of SIP houses Heating in houses made from SIP panels Go to the main site

For more detailed advice on the issue you are interested in, please send us a message.

Structural insulating panels (SIP) are used for the construction of frame low-rise residential, public and domestic buildings. Residential 2-storey cottages with attics, garages, dachas, warehouses, cafes, small shops and office buildings. For some reason such technologies in Russia are called Canadian, although they have nothing to do with this country. The author of the idea is American engineer Frank Lloyd Wright, who developed the design of a composite panel with honeycomb fillers in the 30s of the 20th century. Light and cheap designs immediately attracted the attention of enterprising American manufacturers of building materials, who began their mass production.

What are SIP panels for building a house?

After constant improvements, an optimal design was created, which is most widespread in Russia, America and Europe. This is a kind of sandwich of 2 OSB-3 (oriented strand boards) with PSB-25 insulation glued between them (a plate of suspension pressless self-extinguishing polystyrene foam).

Plates can be made from various materials: steel, aluminum, asbestos cement. But the term SIP implies the use of external cladding panels made from sheets of wood products in the production of SIP:

  • oriented strand board made of large-sized shavings (most often pine), bonded under conditions of high temperatures and pressure with waterproof resins. The arrangement of chips in the outer layers is longitudinal, and in the inner layers it is transverse. The number of layers is 3, less often - 4. OSB 3 is manufactured for use in conditions of high humidity under high mechanical loads, therefore more expensive than other varieties;
  • fiberboard slabs containing wood fibers and Portland cement M500 in a ratio of 60 to 40;
  • moisture-resistant plywood;
  • gypsum fiber sheets;
  • drywall.

The following materials are used as insulation in the manufacture of SIP panels:

  • expanded polystyrene foam;
  • polyurethane foam;
  • basalt mineral wool;
  • fiberglass.

Combination into a monolithic structure is carried out using cold gluing with polyurethane adhesives using a press that creates pressure of up to 18 tons.

Reliable waterproofing is ensured by waterproof treatment of sheets in the factory.

After gluing, the products are placed on special tables, where they are cut to the required dimensions. Then, along the perimeter of the part, grooves are selected for laying connecting bars or boards. The distances from the edges of the OSB are taken from 25 to 100 mm, depending on the cross-section of the elements that will be placed in the grooves to fix the structure during the construction of the building.

SIP panel sizes

The dimensions of the products are determined by their purpose - for walls, ceilings, floors, roofs. The designs used for the device are considered basic vertical structures buildings.

Standard products are available in the following sizes in mm:

  • length - 2500...2800;
  • width - 625...1250;
  • thickness - 124, 174 and 224.

Main advantages and existing disadvantages

Any construction technology has its own disadvantages and advantages. Buildings constructed using SIP are characterized by the following advantages:

  1. Durability ≥ 60 years, due to the strength of the material with long-term geometric stability.
  2. Mechanical strength, can withstand longitudinal loads up to 10 tons per m2 and transverse loads up to 2 tons.
  3. High seismic resistance, tested in laboratory conditions to earthquakes of destructive force.
  4. Light weight, average sq. m weighs 15...20 kg. Therefore, there is no need to build expensive, powerful foundations. They are easy to transport and unload.
  5. Installation of SIP panels is characterized by ease of work that does not require special equipment, heavy lifting equipment and high qualifications of the performer.
  6. The houses practically do not shrink, which makes it possible to complete finishing immediately after completion of installation work.
  7. Environmental friendliness and safety of buildings for human health. Formaldehyde resins, which are part of the adhesive components, emit harmful volatile compounds in small quantities. But their concentration is not dangerous, which is confirmed by relevant sanitary standards(sanitary safety corresponds to class E1).
  8. Good heat and sound insulation properties.
  9. Resistance to aggressive external influences, including biological ones (fungus or mold damage).
  10. High factory readiness and ease of assembly with the absence of wet processes allow you to build a house from SIP panels at any time of the year, regardless of weather conditions, in the shortest possible time.
  11. Fire resistance ensured by high-quality treatment with fire retardants in the factory. Foamed polystyrene foam is a self-extinguishing material, so the spread of fire to nearby structures does not occur even in open fire conditions.
  12. Affordable price.

Available disadvantages:

  • the need to install an efficient supply and exhaust ventilation system to remove condensate from the junction of the frame and the slabs;
  • the low thermal inertia of load-bearing fencing structures, characteristic of all frame structures.

You can often come across an opinion about the danger of small rodents entering the house. This is based on the existing attractiveness of foam plastics for rodents to build their burrows in. But we must take into account that the insulation is reliably protected on all sides by OSB sheets, and the interpanel seams are covered with antiseptic boards or bars.

There is also an opinion about environmental hazards and flammability. One can only agree with this when purchasing low-quality counterfeit products. Therefore, you should buy products only from trusted manufacturers who have earned authority in the building materials market, and with mandatory quality certificates. It is recommended to order products directly from factories or dealers with a good reputation. The products of the Egger and Glunz concerns are characterized by consistently high quality. You can also note the quality of products from the following companies:

  • house-building plant "Bauen House";
  • construction company "EcoEuroDom";
  • Hotwell panel house plant;
  • enterprises "Building Together";
  • company "SIP Atelier".

Building a house from SIP panels with your own hands

Composition and sequence of operations:

  1. Construction of the foundation. Most often, pile-grillage, columnar-tape, slab or shallow strip structures are chosen. The work is carried out using traditional methods.
  2. Construction of the bottom trim and floor. On top of the foundation structure, horizontal waterproofing is carried out from 2 layers of waterproofing glued using bitumen-containing mastics. The timber is laid along the perimeter of the building under future walls and load-bearing partitions. Fastening to the foundation is carried out anchor bolts into holes pre-drilled in the tree, two anchors are placed in the corners, intermediate ones - in increments of 1.5...2 m. additional fastening dowels made of dense wood. The strapping will also be the basis for the location of the floor joists, on which a regular wooden floor is laid. Laying guide boards on the beam, the cross-section is selected depending on the size of the panels. The boards are fastened at intervals of about 40 cm with self-tapping screws.
  3. Assembly of SIP panels. Installation begins at the installation in the first corner of the 2 panels. It is important that an even vertical angle is ensured; the evenness of the laying of all other elements will directly depend on this. Before installation on the guide board, the lower grooves are foamed, fastening to the board is done with self-tapping screws in increments of 15 cm. The joint of wall products is made “tongue-and-groove” on racks made of timber, factory-made from kiln-dried lumber. Before connecting the panels to each other, the vertical grooves are also foamed, fixed with self-tapping screws every 50 cm. The vertical installation of the parts is controlled building level. All other panels are installed in the same way.
  4. Installation of the top strapping beam. Foaming the upper grooves and fixing the trim with self-tapping screws.
  5. Cutting window openings, the operation can be done in advance, which will be more convenient. The holes made are reinforced along the contour with bars.
  6. Installation of floor beams with laying of sip panels.
  7. Roof installation. If a regular rafter roof is being constructed from sip panels, then the grooves will serve as support for the rafters. Fastening the sheathing to the rafters and laying the roofing material. If necessary, the attic is insulated.
  8. Layout of engineering communications.
  9. Finishing work. The evenness of the walls greatly simplifies finishing, and sip slabs securely hold any fastening of finishing materials (lining, siding, blockhouse, plasterboard, porcelain tiles, wallpaper or natural stone).

The cost of factory-made SIP from high-quality raw materials is high, for example, a 224 mm thick panel measuring 2.5 by 1.25 m from 12 mm OSB costs ≥ 3,500 rubles. The production technology is not complicated, so you can make sip panels with your own hands at home. To carry out the work, you will need a small enclosed space (a garage for a car, a shed or a utility room).

Selection and purchase of necessary materials

The following materials will be required:

  1. 12 mm OSB-3 sheets. Each product will require two sheets. It is important to have a hygienic certificate indicating the formaldehyde emission class E1.
  2. Quality polystyrene foam boards PSB-S-25 (35) in dimensions according to the dimensions of SIP with a thickness for external wall panels of 15...20 cm.
  3. Non-toxic one-component polyurethane adhesive, approximately 0.2 kg per square meter required. m of surface. The glue must be environmentally friendly, without releasing harmful components during polymerization, and be able to withstand temperature changes possible in your climate zone. The characteristics of the adhesive and the conditions for its use are indicated on the packaging; you can consult with a sales consultant, explaining to him what the adhesive composition will be used for. TOP-UR 15 have proven themselves well; Macroplast UR 7229, Kleiberit 502.8.
  4. Fire retardants and antiseptics for additional processing of finished panels.

You cannot save on purchasing cheap materials, as this will directly affect the durability and quality of the finished products.

Equipment and tools

Bonding of SIPs must be carried out under pressure; in industrial conditions this value is 18 tons. You can make a simple press yourself.

Scope of work:

  • manufacturing solid foundation from rolled profiles or profile pipes a size slightly larger than the dimensions of the panels;
  • fastening vertical posts made of 50 mm profile pipe along the perimeter of the sides of the base in increments of 0.5..1 m. The height of the posts should allow for laying 4...5 panels under the press, pressing them with the upper frame and installing jacks. The top of the outer posts is equipped with fastening steel clamps, into which crossbars made of 50 mm profile pipes can be placed;
  • assembly of the upper frame from profile pipes, hinged at the top to the racks located on one of the sides. To uniformly transfer pressure to the plates, the frame is welded from longitudinal and transverse elements in increments of 50 cm. A small hand winch is used to easily lift and lower the frame;
  • Two small hydraulic car jacks with a lifting capacity of ≥ 2 tons will be required.

If manufacturing is difficult (fastening elements by welding) or the number of planned products is small, then you can use vacuum pressing.

Structure composition:

  • a durable table or workbench (sizes like for a press) with side racks for fixing the position of the sheets (2 racks on each side are enough);
  • durable cover made of awning fabrics, hermetically glued with Cosmofen SA-12 glue. The dimensions of the cover should allow covering a stack of panels with its tight fixation around the perimeter;
  • Vacuum pump;
  • supply hoses.

After pumping out the air, a pressure of ≥ 1000 kg per m2 can be created.

The tools you will need are a spray bottle or a notched trowel to apply the glue evenly.

Sequence of work

  1. Laying on an OSB sheet base.
  2. Marking the position of expanded polystyrene, taking into account the necessary grooves for laying bars or frame boards during the construction of a building. The vertical gap from the edge of the sheets is from 2.5 to 5 cm, 25 mm is enough at the top and bottom. Because adhesive compositions dry very quickly (≤ 10 minutes), it is recommended to mark about 10 sheets at once. The lines are drawn with a marker or a simple pencil.
  3. Cutting the foam to the required size.
  4. Applying glue to the OSB, thoroughly covering the entire area.
  5. Installation of foam with light pressing for a tight fit.
  6. Applying glue to polystyrene foam.
  7. Top overlay OSB sheet. The work must be done carefully, but quickly, so that the glue does not have time to set.
  8. The process is then repeated until a stack of 5 panels is ready.
  9. Pressing of products. If a homemade press of the design outlined above is used, then the upper frame is lowered onto the stack. Then cross members are placed in the rack clamps and, using jacks installed between the frame and cross members, a required pressure. The piston output of the jacks should be the same. If a vacuum method is used, then pressure is created by pumping air out of a well and hermetically sealed case. The holding time of products under pressure is about an hour.
  10. Removing jacks, lifting the upper frame or removing the shelter from the cover. The panels are transferred to a flat surface and stacked. They are kept in this position for at least a day to strengthen the adhesive joint.
  11. The following stacks of products are made in the same way.

As you can see, the manufacturing process is quite simple, and the products will cost at least 2 times cheaper than factory designs. Careful adherence to technology and the use of high-quality materials are guaranteed to ensure good quality.

Building a house from SIP panels with your own hands.

Here we give a summary of tips for building houses from general plan sip panels:

Choosing a foundation

In the vast majority of cases, two types of foundations - on screw piles and shallow-buried strip foundations - can completely solve the problem of reliable support for a Canadian house in the Moscow region.

If you make a concrete pile foundation (below the freezing depth) for a lightweight Canadian house on heaving soil, it is better using TISE technology (with widening of the lower part of the piles) and with high grillage (with a gap between the grillage and the ground).

This is correct in theory. In practice, in the Moscow region, bored piles are often made under SIP houses without widening, and often the grillage is supported on the ground (low grillage).

Problems do happen, but in most cases, lightweight houses on such foundations stand without problems. The fact is that a powerful reinforced concrete grillage not only prevents uneven subsidence of the piles under the weight of the house, but also compensates for the uneven pushing out of the piles by the lateral forces of frost heaving. In essence, we are dealing with a “floating” foundation of an unreasonably expensive and complex design.

Why are such foundations made? The answer is simple: “Customers love it.”

Clients like a lot of things that are harmful. For example, it is beautiful when the foam protruding from the joints of SIP panels is neatly cut off.

But this cannot be done outside. Hasn't started yet exterior finishing At home, polyurethane foam is destroyed by ultraviolet radiation solar radiation. Pruning only speeds up this process.

For a house made of SIP panels, the best pile foundation is screw. The blade of a screw pile performs the same function as widening the lower part of a columnar foundation made using TISE technology: it reduces the pressure of the loaded pile on the ground and prevents it from being pulled out by the forces of frost heaving of the soil.

Thus, the screw pile, working as an anchor, provides a fixed point of support if the piles are screwed below the freezing depth into the load-bearing (!) soil..

Due to the increased rigidity of SIP structures, they are less sensitive to seasonal ground movements. For small ones country houses most suitable inexpensive option- foundation on pillars.

As a rule, these are small concrete blocks, installed on a sand bedding (necessarily at the corners of the house, the joints of load-bearing walls and several intermediate ones).

Season for construction

Construction by Canadian technology possible at any time of the year. A great time for construction is winter. Due to rain, construction may take a little longer. Measures must be taken to prevent dirt from entering the construction site.

There may be problems with access to the site. In terms of weather, summer is the most favorable season for DIY construction. But summer has its own difficulties due to the growing excitement in the construction market, with quite understandable consequences.

What to build from SIP panels

Important question: What structural elements of a house should be assembled from SIP? External walls are always assembled from SIP panels. The walls turn out surprisingly warm and smooth.

Domestic load-bearing walls It is also advisable to assemble it from SIP panels. The issue of partitions is secondary. Partitions can be assembled from anything and at the stage finishing. Most often, partitions are assembled from SIP panels with a thickness of 124 mm.

The use of SIP panels for the assembly of zero and attic floors or roofs is justified by their high thermal insulation ability.

SIP flooring does not require a subfloor. Finish floor coverings (laminate, linoleum, carpet, etc.) are laid directly on the SIP floor.

Use SIP for assembly interfloor overlapping is possible, but not entirely advisable due to low impact noise indicators.

Making a complex roof from SIP panels is problematic. It is possible to assemble a roof of any complexity from SIP, but a reasonable question arises: why, if the proven classic one is simpler? rafter system with insulation?

Which timber is suitable for joining SIP panels

It is not recommended to use beams made from boards consolidated at a construction site for joining SIP panels due to the risk of cracks forming. And if you can find a massive wooden beam of the required cross-section in the markets, it is only raw.

This requires clarification. Concepts dry or raw lumber (timber, boards, etc.) are used only at the household level. In fact, all lumber contains moisture. Excessively damp wood has many disadvantages, one of which is shrinkage (change in linear dimensions).

Moisture in wood is present in 2 forms - free (capillary), filling cell cavities and intercellular space (up to 70%), and bound (hygroscopic), located in cell membranes (about 30%).

Removal free removal of moisture (often called plant sap) occurs quite quickly and easily during atmospheric drying. Moreover without change linear dimensions and volume of wood. Only its density decreases. Very often, a board from which a significant part has been removed is called “dry.” free moisture.

The problem is that wood shrinks later, namely through evaporation. related moisture! It is at this stage that the linear dimensions wooden lumber.

During forced chamber drying, dry-looking coniferous lumber shrinks up to 12% in the transverse direction to the fibers!

Due to the anisotropic structure of wood, removal related moisture is accompanied by cracking and warping. Therefore, truly dry lumber can be distinguished from raw lumber without a moisture meter. presence of cracks.

To remove most of the bound moisture, forced (chamber) drying is necessary. Therefore dry edged There is no lumber on the markets. All that is sold is a cheese cutter - freshly sawn wood, which must be dried in a chamber.

Kiln-dried lumber is expensive. In addition, after drying to the required moisture content edged lumber loses its GOST dimensions.

Planing (sizing) eats up a few more millimeters of thickness and width, which ultimately makes such lumber unsuitable for joining SIP panels with polystyrene foam thicknesses of 100 mm, 150 mm and 200 mm.

Massive timber with a thickness of 100x150 mm and 100x200 mm of chamber drying is almost impossible to find. Solid timber requires particularly mild drying conditions, i.e. special equipment.

Conventional drying chambers are designed for drying boards up to 50 mm thick for further planing into moldings or for the production of laminated veneer lumber, I-beams, furniture board, etc.

Today there is no acceptable alternative to massive rectangular beams for joining 174 or 224 mm SIPs in floors and roofs. Wooden I-beams (I-Joist, etc.) with a height of 200 mm are rather weak for this purpose.

A massive rectangular beam of 100x200mm can replace a 300mm I-beam in terms of rigidity and strength, but you can’t fit it into a 224mm SIP panel.

LVL and laminated timber are expensive. For example, the retail price of laminated timber 100x200 mm is 650 rubles. per m.p. (May 2013). This is more than 30 thousand rubles. per m3.

Floors made of SIP panels

Floors and roofs are places where insulated classic beam (rafter) structures compete with SIP structures in terms of price, manufacturability and other parameters. If technical details You are of little interest, go straight to the next point.

Often, especially in small buildings, the device of zero overlap and SIP roofs is the most optimal solution. But for large spans, traditional floors on wooden beams may be better than SIP floors.

It's not just a question of price. We wrote about the problem of connecting beams in floors and roofs above in the previous paragraph. There are other reasons to take into account when making your decision:

The SIP panel by its design is a wall panel and is designed to bear large longitudinal loads. As a ceiling, the SIP panel does not have any special advantages, although it has good bending strength.

The ground floor and interfloor floors of a house must not only withstand certain loads, but also be sufficiently rigid (not bend too much). The floor should not “walk” under your feet. It is easier to assemble a floor of the required rigidity from beams of a suitable cross-section.

SIP floor panels are often made narrower (usually twice as large - 625 mm). Joining the panels on floor beams. This means that the main load-bearing element of the SIP panel floor is the same wooden beam. The rigidity of a beam is determined not so much by its cross-sectional area as by its height and shape. And 200 mm, which is dictated by the “slab” panel, is good for spans of up to 4 meters.

If the spans are longer than the length of the SIP panel, then the strength of the floor depends on the beams (at the transverse joints of the panels, the entire load falls on the beams)! For this reason, for spans of more than 5 meters, it is better not to make SIP floors - the pitch of 625 mm of beams with a height of 200 mm is too large (according to SNiP, the permissible span for a beam of 200x100 mm with a pitch of 625 mm is less than 5 m).

If floor beams are installed with a pitch of 625 mm, as in a SIP floor, then OSB-3 slabs sewn onto the beams at the top and bottom and without glued polystyrene foam will work like shelves on an I-beam! OSB-3 slabs for covering floor beams, unlike SIP, do not need to be cut into strips 625 mm wide. Self-tapping screws on installation will go away half as much (saving effort and time).

The ceiling must have the same thickness everywhere, but the spans it covers are most often different. The beams can be laid out in different directions and with different steps, thereby optimizing material consumption. Usually above the living room are the most large spans. There it is advisable to make the ceiling stiffer by reducing the pitch of the beams and (or) increasing their cross-sectional area.

When making floors from SIP, this possibility will most often not be available. The overlap will turn out to be weak in some places, and vice versa in others. Cover the spans above the bathroom, hallway, etc. beams 200x100 mm with a pitch of 625 mm - this is luxury.

Features of construction from SIP panels

  1. If the structure is subject to a large lateral load, then the SIP joints should rest on the support. It is not advisable to embed a support inside the panel under the sheathing. In this situation SIP does not work as monolithic design! Forces arise to separate the skin from the polystyrene foam. If you jump onto a SIP floor between the joint beams, the large local lateral load can tear the sheathing away from the EPS.
  2. Moreover, OSB-3 has low bending rigidity in the transverse direction. Therefore, OSB-3 is laid as a floor covering or continuous sheathing across beams (rafters), and not along, as it turns out in SIP structures of floors and roofs. Therefore, it is undesirable to use SIP with thin sheathing of 9-10 mm for the installation of floors.
  3. The interfloor ceiling must be massive in order to provide good protection from impact noise. Only massive beams can provide this.
  4. There is no need to expect that it will not rain heavily when assembling the house. Until the roofing is completed, puddles form on the SIP flooring, which, if not removed, can only evaporate, since all joints are sealed. Therefore, you should prepare in advance to eliminate the consequences of precipitation. However, not everything is so scary: OSB-3 boards resist moisture well, and a short stay in water does not have a significant effect on them. Wooden floors on beams with insulation, flooring and lining underneath can also be assembled in advance in the form of ready-made elements. But this is usually not done due to possible precipitation.
  5. It is not very rational to assemble a SIP roof under a roof that does not require continuous sheathing.
  6. In beam floors, providing high thermal protection (noise insulation) is not a problem. The height of the section of the floor beam is determined by the calculation of the floor for rigidity and is usually at least 200 mm. It is incomparably easier to lay insulation between horizontal beams than in a wall frame. There are no problems with shrinkage of insulation in floors. Therefore, beam floors and rafter roofs are a serious alternative to SIP structures.
  7. A few words about the features of wooden frame (beam) structures. Not everything is perfect here either. Wood is a living material. This is his advantage and disadvantage at the same time. The wood smells pleasant and is pleasant to touch. But solid pieces of wood are prone to deformation. The tree is afraid of drought and dampness. It is prone to drying out and cracking. Due to the anisotropic structure of wood, the deformation of lumber always occurs unevenly: individual beams noticeably bend and twist. This leads to deformation of the frame structure. Forced drying of wood in chambers reduces this disadvantage of wood. Other effective solution— use of laminated lumber. An example is laminated veneer lumber, wooden I-beams with a wall made of OSB-3 (I-beam) or LVL beam (reminiscent of plywood). The disadvantage of wooden I-beams (I-beam or Joist) is their low weight. For interfloor covering It is preferable to use massive beams.
  8. When installing beam floors and frame partitions made of ordinary lumber, you need to be prepared for the fact that some of the beams may “come out” of the plane (especially if they are tightened with flooring or partition sheathing). It will take a plane and patience. When installing SIP floors, this problem does not arise.
  9. There are fewer problems with using SIP panels to create a ceiling between the top floor and the attic, if the latter will not be used as an attic. Often the attic floor is assembled from SIP wall panels.
  10. A rafter roof for a Canadian house is always done in the case of a “cold” attic. If there is a warm room directly under the roof of a Canadian house (attic, second light), then SIP panels are often used to install the roof. With this construction we immediately obtain warm roof, and a ready-made continuous sheathing for soft tiles.
  11. Conventional wall panels with a thickness of 174 mm are often suitable for roof construction. They are quite warm and durable. Simple design solutions (purlins resting on gables and interior walls attics) make it possible to ensure sufficient strength of the roof made of SIP wall panels even with large slopes. In particular, SIP wall panels can be installed on the rafter system:
  12. Laying soft tiles and others roofing materials directly on the SIP panel without a ventilation duct (gap) contradicts the general principles of constructing a roofing “pie”. Bituminous shingles closes the exit of steam from the SIP structure to the outside. There is information on the Internet about the unpleasant consequences of such a design decision.

The photo shows that the main damage to the SIP sheathing occurred in the area of ​​the panel joints. The most likely reason is the penetration of steam under the waterproofing substrate of soft tiles from the attic through poor-quality joints of SIP panels. When installing a soft roof directly on the SIP surface it is necessary to vapor barrier the joints SIP panels on the premises side. You can use adhesive tape:

This rule should also be followed when decorating external walls with SIP. If something that impedes the escape of steam is mounted directly on the SIP sheathing without a ventilation gap, the joints of the SIP panels on the room side should be well vapor-insulated. As they say in the birthplace of SIP technology, "That's why foam plus tape makes so much sense to us."

For the same reason, it is undesirable to vapor barrier SIP structures of the zero (lower) floor from below from the underground side. This is often done with bitumen mastics because “customers like it.” This does not increase the service life of the ceiling. It is necessary to take care of good ventilation of the underground by installing a sufficient number of vents in the basement!

If the ventilation of the underground is poor, bitumen mastic will hide from view possible problems with OSB-3 sheathing due to constant moisture, which will not allow you to take action in time necessary measures to eliminate the causes. The same thing can happen as with OSB-3 under bitumen roofing in the photo above.

For external protection enclosing structures from moisture use special vapor-permeable membranes (wind protection), which protect the structure from precipitation and wind, but do not prevent steam from escaping from the structure to the outside.

About vapor barrier

It doesn't have to be film. Many finishing materials can serve as a vapor barrier for the building envelope.

For example, a 12 mm thick OSB-3 board prevents the diffusion of water vapor as a vapor barrier (Sd > 2 m according to DIN 52615), so SIP panels do not need a vapor barrier.

Other examples are elastic plaster, laminate on a synthetic backing, etc. Linoleum will protect the lower floor from both steam and moisture.

The basic rule for constructing multilayer enclosing structures is that the vapor permeability of the wall should increase from the inner surface (warm room) to the outer surface (street). If you do the opposite, give steam from a warm room an easy entry and make it difficult to exit, then it will remain in the enclosing structure, wetting and destroying the building material.

  • Assemble external and load-bearing walls from SIP panels
  • interior partitions if desired (frame partitions can also be installed at the finishing stage)
  • assemble the interfloor ceiling from beams
  • make the zero (bottom) overlap from SIP with a thickness of 224 mm - you won’t regret it!
  • If possible, assemble a simple roof over the attic from SIP; in other cases, make a rafter roof
  • The attic floor can be made of SIP, or it can be built on beams.

If subsequently, at some point in the joints of SIP panels, a space unfilled with foam is discovered, there is no need to panic. The defect can be easily eliminated at any time. It is enough to make a small hole in the SIP panel sheathing and fill the voids with polyurethane foam.

If the exterior decoration of the house is postponed, it is better to hide the external walls of the SIP house from the effects of ultraviolet radiation and slanting rains. Polyurethane foam unprotected from sunlight quickly deteriorates, wood dries out and cracks (especially on the sunny side). Because of this, during heavy slanting rain, moisture can penetrate into structures.

To prevent this from happening, you need to seal the resulting gaps with mounting material. Increased attention should be paid to protecting the joints of walls and ceilings from rain. The simplest and inexpensive way- this is to sheathe the outside of the walls with a membrane (wind protection) that does not allow moisture to enter the walls, but allows steam to escape outside.

A few notes on the operation of a “freshly built” SIP house. By various reasons the design of the house may contain excess moisture. Most often it is bad weather. It is rarely possible to assemble a house without rain.

Excess moisture from the structure enters the air, so initial stages operation of the house, increased air humidity in the premises is possible. During this period, increased attention to ventilation of the house is necessary.

Insufficient ventilation can lead to problems, since humidity and heat are a fertile environment for blackness and even mold to appear on the surface of wood. Ventilation and treatment of problem areas protective composition effectively eliminates adverse consequences. But it is better not to allow them.

You need to be especially careful during the cold season. Despite the cold, at first the windows in all rooms should be kept slightly open. Turning on the heating in a clogged room can cause the air humidity to rise so that the dew point is on the surface of the walls.

Unfavorable conditions for wooden structures may occur when heating only parts of the rooms. Water vapor from warm rooms enters cold rooms and condenses on the walls there. Dampness forms with all the ensuing consequences.

No matter what anyone says, unification has always had a positive effect not only on the speed of production, but also on its cost. And the construction industry is no exception. Unification in frame housing construction led to the development of SIP panels and similar enlarged building materials.

The SIP panel itself was invented in 1935 in the USA; insulation was first glued into it in 1952. Since the early 60s of the last century, it began to be mass-produced, which influenced the reduction in the construction time of houses and their price in America, and then in Canada. SIP panel technologies came to Russia in the late 90s.

And this procession, unlike the United States, where tens of millions of square meters of such housing are built annually, has not yet become triumphant, and its cost is 30-40% higher than abroad. This is partly due to the mentality of our developer, partly due to the high cost of components imported from abroad, the prices of which are used by the rare domestic manufacturers who have mastered the production of similar products. But once upon a time, before releasing our own semi-truck, we also purchased a batch of Ford trucks.

What does a SIP panel consist of and how is it produced?

The design of the SIP panel is extremely simple, which means it is easily repeatable, but the copyright holders and patent holders will not miss theirs, so they factored their interest into the cost of the equipment for its production. And the essence of the technology is to glue between two sheets of OSB (oriented strand board - OSB) a polystyrene foam block PSB-S-25, where C is self-extinguishing, and 25 is density (from 15 to 25 kg/m3). Its thickness ranges from 100 to 200 mm, depending on the type of construction and climate zone where it is being built. Also, thinner panels can be used in the construction of partitions inside a frame house from SIP panels. Along the contour of the panel there are grooves for connecting and fastening bars. It must be said that panels with 100 mm of insulation in thermal conductivity correspond to approximately a one and a half meter wall made of solid baked clay brick, but according to the current Russian standards, 120 mm of expanded polystyrene is needed for the middle zone. Therefore, most manufacturers of SIP panels offer standard products with 140 mm PSB-S-25 and OSB thickness of 10 - 12 mm.

Making SIP panels with your own hands

It is best to cut foam plastic with a nichrome string, to which you must supply direct current from an adjustable transformer (parameters are selected depending on the length and thickness of the wire). The charger can act as a charger car device or welding machine.

In the manufacture of SIP panels, one-component polyurethane adhesive is used. On standard equipment, it is applied using 4 dozen nozzles for greater uniformity of distribution. The gluing process itself is carried out under pressure. For this, either vacuum or mechanical presses are used. The number of panel blanks in a stack and the number of glued stacks depend on the parameters of the press.

At home, it is not difficult to make a SIP panel with your own hands. Of the entire chain of technology, it is necessary to highlight only one process for explanation - applying glue and suggest pressing parameters. The rest is not difficult to implement, and a thinking person will also create a couple of devices for the relative positioning of the panel components.

So here's how to apply the glue. Choose almost any polyurethane balloon adhesive for polystyrene foam (the better known one), take a paint sprayer with an upper tank and a 2.5 mm nozzle. From an old professional spray foam gun, unscrew the assembly for connecting cylinders with a ball valve. Immediately make sure that it is working properly or clean it with a special washing liquid. Make a simple adapter with the appropriate threads and connect them together. Connect to the compressor and get a uniform layer of glue (or foam) adjustable in thickness.

To be fair, it must be said that ordinary professional polyurethane foam will work no worse than glue, but will require a little more skill from you. The grooves in SIP panels are made with a depth of 25 to 40 mm, while the lower and upper trim boards will have exactly this thickness, and the connecting beams will be twice as thick.

Place the resulting sandwich under an evenly distributed load at the rate of 15 - 20 kg/m2 and leave for a couple of hours. The standard panel has an area of ​​3.11 sq.m. The load can be several wooden beams. As panels are made, add them to the stack, moving the load to the top one - the newly made one. The main thing when laying is not to move the sheets. Tip: Cut 6 pieces of board to the appropriate width and use them as templates during assembly, joining with self-tapping screws.

You will be able to fully use your SIP panels the next day.

On what foundations are SIP panel houses assembled?

Such houses can be mounted on any foundations and here main role should not be carried out by the type of frame formation (in this case it is platform, American, Canadian, pallet), but by the condition of the base - the soil. It is clear that if you have swampy soil, the area has a complex topography or the groundwater is high, we will recommend screw piles with a powerful wooden bottom frame, or a platform immediately formed on its basis.

If you have soils subject to large frost heave, make a well-insulated floating foundation. It will also serve as a platform on which you can directly install SIP panels by securing the installation board with anchors, which partly serves as the bottom trim.

Under standard conditions, a grillage on poles is best suited for this type of frame.

Floor panels can be assembled directly on it, having previously treated them with a primer. In addition to sufficient strength for such a foundation, there will be one requirement when choosing SIP panel construction technology: ensuring good ventilation of the underground space.

SIP panel assembly technology

The connection of SIP panels to each other is carried out by gluing on polyurethane polyurethane foam timber, evenly fitting into their grooves. Fastening of panels to a floor or ceiling platform is also carried out using a tongue-and-groove system, with the role of a tenon being performed by boards of the lower and upper trim of the appropriate sizes.

The bottom board is also called the installation board. Its thickness can be from 25 mm to 40 mm. Corner connections are made according to the same principle, only the installation board is attached to the vertical panel.

As a rule, its thickness is half the thickness of the connecting beam. Fixing parts at seams is most often done using wood screws, less often with a nail gun. The design of a SIP panel house is so strong that a 25mm thick board is sufficient for the lower and upper trim, as well as corner connections.

If you decide to make SIP panels with your own hands, and we tried to convey to you that this is not so difficult, then we hope that you will make the panels of specific sizes and configurations, with ready-made connecting nodes, and you will not need additional trimming on the site. But, if you find it more profitable to buy ready-made panels from the manufacturer, we recommend ordering them to be cut for your project. Many companies sell house kits.

To independently cut standard SIP panels, you will need at least a large grinder with 230 mm discs, or the same hand-held circular saw, a long thin sharp knife for cutting and a simple device for cutting foam plastic with a nichrome string (see photo below). Expanded polystyrene is cut to a little more than half the thickness of the connecting beam.

Time frame for assembling a house made from sip panels

Assembly one-story house 2-3 people can easily make SIP panels; it is better to make panels together. The weight of a standard SIP panel with dimensions 2500 x 1250 x 160 is 43 – 44 kg, and with a thickness of 164 (OSP-12) – up to 50 kg. Floor and roof panels are often made longer and narrower for rigidity, or additional beams are glued into them during manufacturing.

From practice, two strong men on the first floor can handle a panel with dimensions of 1250 x 5000. Above that, helpers are needed. Attic or two-storey house assembled by 4 people with the involvement of 2 helpers for a couple of days, if you do not use lifting and transport mechanisms.

And if you have cozy place for the production of SIP panels and a site for their temporary storage, then from all systems frame house construction, this one is the most optimal, trust my experience. A 100-square-meter house without any special architectural frills can be assembled by a team of the above-mentioned composition in a maximum of a week, with measured work in compliance with the hourly standards of labor legislation. And if it is you personally and yours will help you Good friends or relatives, it will take even less time. And you can adapt to the weather.

Below is an accelerated video of the assembly of a house from sip panels - it’s very interesting to see how it looks from the outside.

Dear readers, if you have any questions, please ask them using the form below. We will be glad to communicate with you;)