What are sip panels and how are they used?

SIP panels (structural insulated panels) are made from non-toxic EPS foam cores sandwiched between OSB (Oriented Strand Board) panel faces (see fig 1). The OSB is made from a wide range of fast-growing trees. The production process for OSB is highly automated so the yield of finished product is very high and produced in a way that yields a large percentage of every tree. The foam itself is made from expanded polystyrene that is sandwiched between the two OSB skins is manufactured using heat and steam. The foam contains no chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydro chlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) or formaldehyde and is 100% recyclable.

The final result is a large solid panel that arrives to the jobsite pre-formed and pre-cut. SIP panels are purposely produced from products that are made from recycled content to help conserve our natural resources. The two sheets of OSB help make the SIP panels rigid and strong. This strength allows the factories to make the product in a variety of sizes up to 8’ in width and up to 40’ in length making the panels very versatile in construction.

Today sip panel construction is used in residential and commercial applications. The time saved erecting the structure more than pays for the premium spent on the material itself. The floors, walls and roofs of houses and commercial buildings can all be built using the sip panels. The electrical and plumbing chases are prerodded if you will at the factory so the plumbers and electricians do not need to drill for wire and plumbing pipes. The insulation is part of the panel and so no need for insulation installers so there is savings of time and money there as well.

The final savings is in the high R-value (the higher the R values the greater resistance to air movement and heat gain and loss). With R values nearly double that of conventional framing heat loss and gain are kept to a minimum requiring less heating and cooling. In fact using sip panel construction the houses are so tight (no air loss or air flow) that we often must design natural air vents to allow air back into the house so the house does not become stale. The last advantage is with the new “green building” requirements here in California this product meets or exceeds those requirements making it a great choice for new home or commercial building construction.