Panels made of rigid sheets of cladding with insulation enclosed between them - a material that allowed to speed up and reduce the cost of construction.
Frank Lloyd Wright, an American engineer and designer, wishing to implement a building project that would have minimal heating, lighting and air conditioning costs, invented a honeycomb composite panel in the 1930s. Wright's panels had flaws, but were lightweight, cheap, and safe. American manufacturers of building materials picked up the idea, the technology of their creation was simplified, panels began to be mass-produced.
Materials for the manufacture of panels
SIP (SIP) is a structural insulating panel used in the construction of frame structures. Its middle layer is insulation, the outer ones are OSB sheets. The panels easily withstand the load and provide reliable thermal insulation. Today, CIP technology is used for the construction of residential and commercial buildings around the world. More than 80% of residential buildings in the USA, Canada and Europe are built using SIP panels.
Laminated panels are made of different materials (with steel, aluminum, asbestos cement sheets), but the term SIP most often means that wood materials are used for the outer layers:
- oriented chipboard;
- plywood;
- gypsum fiber sheet;
- drywall sheet;
- Green Board - fiberboard.
Thermal insulation is provided by foams:
- mineral basalt wool;
- polyurethane foam;
- phenol-formaldehyde foam;
- polystyrene foam.
The ideal geometry of the panels is fixed by the middle layer, it contributes to the rigid fixation of the lining details, reinforcing the entire product.
Table: dimensions, thickness and average cost
Size mm | Thickness mm | Price per panel, rub |
1,250 x 2,500 | 124 | 3200 |
1,250 x 2,500 | 174 | 3550 |
1,250 x 2,500 | 224 | 3850 |
1,250 x 2,800 | 124 | 3600 |
1,250 x 2,800 | 174 | 3900 |
1,250 x 2,800 | 224 | 4250 |
1,250 x 3,000 | 124 | 4150 |
1,250 x 3,000 | 174 | 4300 |
1,250 x 3,000 | 224 | 4700 |
Advantages of using SIP panels in construction
Earthquake resistance. Buildings constructed from SIP panels have been repeatedly tested. Their seismic stability was tested using equipment capable of simulating an earthquake of different power.
- Longitudinal load. The panels are able to withstand a longitudinal load of ten tons per linear meter.
- Transverse load. Expanded polystyrene provides compression of one plate, with transverse loads, and stretching of the other, which ensures rigidity of the structure for bending. The construction of SIP panels has a large margin of safety, withstanding a load of 2 tons, which is many times higher than the requirements of SNiP.
- The ability to save energy. The high thermal insulation performance of sandwich panels is their unique property that provides warmth in buildings in winter and pleasant coolness in summer.
- Fire resistance. OSB boards are treated with flame retardant, their fire resistance is seven times higher than this indicator of wood.
- Soundproofing. With a relatively small thickness, SIW walls effectively insulate buildings from external noise.
- Environmental Safety. 90% OSB board consists of natural materials; safe resins, fillers and hardeners are used in its manufacture. The inner polystyrene foam layer consists of a neutral foamed plastic that does not emit harmful fumes.
- Durability. Manufacturers guarantee that the building of SIP panels will last at least 100 years. The possibility of such a long-term operation is provided by durable materials that are able to maintain geometric stability for as long as they do not absorb moisture.
- Lightweight construction. Light buildings from this material (1 m2 weighs about 15-20 kg) do not need a heavy-duty expensive foundation. A shallow ribbon base is sufficient for them. Panels are easier to transport and unload than other materials.
- The speed of construction of houses. Buildings using SIW technology are being built extremely quickly: a two-story house can be built in three weeks.
- Independence of construction from the weather. You can build buildings from durable panels in any season of the year, without tying its time to weather conditions.
- The material is resistant to aggressive external influences, as well as fungus and mold.
- The affordable cost and ideal technical characteristics of the panels make them a great alternative to other materials.
Material flaws
The disadvantage of SIP panels is the combustibility of the materials from which they are made, environmental hazard. Manufacturers with an authority on the market, supplying their products with quality certificates, offer environmentally friendly SIP panels treated with flame retardants. The release of toxic substances by such material does not exceed the sanitary norms accepted worldwide.
Despite the skepticism of adherents of traditional building materials for Russia, experts predicted the widespread use of SIP technologies due to increasing consumer confidence.
Watch the Discovery Channel video about SIP panels: