A house made of SIP panels: what manufacturers are silent about. We check whether it is possible to trust positive reviews about sip panels for building houses All about sip panels

When studying the history of urban planning throughout the "growing up" of mankind, one can observe interesting changes in the preference for materials for the construction of buildings. At first, these were buildings made of reeds and branches coated with clay, then wooden architecture appeared, which was replaced by stone buildings, then by the 21st century people came up with a large selection of building materials that correspond modern concepts comfort and safety.

Houses made of SIP panels that came to us from Canada are very popular today.

History of SIP panels

People are so arranged that they are constantly looking for an opportunity to surround themselves with maximum comfort at a minimum cost. Since bulky and expensive materials no longer suited contractors, manufacturers began to look for an alternative to them. The first were Frank Wright and Elden Doe, who invented sandwich panels, which were based on plywood sheets with thermal insulation between them.

Only after Dow used expanded polystyrene as a heater, mass construction from SIP panels began, which became most popular in Canada, hence the name of the technology for building houses from this material. This was in the early 60s of the 20th century. To date, manufacturers have improved both the panels themselves and their assembly so much that by buying a ready-made house kit from SIP panels from the factory, even a beginner will be able to build his own house.

As practice shows, in our time, houses using Canadian technology are being built all over the world, and this is due to the qualities they are endowed with:

• unique composition;
• mode of production;
• installation features;
• construction speed.

On the modern market, you can find SIP panels, the price of which depends only on the place where the materials for them are produced. Today, you won’t surprise anyone that outdoor slabs are made in one country, thermal insulation in another, and SIP panels are assembled in a third, but it’s still cheaper than transporting finished products from distant Canada.

Therefore, many companies have appeared on the European and domestic markets that manufacture SIP panels using the same technology at home. Feedback from residents (pros and cons, first of all) living in such houses means more to them than any advertisement. It was the cheapness of the material and the high quality of the finished buildings that made them so popular with the population.

Panel composition

As a rule, houses made of SIP panels serve their owners for a long time, have an attractive appearance and are reliable. This is due to the quality of the materials from which they are made:

Important to know: when testing the panels, it was found that with a thickness of 22.4 cm they provide a heat transfer resistance of 5.2 W / m ℃, while for a brick wall with a thickness of 40 cm it is only 2 W / m ℃.

Given that the construction of SIP panels is many times cheaper, and the quality and visual appeal of the building itself is not inferior to similar brick houses, it is understandable why many consumers opt for Canadian technology. This is just such an option when you can create maximum comfort at an affordable price.

Advantages of SIP panels

Since technologies do not stand still, but are constantly developing, it is possible that in the near future houses with walls made of SIP panels will be more common than those made of brick or foam concrete. This is due to the benefits they provide:

• The most important plus in these panels is their thermal insulation. If we take heat transfer equal to 3 W / m ° C as the basis for the wall resistance value, then the thickness of the SIP panels will be 16.4 cm, while:
  • timber - 52 cm;
  • foam concrete - 60 cm;
  • expanded clay concrete - 101 cm;
  • brick - 230 cm;
  • concrete - 450 cm.

It is important to know: this ability to retain heat inside the house can significantly save energy costs when heating it.

If you believe the information, SIP panels (reviews from residents, the pros and cons of this technology, etc.) are still unmatched in price, quality and reliability. Since manufacturers are always looking for ways to make them even cheaper without changing specifications for the worse, that is, the hope is that Canadian homes will soon begin to lead in terms of the number of new buildings.

Disadvantages of SIP panels

For more than 50 years, houses have been built around the world using Canadian technology, so we can safely say that it has stood the test of time. To find flaws in a SIP panel, you need to try very hard, because most often complaints are due to negligent sellers or inattentive buyers. For example:

• Everyone knows that this material is absolutely safe for human life and environmentally friendly, but not everyone knows that this applies only to panels of the E0 category. There are so-called household SIP panels, the price of which is much lower, but they are marked with the E3 sign and are not suitable for building houses, especially for permanent residence in them. Instead of safe polystyrene foam, they are insulated with ordinary foam. It is good to assemble utility buildings from such panels, for example, a firewood shed. The problem is that this "fake", as unknowing consumers call it, produces harmful substances under the influence of heat, but this does not mean that utility rooms cannot be built from it, where a person's stay is minimal.

It is important to know: if you want to build a house from SIP panels for permanent residence, you need to look at their certificates not only for quality, but also for safety, and study them visually before buying materials, since polystyrene foam is easy to distinguish from polystyrene foam. In extreme cases, you can give them for examination and, based on its result, decide whether to buy goods or not from this manufacturer.

• If you look for the disadvantages of houses from SIP panels, then one of the most disturbing is the fact that such a structure, if desired, can be destroyed and penetrated inside.
• In the event of violations in the technology, the installation of SIP panels will be unreliable, and their integrity can be easily violated. Slots will appear at the joints, which will have to be further strengthened and isolated. You should act strictly according to the instructions from the manufacturers or hire a team of professionals.
• One of the advantages of the technology is the tightness, which forms the effect of a thermos. But this is also considered a disadvantage of such material as SIP panels. The disadvantages here are that if ventilation is not carried out in the house, then soon it will be possible to observe the effect wet walls, for which the fungus and mold "come".
• A prerequisite for the installation of walls from SIP panels is the protection of joints with timber or mounting foam to avoid moisture getting into the insulation.

As a rule, the technology itself has no drawbacks, unless the manufacturers of SIP panels are cunning and, for the sake of economy, do not use cheap materials or the installation rules have not been violated. Other than that, it's a great building material.

Features of the foundation for houses from SIP panels

As a rule, a house starts with a foundation, and any kind of it is suitable for panel houses using Canadian technology. Most often used:

It is important to know: when deciding on the foundation for a "Canadian" house, you need to rely on such indicators as the composition of the soil, the weight of the structure and the type of heating and ventilation.

Connection nodes

The assembly of SIP panels should be carried out with careful monitoring of the reliability of the connections of each part of the structure. The main nodes for connecting buildings from sandwich panels are:

• Places of docking of floor panels with the base.
• Knots for connecting wall corners.
• Joints connecting walls, ceilings and roofs.
• Nodes connecting the roof with SIP panels.

Important to know: everything installation work when joining panels, they must be fixed with self-tapping screws and fixed with mounting foam.

House decoration outside

No matter how attractive the shape and layout of a house made of SIP panels, outwardly it looks completely unattractive. To provide him with not only presentable appearance but also to protect from bad weather or mechanical damage finishing work needs to be done. For houses assembled using Canadian technology, the following types of facade work are suitable:

It's important to know: decorative plaster and natural stone able to give enough inexpensive house SIP panels are incredibly attractive, but keep in mind that these materials require professional skills when laying them and are expensive.

Interior decoration

A house assembled using Canadian technology can be given elegance on the outside and comfort on the inside. Walls made of SIP panels are an excellent material for interior decoration, which consists of the following steps:

• Wall decoration, for which it can be used perfectly various materials: from tiles in the kitchen and bathroom, to PVC panels, wallpaper and drywall in other rooms. The material must be selected based on the condition of the room, for example, when high humidity the best solution would be to use plastic, and for additional wall insulation - decorative plaster or cork wallpaper.
• Ceiling decoration does not need additional alignment, so you can immediately start decorating it. It can be stretch ceiling or plasterboard finish. To reduce the cost internal works many consumers use styrofoam tiles, which are both inexpensive and spectacular.
• Everyone chooses flooring according to their taste and wallet. It can be tile or linoleum, laminate, parquet or underfloor heating system.

It is important to know: when choosing materials for interior finishing work, you need to focus not so much on their cost as on safety. Some attractive-looking materials change their properties under conditions of temperature difference, which you should know before buying them.

Manufacturers

Today you can find both one-story houses made of SIP panels, as well as two and three-story mansions. This suggests that the technology, which has been popular all over the world for more than 50 years, has begun to take root in the domestic construction market.

This is due to the fact that the possibility of producing ready-made sandwich panels on the spot has significantly reduced the cost of the material, and now the consumer has only one task: to figure out which manufacturer can be trusted. The most popular domestic firms are:

• The Hotwell company, which has won the hearts of customers not only with its discounts and promotions, but also with high-quality goods, which are made both according to standards and to order. This allows the consumer to independently decide what size SIP panels should be for his home.
• The Bauen House plant is famous not only for the quality of its products, but also for the high price, which is not at all surprising, because materials from Germany are used here for the production of SIP panels.
• The company "Building Together" also uses German components in its technologies, but its distinctive quality is work without intermediaries, which significantly reduces the cost of panels.

This is far from full list domestic manufacturers who guarantee the quality of their goods, but even with the most positive feedback from customers, you should ask to show certificates for the quality and safety of their SIP panels.

Sometimes inexperienced customers become victims of unscrupulous manufacturers who, in order to reduce the cost of the manufacturing process of SIP panels, use deliberately poor-quality materials or glue. This leads to the fact that, at first glance, a strong house, after a winter or two, begins to literally crumble. To avoid this, you need to carefully study all the documents for the products, and not just ask about their availability.

If the choice fell on Chinese firms, then you need to be prepared that in their SIP panels, flammable polystyrene foam is used as a heater. Perhaps the house of them is not destined to be on fire, but no one knows for sure. Cheap material ignites quickly and, when burned, releases smoke harmful to the human body, while real polystyrene foam is difficult to set on fire, and when ignited, it quickly goes out.

When choosing SIP panels for assembling a house, you need to study the company, find out how many years it has been on the market, what materials it uses and on what equipment it produces products.

Projects of houses from sip panels

Number of projects 307

One of the wishes for the future home is that the house be built inexpensively and with high quality. However, in last years to these requirements is added another important requirement - that the house be built quickly. And it is dictated not only by the ever-increasing pace of life, but also by today: people cannot spend a year or two on building and decorating a house. Often after the sale of an apartment, you need to quickly build a house and move into it. And the stretching of construction in time is associated, as a rule, with additional costs, in particular, for renting housing. The technology of building houses from SIP panels helps to avoid all these problems.

Walls, floors, and roof are assembled from panels, like a designer

Advantages and disadvantages of houses from SIP panels

To prepare this material, we turned not only to market experts, but also talked with the owners of houses built from SIP panels, as well as with visitors who are just considering this technology. Polls at the exhibition show that approximately one in ten people come to the exhibition "Low-Rise Country" precisely for a house built from SIP panels.

This approach will allow us to identify the benefits and debunk the myths that have already formed around SIP panels.

Advantages of SIP technology

When it comes to choosing a construction technology, the advantages of a particular construction method are first of all evaluated in order to understand how much they can outweigh the disadvantages.

1. Affordable price / construction speed

According to various estimates, the price of a house made of SIP panels is three times lower than that of a brick house. And 10-15% more expensive than similar frame house subject to the assembly of the house at the construction site.

When ordering a house from SIP panels, it is easier to control the consumption of material and the work of builders. It is more difficult for unscrupulous builders to wind up prices.

Cottage built from SIP panels at the exhibition "Low-Rise Country"

As one owner of a house made of SIP panels said: “The speed of building a house allowed me to change an apartment for a house without attracting additional funds, according to the principle “I sold one thing and bought another”.

2. Low thermal conductivity

And indeed it is. Heat loss calculation one-story house 10 × 10 m with a wall (insulation) thickness of 150 mm, at an indoor temperature of plus 18 degrees, and outside - minus 25 shows that for the SIP foam polystyrene filler this value is 3.91 kW / h, mineral wool- 4.3 kW / h, softwood - 9.21 kW / h, log cabin - 12.27 kW / h, foam concrete - 16.74 kW / h, brick - 27.45 kW / h.

3. Correct wall geometry

And this means that the finishing work of such walls will be as simple as possible, since the walls in the house from SIP panels are even.

4. Finishing work can begin immediately after the construction of the house

SIP panels have no shrinkage. This allows you to start finishing the house immediately after its construction. And move into the house as soon as possible - one to three months after construction.

5. Lifetime savings on heating

As those who live in such houses say: “Having a house made of SIP panels, we are thinking, is it worth it to carry out gas?”

Thermal imaging inspections of well-built SIP houses show that the main heat loss in the house can only be through windows or the front door

Special attention should be paid to the quality of development and installation of ventilation. If these works are done poorly, then ventilation will become the main source of heat loss, plus, the installation will not be able to provide the desired microclimate inside the house.

6. All-season construction of the house

A house from SIP panels can be built at any time of the year. However, it is desirable that during the construction of the house there was no precipitation - both rain and snow. From precipitation, both already erected walls and panels that have not yet been used should be covered.

7. Lightness of SIP panels / ease of installation / risks of errors during construction are minimal

Lightness affects the ease of installation: there is no need to order an additional crane for loading / unloading, installing / laying SIP panels. Plates are installed manually. Standard plate dimensions 2500 × 1250 × 174 mm weighs about 50 kg.

It should be noted that a set of SIP panels for a house of 170 sq. m will weigh about 15 tons, and a brick for the same house - 60 tons. And this means that you can save on the transportation of material and on the foundation - it may not be so solid. A shallow strip foundation is quite suitable.

Toronto house project: built using SIP technology by a company

Ease of installation lies in the fact that SIP panels are easy to cut into the desired pieces and give the desired shape.

A house built from SIP panels has a minimum number of connections, so the risks of errors during the construction process are minimal.

8. Fire safety

To reduce the fire hazard of expanded polystyrene, flame retardants are added during its manufacture. The resulting material is called self-extinguishing polystyrene foam and is indicated by the number Russian manufacturers additional "C" at the end. In SIP panels, GOST is allowed to use only PSB-S (self-extinguishing).

9. The house does not need to be additionally insulated from the outside

On top of OSB (Oriented Strand Board) you can put a windproof film and siding, which can be mounted directly on the OSB without additional lathing. Or you can just paint the OSB with good paint, before that, nailing the rails to the joints of the panels for additional protection.

In our catalog, you can find the most popular construction companies specializing in construction of houses from SIP panels, among the houses presented at the exhibition Low-rise Country.

Disadvantages of SIP technology - real and mythical

Now let's move on to the myths that, despite the youth of the technology, have already formed around houses from SIP panels.

In addition to the real disadvantages of houses made of sip panels, which are present in any technology, some myths are also attributed to SIP houses.

This topic is the most sensitive, especially for those who are currently in the process of choosing technology for their future home.

Video description

In this issue, we will analyze in detail the common mistakes in building a house from sip panels. A sip house is the same frame house, but inside with a wooden skeleton, inside of which panels are laid. What should the frame of the house be made of? How to know the moisture content of a material? About all this: in the next video?

1. SIP panels are eaten by rodents

It is not known exactly where this statement came from, but there is absolutely no doubt that a mouse that is in its right mind will not eat polystyrene foam.

Another question is that mice can make moves in a heater and arrange nests for themselves there - theoretically this is really possible. But at the same time, it must be borne in mind that if the house is built correctly, then in order to get to the insulation, you must first gnaw through 5-10 cm of boards or timber, and if there is a crate on them (as it should be according to technology, if protection from mice is mounted), then rather all the mice will go to arrange their own housing elsewhere.

As a result, it must be clearly understood here that the mice do not have to run in flocks to the SIP house, if one appears in the area. These animals have lived for hundreds of years in both wooden and stone houses - they appear where they can find something to eat, and nothing more.

2. You need a lot of money to build a house at once

Usually construction country house lasts one or two seasons. House 150 sq. m of SIP panels can be assembled in two weeks. In this case, all the money for the construction will need to be paid immediately.

Minus high-speed construction - all payments will have to be made within 2-4 weeks

Some owners of the house jokingly say that they "did not have time to enjoy the construction process."

On our website you can see the most popular projects houses from SIP panels from construction companies represented at the exhibition of houses Low-Rise Country.

3. A house made of SIP panels burns very quickly / releases harmful substances when burning / a poorly known level of environmental friendliness

Another of the most common myths, which is considered to be among the main disadvantages of houses from SIP panels, is its flammability and flammability.

We note right away that SIP panels made in accordance with certified technology do not pose a threat to buildings in terms of fire hazard.

Harmful impurities usually release panels that are made with violations. To avoid this, you should buy high-quality panels, necessarily certified, as well as with the green or eco prefix in the title.

Firefighters say that houses built from SIP panels burn about the same as other houses, including brick ones. The main reason is that the floor, furniture and textiles are the first to ignite in a fire. And if a laminate, linoleum is laid on the floor in the house, and the furniture is made of chipboard, then when burned, they emit harmful substances. And in this case, unfortunately, the material from which the house is made is of less importance. It may not even reach the burning of the walls.

SIP panels burn poorly - independent burning is no more than 4 seconds. They self-extinguish.

Video description

What are manufacturers of sip panels hiding? Ecology in the vulture house. What is she really like? Do manufacturers of SIP houses deceive us? See this video for answers to all your questions:

"If the SIP is not burned, it does not burn." This is confirmed by the owners who wanted to get rid of the debris after the construction of the house, trying to burn them.

For additional fire protection inside the house, the walls can be sheathed with fire-resistant drywall, and outside with fiber cement panels that do not burn, as they do not contain combustible elements.

4. OSB Boards Contain Harmful Phenols in Binder Resins

It should be noted that there are different categories of OSB boards and the phenol content in them is strictly regulated. So, it should be remembered that OSB-3 is best used for outdoor work, and for interior decoration, a plate of the OSB-2 brand is recommended.

5. Styrofoam is harmful

Expanded polystyrene is closed with OSB panels and does not openly come into contact with the interior of the house.

6. The house does not breathe, does not let air and moisture through

It is known that up to 40% of heat loss in a house is due to the fact that the walls breathe. Thus, the fact that the walls do not allow air and moisture to pass through is both a plus (the house does not let the cold in from the street and does not release heat from the house), and a minus of the house (dampness and fungus can form).

And this problem is easily solved. In a house made of SIP panels, in order to breathe well and so that the house does not lose heat, you should install supply and exhaust ventilation with recuperator.

Ventilation in a house made of SIP panels is an obligatory component of SIP house technology

The advantage of ventilation with a heat exchanger is that such a system not only renews the air, but also returns to the house up to 90% of the heat that could have escaped through the exhaust pipe.

7. A house made of SIP panels is very fragile and fragile

Very often you can hear that “my house is my fortress”, and a house made of SIP panels cannot satisfy this condition.

However, these are only speculative conclusions. Tests of SIP panels have shown that they can withstand a longitudinal load (horizontal) of up to 10 tons per meter and about 2 tons with a transverse load (vertical). And it says that it is possible to build two-storey house from SIP panels, and the house easily resists snow loads on the roof and floors, and no strong winds such a house is not terrible.

An example of what it looks like Vacation home from sip panels 10 years later

8. The house is shrinking

So say those who, after some time, observe in their houses built from SIP panels, the warp of the house. However, experts say that this is only possible if half-baked wood was used for the vertical racks of the house. Well-dried wood should be used, otherwise the restoration of deficiencies will be very laborious and costly in terms of the budget.

9. Open method of mounting communications

Wiring inside SIP panels cannot be laid, since this violates the integrity of the SIP panel, which means that this is a violation of the technology of building a house. Violating the integrity of the SIP panel, the owner loses the guarantee for the house. You should be aware that, in particular, electrical wiring must be carried out only outside in special boxes or sewn into walls under drywall.

Electrical wiring and other engineering communications, in a SIP panel house, are laid only in an open way

10. Poor soundproofing

Sound insulation in a house made of SIP panels is the same as in a traditional frame, due to approximately the same density of expanded polystyrene and mineral wool. And people living in frame house are very satisfied with the soundproofing in their homes.

11. Hanging something on the wall is a problem.

This is not true. Even kitchen cabinets are easily hung on the walls of SIP panels. Two 3.5 x 40 mm screws driven into a 12 mm OSB panel can withstand a force of 230 kg.

Video description

What is included in the turnkey price? How much does a separate warm circuit cost? How much does engineering cost in a sip house? Watch this video for answers to all your questions:

Should I buy a SIP house or not?

Each construction technology and any building material has its own advantages and disadvantages. As a result, the final decision must be made based on the specific situation - the budget allocated for construction, personal preferences, the climate in the region and other factors. One thing is known for sure - if a certain technology is chosen for building a house, then it must be observed in order to guarantee a high-quality result.

A real battle has been going on between supporters and opponents of SIP technology for several years. Some furiously argue that such houses are cheap and quickly built, strong and durable. Others call building houses or buying apartments in built townhouses a waste of money.

Who to believe? We can firmly say that you need to form your opinion based on real feedback from the owners living in houses made of sandwich panels, honest builders and personal impressions after studying the properties of building materials used in practice. In the company where you decide to apply, no one will be scattered about the shortcomings, their main task is to sell the goods. The same applies to advisers on specialized forums, one way or another interested in selling their services to you.

What is a SIP panel?

Structurally, the SIP panel (read the disadvantages) consists of two elements: a pair of fiberboard or OSB boards and a layer of insulation pressed between them - expanded polystyrene. Connect panels together wooden beam or a board, having previously applied mounting foam to the docking surfaces. Additionally, the beam is attached to the plates with self-tapping screws. The panels are delivered to the construction site in finished form and a house is assembled from them as a constructor. It takes up to 7 days to build one floor.

Advantages and disadvantages of SIP-panel houses

SIP-panel houses have a number of positive properties:

1. The speed of construction with the condition that the work is carried out by specialists who know all the intricacies of building houses of this type. It is necessary to take into account many nuances in the construction process, up to the type of self-tapping screws, the required amount of mounting foam, etc. The speed of construction is affected by the fact that the finished structural elements they weigh little, do not require pouring a heavy foundation and the use of construction equipment in most cases.
2. Affordable cost of the finished object for many families. The average market price is 10,000 rubles per m2.
3. Savings on heating. A wall made of SIP panels retains heat better than brick, gas silicate or wood, provided that the installation is carried out correctly, which does not imply the presence of gaps and other flaws.
4. Construction on any soil.

Negative qualities of SIP-panel houses:

1. Weak soundproofing. If you rent an apartment in a house made of sandwich panels, you will know everything that is going on with your neighbors behind the walls or on another floor.
2. The presence of weak vibrations when opening and closing windows and doors.
3. The combustibility of polystyrene foam and the love of rodents for it.
4. Availability in OSB boards formaldehyde resins, which can affect the health of residents (it is better to take fibrolite). According to some reports, the amount of harmful components emitted is so small that it does not affect the human body. This topic requires further study.
5. open way installation of communications.

All technologies for building houses have their drawbacks, and SIP is no exception. If everything is done with high quality, in compliance with the requirements and standards, then living in such a house is comfortable. Therefore, you need to choose a team of workers with extensive experience. Unscrupulous craftsmen will bring nothing but harm to you and your home. You will spend money, nerves and time being completely disillusioned with technology..

How to find an honest contractor for building a house from SIP panels?

Here are some tips to help you:

1. Give preference to developer companies that have been on the market for several years, have a lot of implemented projects. Check out the company's portfolio (completed orders). Visit the facilities under construction and see how things are going, pay attention to the absence or presence of a banner near the construction site with information about the building under construction and the company.
2. A positive quality is the developer's experience of participating in exhibitions. Diplomas and diplomas for certain merits in the office of the company are a plus.
3. Ask to see documents on admission to work on the construction of houses.
4. Pay attention to the company's website, to the degree of its informativeness, look on the Internet for reviews about the work of the company.
5. Check the presence of information about the construction company in the media. If there are publications - good.
6. Choose contractors who offer a wide range of services - they can build, design, execute finishing, suggest design solutions. Chat with the brigade. Learn from them their experience of working in the company, ask about the "pitfalls", about the attitude of the management towards them, etc.
7. Warranty terms. The term of 2 years is the minimum for any contractor. The period of 5 years is the maximum and during this time you have the right to make claims about the quality of the work performed. All deficiencies must be corrected.
8. Read the contract carefully before signing. You can even get a lawyer to protect yourself. Do not accept work without a contract.

Even before the implementation of all plans for the construction of a dwelling, look among your acquaintances for those who own a house from SIP panels. Go visit them, appreciate the comfort of living and appearance, find out the year of construction, the address of the contractor and other data. Based on your own impression, determine for yourself whether it is worth building such a house or not.

Today, guests came to us - a family that wants to buy a SIP house for itself, or, in extreme cases, build it. My husband invited them to come in and offered to show them how we live.
I was impressed by our meeting with what I learned from the guests. They told us that a few years ago they had the idea of ​​moving into their own house from an apartment. Well, about how they tortured the noise from the neighbors, from their repairs, from dogs and small children, about incomprehensible payments for intangible services, etc. - this is not a secret for residents of multi-apartment beehives.

In general, they then chose SIP panels as the material for their future home. And then immediately there were a lot of people who considered it their civic duty to dissuade this family from this technology. The justifications were different, from dubious ones, such as: “Well, SIP is SIP, but a brick is still a brick,” and to more convincing ones: “Mice eat SIP and SIP rots”
And they talked for a long time. But apparently, there were few arguments and our guests could not understand why they did not need to build a house from SIP panels. As a result, the dream remained a dream, and they were disappointed that a brick building with all the accompanying work and manipulations to bring the building “to mind” became simply unattainable in terms of money and time.
I understand them very well. About two years ago, I myself could not even think that so soon I would be able to live in my own house, moreover, warm and, as they say, energy efficient.
By the way, when our guests entered our house, the first thing they said was “How warm it is!”. It always makes me happy when any of our guests first of all note how good and warm we are. We almost always have 26 degrees at home, I used to walk at home in a short-sleeve T-shirt and knee-length breeches, sometimes barefoot, sometimes in socks (not woolen). When I come to visit relatives (they still live in apartments), I always notice a “chill” in the apartments, sometimes even my nose and legs freeze.
Some may say that they say the norm is 21-23 degrees. This phrase always made me smile. I wanted to ask: “Do you believe in it yourself? Is it nice to walk around dressed at home?
I still remember how nightmare our 3-room apartment in stalinka (from my very first post). There was a breeze “from all the cracks”, although we did a major overhaul there and, as such, there were very few cracks. Therefore, we almost everywhere had a warm floor - they warmed themselves with it, but the meter shook - mother do not cry.
Many of us are most likely familiar with the cold concrete wall especially in winter when it's cold. When I was little, my bed stood against the wall (lived in an apartment with my parents), I still remember this “chill from the wall”. Then I wondered: “Why does the wall never blow warm? It's warm in the room." But not having found a logical answer at that young age, I safely forgot this philosophy of concrete (in this case, brick).
When last year we first moved to a rented cottage - that's when I recognized it by the "heat from the wall" (in summer). We lived in that cottage from October 2012 to June 2013. We experienced all the seasons there - for me it was very significant. I mean exactly the characteristics of the cottage, the pros and cons. It was during the period of residence in this cottage that we finally decided to build from SIP. For us, the shortcomings of the stone house turned out to be catastrophically many, given the fact that we lived in a fairly new solid house built in 2010-2011. Here he is:

I will tell about it and the details of the stone house in another post, and now I will continue the story about our today's guests.
It so happened (for some reason?) that in those days when my heroes of this post were dissuaded, there were some architects, foremen and builders who “know a lot” in construction and in brick (and similar materials).
I think that there are so many such architects, designers, foremen and builders that they are ready to excommunicate a person from their dreams by any means and fears. Some (who have extra money) silently eat and, resigned to the fact that he has such a fate, begin to build themselves brick house. My husband and I traveled a lot around the sites (when we chose), and the rest of the time I just notice that there are a lot of abandoned construction sites. Is on initial stage, there are one or two floors erected, there are, but rarely, even covered with a roof - it's a pity to look at them. There are those that have been standing for a long time and bricks are stolen from them, other building materials, even the roof is removed. Horror.
In general, all those “specialists” in construction dissuaded our guests from building from SIP, imposing on them stereotypes that are convenient (for them), about the fact that the SIP house is rotting, that mice eat it, that it is suitable only as country house. I would also like to talk about this separately, but in a separate post.
Several years have passed, and our guests again began to dream of their own home, apparently, they, too (like me) have reached that “point of no return”, when they no longer have the strength to live in an apartment and it’s time to change something decisively. They said that they shoveled the entire Internet, read all the forums about building from SIP panels, watched all the videos and reviews. Well, of course, before choosing SIP, I also studied the entire Internet. After such studies, they had an ambivalent impression of the vulture technology. They see the advantages: a light house - no “heavy” or complex foundation is needed, warm, quickly built, you can move in immediately after construction (well, of course + install windows and a door), and of course the price. They also see the downsides: mice, rotting, the properties of the "thermos" (although this is more of a plus than a minus) ...
One of the first questions, as guests came to us, was also the question: “Do the walls breathe?” In general, this question is multi-valued. Here's how to interpret it. After all, each person in such a question can lay his own meaning, purely individual. “Breathes” means it allows air to pass through, absorbs. NO - SIP does not breathe, otherwise it would not be so warm. Why does he need to breathe? Why should he drink? Breathing is a function of living organisms by nature, but not of objects (this is my personal opinion). And generally speaking. If it were not for the ability of a brick or a log house to "breathe", then most likely it would be warmer to live in houses made of these materials. On the other hand, I believe that it is not necessary for the SIP walls to breathe (it does nothing for me), but if I screw drywall onto these walls, they will begin to “breathe”, but only within the drywall layer. Incidentally, the OSB layer, which is integral part the SIP panel itself, made of wood chips, you can also say that this part of the panel "breathes", even though it is covered / impregnated with something ... Well, in general, the ability and need to "breathe" the walls of the house is not so necessary. If the wall “breathes”, then it will let in heat (in winter), humidity, cold (in summer. Remember hot walls from the summer sun?) So an energy-saving house should not have breathing walls - this is a clear contradiction. And those who like to say that we need a "normal" boiler and gas - in the furnace. I know better than them what I want to heat, gas is not the limit of my dreams. And about this and about the cost of supplying gas, a separate post is generally needed!
Mice. This is generally, as they say - a "myth". So mythical it's almost ridiculous. Well, firstly: there are no mice where they are not = there are mice where they are. What am I talking about? Mice live where there is food, where there is access to it. The most striking example in my life (and fundamental for writing this story about it) are two residences where there were mice. This is a rented apartment on the ground floor in a Stalin-era building, and a rented cottage, which I mentioned earlier. Both houses were made of stone, the floors in the apartment were wooden, in the cottage there was a reinforced concrete slab. Therefore, for me, the "mice in a SIP house" argument is not an argument at all. Secondly: if the mouse smells “food”, then it will come to the apartment on the 9th floor (if it doesn’t attract something else along the way), and it’s not at all about the material of the walls. I talked with the owners of SIP houses in Saratov (about 10 families in total) and no one has ever had mice. And I don't. If it suddenly appears someday, I will write about it, write the reasons for its appearance, and what I will do to eliminate it. Thirdly: while studying the mechanism for manufacturing OSB boards, I realized that the chips are indeed located in them in several layers, oriented to each other under a degree, pressed, impregnated with compounds that improve the characteristics of this board, this is clearly not the material that will be convenient for chewing through mouse. On this topic, in general, you can talk for a long time, but I will not breed tyagomotin.
The next of the relatively mythological claims is that the vulture rots. Well, that's too loud, in my opinion. In general, putrefaction is attributed to organic objects. This is a decomposition process. Vulture itself does not rot. I can't even give a clear rationale. It's like - OSB, on which it is attached soft roof– they do not rot, or – interior door- does not rot. It is a fact.
There is, of course, the option of mold or fungus. Yes, it can be in a sip house. This can generally be in any house, it is more common in new high-rise buildings in Saratov. Mold / fungus forms from high humidity, stagnation of air. As far as I know, they have been trying to remove mold and fungus in apartments for years, for many it only grows. Well, how! Of course it will grow, because walls made of brick or concrete “breathe”, on a cold surface stone wall in winter there will always be a "dew point" in a well-heated room. Hence the growth of mold. Of course, each case is individual, but in general it is something like this. For a long time I studied this issue, I saw what kind of means people did not use and all in vain. In a sip house, the occurrence of mold / fungus is not new. After all, we remember that this house is like a thermos, its walls do not breathe, so the vulture house needs regulation of humidity inside the house. This is easily solved by the “Air Dryer” household appliance with a certain type of heating in a sip house. That is, in principle, it is not necessary to build a ventilation and air conditioning system in a sip house. This is a topic for a separate post.
In general, our guests liked our place, it's warm, cozy, in the corridor and the bathroom the floor warms the legs nicely (by the way, there are no radiators in the bathroom at all), brand new renovation, pleasant communication. I like to communicate with people who, like me very recently, want to live in their own SIP house. If people meet - opponents of SIP technology - I don’t even try to convince them (but why? While the neighbor is “tormenting the brick”, I already live in the house), I ask questions like: “Have you ever lived in such a house? » or I say that I live, so I know better, because before building I studied a lot of things. I think a person should come to this understanding on his own, I can only show him that I get high in my house. Or help / suggest if he turns to me for this. That's why sometimes guests like today's family come to us.
By and large, I can explain all sorts of speculation and myths that people create who did not live in a vulture house. Often I see on the Internet or hear from people criticism of sip technology, sometimes they even refer that they have acquaintances / friends / relatives living in such a house. I am always amazed - how can you talk about what you do not know thoroughly? I could not have an opinion about life in a good brick cottage if I did not live in it. Likewise with the sip house. I consider my experience interesting, so I am happy to share it with people who are looking for reviews about this “curiosity”. Still, little is known about sip technology in Russia. And even if they know enough, they don’t know the most important thing - what it is like to live in such a house.
One thing I figured out for myself for sure. Life in a SIP house (from an operational point of view) is different, not the same as in a stone house, the SIP material turned my idea of ​​\u200b\u200bhousing upside down. Of course, for the better.

Ready, frame technologies, to build houses have entered our lives. Increasingly, there is information about SIP panels, with the help of this material you can quickly, inexpensively build a house. Product advertising praises the simplicity, reliability of construction from Greenboard SIP panels. But is it worth believing advertising slogans? How good is this material? It is worth considering in more detail.

What are SIP panels

Universal material used in construction frame houses. SIP is a structural insulating panel that has two top layers of OSB and a layer in the form of insulation. When gluing the interlayer and sheets, polyurethane glue is used. Gluing takes place under high pressure, the impact on the plate is equal to 18 tons.

OSB - oriented particle board, consisting of chips glued together in several layers using resins. This material is new, it is durable, elastic and replaces the chipboard we are used to. Manufacturers claim it is environmentally friendly. Insulation in SIP panels is plastic, foamed with high pressure, known as Styrofoam. The material is used as a heater in the arrangement of ventilated facades in construction, and has a low thermal conductivity.

She came to us not so long ago - several decades ago, all this time there are disputes about how expedient it is to build such structures in our harsh climate. People do not trust the fragile-looking material and believe that it is more profitable to build a house from brick in terms of heat retention and service life. But, nevertheless, there is no such material on the market that allows you to build a house in the shortest possible time and at the lowest cost.

Reviews of those who live in houses from SIP panels

Of course, it is not possible to determine exactly how this technology of building houses is acceptable in our climate. You can draw conclusions by reading real reviews about the technology of those people living in prefabricated houses from SIP panels. It is necessary to analyze everything that is written on the forums. And opinions are divided.

Positive reviews:

1. The house is warm

One of the forum participants, a resident of the Moscow region, talks about a number of advantages of this technology. It is worth noting that in a few years he built three houses. Before the prefabricated house from SIP panels, he erected a building from bricks and foam blocks - then only SIP panels he is so delighted with.

“The house turned out to be very warm, even in cold weather, the child runs around the house barefoot. Although they were afraid that the floor would be cold and it would definitely freeze in the corners. Nothing like that, everything is fine, I even took an infrared thermometer from a friend, measured it, the temperature is the same everywhere. They also said that there would be mice - I had not seen a single one in two years. The company built this house for me in 3 weeks.”

2. Fast and not expensive

Another person who lives in the Krasnoyarsk region, with its harsh climate, and built a house using this technology, speaks positively about the thermal insulation of his building, considering it a plus. And the climate there is quite severe.

This is my first build. I doubted for a very long time, I chose key point, of course, the price has become, but in fact it turned out to be comfortable and warm house. Firstly, everything is smooth, there were no problems with the finish. Second, fast. The walls were erected from a panel of 160 mm, partitions 110 mm.

3. Easy to use material and great results

The foreman writes on the forum, whose team erected a house from SIP panels for the first time.

We were hired to build a dwelling from SIP panels, before that we only built houses on a frame. But here everything is much simpler. Panels are installed evenly - no misalignment tolerances. They used standard fasteners, although they doubted that they would hold, but in practice everything is holding up perfectly. Fulfilled the order quickly - the panels are light. They tried to set fire to a piece of material, it was interesting, it’s worth saying, no matter how hard they tried - it doesn’t burn! Smoke comes out while you hold the burner, but as soon as the open fire was removed, it immediately died out.

Based on the above, we can highlight the main advantages of SIP panels:

• good thermal insulation;
• the geometry is correct;
• the material is not combustible;
• light;
• easy to work;
• not expensive.

Negative Feedback

No material has only positive qualities- There are downsides to everything. On the forms, I had to look for negative reviews of people living in such structures.

1. Many chemical constituents in the material

Written by a user who recently built a house from SIP panels. The review is controversial, although we attached it to the negative ones, but these are just human fears.

The house was built quickly, it seems to me that this is a matchbox, and soaked in all sorts of formaldehydes and resins. The walls are not thick, the house is not cold, but there is no trust. There are no mice, but I believe that this is due to the fact that they do not eat chemistry. For ventilation, I invested in an expensive project, I'm afraid to use it - all of a sudden it will take out all the heat from the house. I want to sell the house and start building a brick one.

2. No demand for SIP panel

A small team involved in the construction and sale of houses left a review that did not characterize the technical performance. But it is worth mentioning, this is an occasion to make sure that new technologies in the construction of SIP panels are accepted by the inhabitants of our country with great concern.

We are engaged in the implementation of finished objects. We buy land, build a house, and sell it. SIP panels - let down a lot. The house was built quickly, it turned out to be a beautiful building, reliable - but there are no customers. Who does not look, everyone thinks that this is a waste of money, the house will fall apart in 10 years. Now put up for sale at cost, recapture what we spent.

3. Poor soundproofing

Of course, the issue of the cost of a property is relevant in our country, there are users who put forward specific claims to houses from SIP panels.

The house was built for two families, they wanted to save money. Naturally, the material was inexpensive, but the isolation from the noise of the neighbors is almost zero. As long as something is happening in the house, the TV is on, music is playing, it's normal. But in the evening you turn off everything, and the neighbor's children start running around, then being in the house is almost unbearable, there is a clatter that even run away. Of course, they decided by making additional soundproofing, but this is also a plus for money.

4. Application of polyurethane foam

This is rather a question that remained unanswered on the forum because people who have been living in a house from SIP panels for quite a long time are satisfied with everything.

The seams are sealed with mounting foam. The manufacturer of the material claims that the foam has been serving for no more than twenty years, and it is not clear how things will continue. Take everything apart and seal it all over again? How did the tenants who lived in the house for a long time act?

As you can see, there are, of course, disadvantages, but all are subjective, so:

• application chemical compositions that affect the microclimate in the room. Indeed, in the production of panels, resin is used to glue chips, but people living in such houses talk about a good and comfortable microclimate;
• low sound insulation, which, in principle, will not affect a single-family house. Not an indicator - a house built of aerated concrete without the use of additional noise insulation has the same properties;
• additional ventilation is required. As in any building from another material;
• low demand for material in the construction market. People rarely embrace new technologies with a bang. In our understanding, a good house should be made of wood, concrete, brick or timber, all other materials cause fear and mistrust.

It should be noted that any material can have negative points, and all the disadvantages, from the above, can be attributed to other materials and criticized.

If in fact, then SIP panels have much more positive characteristics than disadvantages. People are increasingly resorting to this construction technology, because it is a real opportunity to acquire their own housing at a normal cost.

Conclusion

Despite the inconsistency of reviews, it is worth noting that SIP panels are a promising, inexpensive material that allows you to quickly build a residential building. In our country, the problem of housing is acute, but by applying this technology, a family with a small budget can afford such a structure.

Despite the distrust of the SIP panels of our citizens, it is worth noting that in Europe cottages are being built, the height of which is more than three floors, and they show themselves perfectly in operation.

The main criterion, when deciding to build a building for permanent residence using this technology, will be right choice contractor. Indeed, in most cases, the reliability of the building depends on who built the building. Only thanks to the qualified actions of the builders, one can not be disappointed in the construction.