SIPs - Structural Insulated Panels
Gunnstock Timber Frames is an experienced SIP installer and has raised dozens of SIP homes in our home state of Wyoming and across the country. SIPs can either be used as the sole structure of your home, or fastened to a timber frame as an enclosure system. Either way they make a super energy efficient building system that goes up quickly. So whether you're interested in a Structural Insulated Panel home or a timber frame with SIP panel walls, Gunnstock Timber Frames will work with you and our SIP supplier to meet your needs.
What are SIPs?
SIPs are high performance building panels used in floors, walls, and roofs. They are made by laminating a sandwich of oriented strand board (OSB), expanded polystyrene (EPS) rigid foam insulation, and OSB. This creates a very strong and super energy efficient building system.
Energy Efficiency
SIPs are more energy efficient than the more common stud-framed building system because they eliminate the thermal break that occurs at every stud. A high degree of thermal efficiency is achieved through continuous foam insulation wrapping the entire home, leading to a lower energy bill each month. The amount of energy used to heat and cool a home can be cut by up to 50 percent!
Cost
While the initial material cost of a SIP-enclosed structure may be higher than a stud-framed building, the finished cost is comparable. The savings occur in a few different areas:
- Panels show up at your site pre-cut with all window and door openings ready to go. This means a fast installation which saves you 20-30% on framing labor and gets your sub-contractors started faster.
- Panels already have the insulation built in, so you don't have to add on the cost of fiberglass batts or blowing in cellulose.
- Less material waste since the panels are all cut at the shop rather than on site.
- Reduced heating bills. The thermal efficiency of a SIP building mean you could save 50% or more on your heating bills every year for the life of your home.
Additionally, combining SIPs with other energy efficent features may qualify your home for an Energy Efficient Mortgage as well as increasing the appraised value.
SIPs and Timber Frames
Structural insulated panels are the perfect enclosure for a timber frame structure. Since the timber frame already provides the structure for your building, non-structural, or curtain-wall, panels can be used to wrap your home. Non-structural panels are less expensive than structural panels but have the same energy efficiency. The speed of a timber raising and then a SIP raising means you can have a weather tight shell in a very short period of time. Additionally, if you are looking for a hybrid home, SIPs are a great way to tie your timber frame in to the rest of the home.
More Information
For more information on SIPs, please check out our preferred panel supplier
Enercept, Inc. and the Structural Insulated Panel Association