Another new construction material

[abaduck 123]

Heads-up guys, another potential nasty: SIPs. Structural Insulated Panels.

Polystyrene foam core sandwiched between sheets of OSB. The finished product, coming off the production line:

Yes, sometimes they use isocyanurate foam for the core... guess how nasty that can be when it burns...

Anyway this is how they use it: They can build complete houses out of this stuff. Walls, roofs, floors. Without a single stick of lumber, maybe just a ridge pole. The reason they use it is obvious: speed. They can literally throw up a house with this stuff and have it pretty much weathertight in 3-4 days, starting from a prepared foundation.

SIP walls going up...

This house is well on... note the complete lack of stick lumber, and the lack of any truss, joists or rafters in the roof.

Roof on... no framing, you can see how it's just great slabs of SIPs....

Of course it's strong... but how does that glue and OSB hold up in fire?

Who's come across this stuff? Anyone heard any horror stories about fire performance?

Here's one you gotta love: unframed self-supporting SIP roof panels, resting on an I-beam ridge pole...

Inside of one of these... SIP walls, SIP roof, SIP floor:

More of this house: http://www.countryplans.com/raby.html

Discuss, enjoy, worry!

Mike

Edited April 3, 2009 by abaduck

[EFFD4091-MLSS emt 13]

Sounds like one more thing DCC Fire Science Program needs to test and video....

[KC2OBW 1]

Looks kinda similar to that stuff they are using on that church in Wappingers.

[firemoose827 324]

No framing at all? Not even a basic skeleton to hold this crap up? Is it all glued together(The panels I mean) to make the house or is there nails or screws?

What area was this house being built in, do you know? Looks scary, just another thing to worry about now...

[helicopper 1,050]

Isn't this where building codes or other regulations could be used to protect us all? Can a municipality enact a local code prohibiting these types of construction if the glue melts and the thing collapses like a house of cards?

[jack10562 414]

I'd like to know how you would get electric outlets on any exterior walls. Surface-mount raceways? Ugg....

If you look closely at the last photo there is a gas can inside. Is that a "house-warming-gift" ?

[Patch6713 18]

Sounds like one more thing DCC Fire Science Program needs to test and video....

Come out tomorrow for the TGI truss burn.

No framing at all? Not even a basic skeleton to hold this crap up? Is it all glued together(The panels I mean) to make the house or is there nails or screws?

When I did construction work during the summers, we build a house with these panels about three years ago. If I remember correctly, all that is used to hold them together is very strong glue and some spray in foam insulation in a can (both of these I still have stuck on some shirts).

I'd like to know how you would get electric outlets on any exterior walls. Surface-mount raceways? Ugg....

As far as I know there are generally two or more chases in the foam so that electric, cable, etc. can be run for both inside the house and outside the house.

[x129K 1,393]

Wow....THAT would put a column up in the air!

[abaduck 123]

Electrical: They often have pre-moulded chases which can be wired-up with the assistance of fish tape:

They can also be made with custom-cut chases, per. architect plans, or chases can be cut on the jobsite:

Here's some stuff on SIPs and codes:

http://www.nbnnews.com/NBN/issues/2007-10-...tems/index.html

Yes, they go up with minimal or no framing; the SIP panels are structural. As far as I can make out, the ends of the panels are sometimes tongued and grooved for joining primarily with glue. Another method - shown below - is to leave the foam slightly rebated, and put a piece of stick lumber between the two panels being joined; the stick is not load-bearing, it's just there to give some purchase for nailing through the OSB:

Here's another nice one: spline joint, glued and nailed, and a wiring chase:

Other systems use metal studs and screws, see:

http://www.ibpanels.com/HOWTO/general_information.php

Mike

[JackEMT 77]

Seems like one step above grass roofs and mud walls. Can you imagine being inside this house in high wind conditions? I am speculating that it moves a bit more than a traditional framed house.

Who gets the job of removing that strap holding up the loft in this house?

Inside of one of these... SIP walls, SIP roof, SIP floor:

Edited April 3, 2009 by JackEMT

[johnb131 0]

Isn't this where building codes or other regulations could be used to protect us all? Can a municipality enact a local code prohibiting these types of construction if the glue melts and the thing collapses like a house of cards?

Local Jurisdictions can enact there own building codes. These codes would supplement the New York State Building codes.

There are several municipalities that adopt code revisions.

The people to talk to in your town would be the Building inspector or the Fire inspector, as well as council members.

[FFPCogs 863]

Not only does this appear to be a house of cards, it looks like one with a beautiful open floor plan as well. Nothing stopping the interior spread of fire/gases here. This is no better than that first little pig's house of straw as far as I'm concerned. With construction like this it's imperative that you know your district, it will save your life.

If anyone sees any of these traps going up please let us know.

Stay Safe

Cogs

[jfmuller 23]

Looks kinda similar to that stuff they are using on that church in Wappingers.

The church in Wappingers was all stick framing with OSB on the outside, with structural steel holding the loft, steeple and choir area. They did not make it far enough for insulation and sheetrock when it burned. Now that the rebuild it is moving along, they used sprayed foam insulation on the inside, and have painted the OSB with some tar type material. The outside brickwork has now begun.