[IMAGE: Steel SIP walls are placed into their bottom track, braced, and then fastened in place after installing the top track.]

"Convincing people that their home could be built faster and better with insulated steel panels can be tricky at first, but once they walk into a SIP-framed home, they are sold. Our homeowners have been known to brag about how stable the indoor temperatures are compared to outside."

MATERIALS

Steel SIPs can be used for floors, interior and exterior walls, ceilings, and roofs. Manufacturers of steel SIPs usually produce specific widths, so designing with modular increments corresponding to stock panel widths is recommended. Stock panels are typically 4 feet wide and range from 8 to 12 feet high. Even if panels are cut to fit one wall, the remaining portion can usually be used in another location to minimize waste.

HOW IT WORKS

SIPs are made from a thick layer of polystyrene or polyurethane foam sandwiched between two layers of oriented strand board, plywood, light gauge steel studs or fiber cement. The result is an engineered panel that provides structural framing, insulation, and exterior sheathing in a solid, one-piece component. Arriving precut to the jobsite, the panels can be rapidly assembled by workers without extensive training. SIPs construction allows builders to quickly construct an exterior building envelope that is strong, airtight, and energy efficient.

Read the ToolBase Tech Spec.

"TransconSteel panels come in thicknesses of 3½" and 5½" with light gauge (24 ga.) Delta Studs at either 16" or 24" on center. We use both 3½ and 5½ inch thick panels, but lean more towards the 5½ inch thick panels to create a more satisfying-looking wall with deeper window jambs and increased sound attenuation."

"We prefer SIPs with pre-cut openings, which include headers and require accurate door and window measurements to minimize cut-out waste. The alternative is to field cut openings and deal with the extra waste. Even with precut panels, unforeseen plan changes are accommodated fairly easily. There's nothing that can happen in the field that's unfixable."

"When building with steel SIPs, the one thing you can't do is go to a typical home improvement store to purchase anything you might be short of. For example, if you find yourself in need of an additional panel, it could cause a significant construction delay, depending on the location and responsiveness of your supplier. We sometimes order a few extra panels just for backup."