Innovative Insulated Panels
(Page 2 of 6)
October/November 2005
By Steve Maxwell
Various SIP manufacturers offer assembly manuals, but all systems are put together in similar ways. Begin by anchoring a 2-by-4 or 2-by-6 bottom plate (horizontal lumber that forms the bottom of the wall) to your floor. Take the time to firmly bolt these plates down because they hold the panels upright as the walls are raised. Be sure to keep bottom plates absolutely straight because all recessed panel edges are sized to fit over standard widths of lumber. As you’ll see, this will be important when SIPs are fastened at the bottom.
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If your SIPs wall rests on a poured concrete slab, then you might want a double bottom plate. By anchoring a wider bottom plate to the slab first and then adding a 2-by-4 or 2-by-6 on top (whichever matches the thickness of panels you’re using), you will raise the panels and drywall 1 1/2 inches off the floor, well away from any puddles that might accumulate. Size the wider bottom plate to match the width of the SIPs you’re using.
Next, lay down a couple of beads of low-expansion polyurethane foam on your bottom plates. Tilt a corner wall panel upright over the lumber, and then get some help positioning it straight up and down (plumb) using a carpenter’s level as reference. When you are absolutely sure the panel is plumb, drive nails every 8 inches horizontally through the OSB sheathing, along the inside and outside bottom SIP edges and into the sides of the bottom plate. These nails “lock” the panel in place with surprising strength as long as the bottom plate is solidly anchored to the foundation. Unlike with a stud-frame wall, there’s little chance for adjusting a nailed SIP after it’s up. You’ll also find a hoseless power nailer is especially helpful when putting up walls because it allows you to move around without getting tangled in hose.
To complete SIP corners, begin by filling in the recessed edge on one of your corner panels with a solid piece of 1 1/2-inch-thick lumber that matches the panel size. Next, put down a layer of foam and then apply another piece of lumber to the inside edge of the first panel you raised by using 2 1/2-inch No. 8 screws to secure the joint. This creates a ridge of wood that interlocks with the recessed edge of the second panel as it’s raised to the vertical position. It’s a simple and strong approach.
DOORS, WINDOWS AND MORE
There are two ways to make door or window openings. You could raise panels upright, cut openings, cut out the foam to make room for a wood frame and then install 2-by-4s or 2-by-6s as needed, but this is only practical for the smallest openings. You’ll get better results using less material if you install full-height wall panels on both sides of your proposed opening, with separate panels cut to fit in place above and below the window’s intended location.
In the case of a window in a 6 1/2-inch-thick wall, begin by cutting and erecting the panel that forms the wall underneath the proposed opening. Install two layers of lumber along the floor into the recessed edges of this small panel, fastened together face-to-face using foam and 2 1/2-inch No. 8 screws. Next, slide full-height wall panels into place on both sides of the window wall, making sure that the distance between them is the same at the top and bottom. Line the sides and top of the window opening with a single layer of lumber. Finish up by adding another pair of 2-by-6s into the recesses in the top end of the full-size panels before slipping in another piece of precut SIP to form the top of the window opening. Panels can function as their own load-bearing lintel across the top of openings up to a maximum span that depends on SIP thickness. Beyond limits that the panel manufacturer recommends, you’ll need to work solid wood across the opening for strength.
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