Technical info
All of our SIPs are manufactured at our New Forest workshop.
By producing SIPs in-house rather than buying them in from bigger companies, we have full control over our supply chain and can pass on material costs savings direct to our clients. Transparency, from responsible sourcing to manufacturing and installation, is something we care deeply about and we always aim to partner with suppliers and companies who share our environmental ethos.
Check out our Eco Plus+ and Eco Premium panel range for more information on thicknesses and u-values.
Suggested panel thicknesses
Panel Options | Garden Office (-30m²) | Garden Annex (+30m²) | House or Apartment |
|---|---|---|---|
Walls SIP panel thickness | 96mm | 172mm | 172mm/222mm |
Walls EPS insulation thickness | 74mm | 150mm | 150mm/200mm |
Walls U-Value (thermal resistance) | 0.38 | 0.18 *with membranes | 0.18/0.14*with membranes |
Wall Panel Weight (2.4m) | 46.1kg | 49.1kg | 49.1kg |
Wall Panel Weight (3m) | N/A | 58.5kg | 58.5kg |
Roof SIP panel thickness | 120mm | 222mm | 222mm |
Roof EPS insulation thickness | 98mm | 200mm | 200mm |
Roof U-Value (thermal resistance) | 0.29 | 0.11 *with membranes | 0.11/0.14 *with membranes |
Roof Panel Weight (2.4m) | 47kg | 51.2kg | 51.2kg |
Roof Panel Weight (3m) | N/A | 61.2kg | 61.2kg |
Floor SIP panel thickness | 96mm | 222mm | N/A |
Floors EPS insulation thickness | 74mm | 150mm | N/A |
Floors U-Value (thermal resistance) | 0.38 | 0.19 | N/A |
OSB skins thickness | 11mm | 11mm | 11mm |
Max panel length | 2.4m or 3m | 2.4m or 3m | 2.4m or 3m |
Max panel width | 1.2m | 1.2m | 1.2m |
Design optimisation
We love nothing more than helping our clients design with SIPs in mind. This allows your project to achieve several efficiencies across design, production, installation and ultimately your overall budget. Our deep understanding of the SIP build system means we can support you and your architect specifying the structural elements for any project, meaning we only ever need to make minor amends when reviewing the plans with our qualified structural engineers.
One major design aspect is to consider the 2.44m x 1.22m size of the panels – for example designing walls to 2.44m up from DPC height on the ground floor to the underside of the first-floor cassette, and that first/second floors work around a 2.44m floor to ceiling height.
Download our SIPs 3D details pack
To see how our SIP panels are joined together in 3d, and to explore the external and internal face options available within SIPs
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Foundation build-up options
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Exterior finished – timber cladding, render, bricks, brick slips
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Panel-to-panel connection
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Intermediate floor junctions and beams
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Roof eaves and ridge junctions
Design flexibility
SIPs offer a wealth of options for architects and designers, such as open-plan vaulted ceilings creating a light and airy space that maximises any building plot. They can be combined with many traditional materials such as brick, steel, glass, wood, so your design can be led by aesthetic and function rather than restricted by the construction method.
External walls can be externally clad with brick, render, weatherboarding or metal and roofing possibilities include slate, tile or metal for example. Internally, SIPs can simply be finished with plasterboard and a skim coating with service cavities as required in order to meet building regulations.To find out about the advantages of using SIPs, please see our project benefits and environmental benefits pages.
SIP build foundations
SIPs create a lightweight shell structure (approximately 25Kg/m2), meaning you may achieve a cost saving and also be able to select a low-carbon option for your foundation design. The design and detailing of your foundations will need to be completed by a qualified architect. Our installation teams are able to build up from most base/foundation types from the DPC level.
Our installation teams are able to build up from most base/foundation types from the DPC level. However, we have assumed that the ground floor structure will be either a concrete slab or block and beam foundation (supplied by others), and we would require the foundations to be no more than + or – 5mm out of tolerance vertically or + or – 10mm out of tolerance horizontally. As well as the perimeter block work up-stand, we also assume a Thermalite (or similar) block (140mm – 180mm) up-stand beneath all internal ground floor walls.
Your foundation design and construction should not begin until you have received the sole plate layout with the line and point loads from us to allow your engineer/builder to ensure that the foundation is of the correct design and size to allow our package to fit correctly.
