PIR OSB SIP

PIR OSB STRUCTURAL INSULATED PANEL

PIR OSB SIP panel is a precision-engineered construction board made up of two sheets of Oriented Strand Board (OSB3) with a sheet of PIR rigid insulation (PolyIsocyanuRate) sandwiched between them to form one large, very rigid and well insulated panel. Polyurethane foam based insulation SIP material offers lower U-values and a thinner wall profile and has slightly better thermal performance although they're more expensive than the expanded polystyrene type SIP. PIR core offers the highest R-value of any material per thickness and is one of the most capable and valuable heat resistant materials in UK constructions that can be used to build energy saving panels. Furthermore, its insulation core and facings resist mould and bacterial growth. The major advantage of PIR core compared to other insulation materials is the insulation value. The Lambda value of PIR is situated between 0.021 to 0.032 W/mK. This means that PIR offers superior insulation with the same thickness. The structural characteristics of SIP’s are similar to that of a steel I-beam. OSB absorbs water more slowly than plywood, which can be beneficial in areas of low dampness. In fact, OSB has over 70% market share for structural panels and is considered by many to be the future of house-building. Externally, SIP boards can be finished with traditional materials such as brick slip, render, weatherboards, slates, tiles or metal sheets. Internally, SIP’s panels are simply finished with plasterboard and a skim coating keeping wet trades to a minimum. SIP panels reduce jobsite labour needs by 55%. Good mechanical properties and excellent adhesion of the wood and PU composite mean the material has a wide range of applications such as flooring, roofing, garden room, house extension, gym or chill-out room. Today Structural Insulated Panels are one of the most environmentally responsible building systems available. SIP homeowners enjoy up to 60 percent energy cost savings from both heating and cooling their homes. Experienced teams can erect the structure of a SIPs house in as little as 3 days. 

DISADVANTAGES OF SIP PANELS

One of the disadvantages of Structural Insulated Panels is the fact that they are not ready for sale-just like that. They are usually manufactured to order, therefore the lead time may be anything from 4 to 15 days. Additionally, there are only a few companies in the UK that manufacture such construction boards and therefore they are not often available near your location.

PIR OSB SIP PANELS THICKNESSES

Standard OSB faced Structural Insulated Panels are available in the following sizes:
33mm | 38mm | 43mm | 48mm | 53mm | 58mm | 63mm | 68mm | 73mm | 78mm | 83mm | 88mm | 93mm | 98mm | 108mm | 118mm | 128mm | 138mm | 148mm | 158mm | 168mm | 183mm
U-value of 0.18W/m2K are currently achievable using a 158mm thick panel. Lower U-values are also possible by increasing the panel thickness.

HOW MUCH DO PIR SIP COST?

PIR based Structural Insulated Panels can initially be slightly more expensive than an uninsulated timber frame. However, a faster build method reduces on site costs such as scaffold and hire costs. If the cost and installation time of the insulation is also considered, the project should produce a better insulated and quicker built building, for a lower cost than other forms of construction. The PIR SIP’s cost per m² will vary from thickness. Taking 158mm, most favoured thickness, you should expect to be paying as of 2022 around £226.80 per 8' x 4' board, which results in £54.86 per m2.

PIR OSB SIP PANELS REGULATIONS

When building a house with SIP wall panels to achieve a U-Value of 0.18W/m² the structure can be just 158mm thick. In comparison a timber frame structure to achieve the same U-Value could be up to 460mm thick and a full fill masonry cavity wall would need to be 453mm thick to achieve the same U-Value. SIP's home building system can yield an extra 12.4m² of usable internal space for the same building footprint when compared to the traditional construction method. Due to the inherently air-tight that SIP buildings are constructed, Structural Insulated Panels typically have lower air pressure results, meaning it's easier to achieve the required SAP rating for your Energy Performance Certificate.

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