Benefits of SIPs Panels vs. Traditional Building Materials

Building a new home is a big task and there are a lot of things that need to be taken into consideration before things get under way. Taking into consideration the type of structure you want to create and as such the features it needs to have will have a knock on effect in terms of the building materials that you choose.

Building materials can come in a number of forms; a lot of traditional building materials such as stone and brick can be quite costly, these can also tend to be poor insulators, which in terms of the environment and your energy bills isn’t a good attribute.

SIPs building panels – or structural insulated panels are a type of building material. They consist of an insulating foam core that is sandwiched between two structural facings, which are often Oriented Strand Board – also known as OSB. These panels are strong, cost effective and energy efficient, as well as being versatile in terms of the type of structure they can be used to produce.

Some of the benefits of SIPS as a building material rather than traditional materials include:

• Great Insulators – the insulated core of the SIPS panel, means that SIPs provide great insulation properties and that there are not cold spots; as well as the building staying heated in an even fashion. The longevity of SIPs also means these insulation properties will last for the lifespan of the building.
• Reduced Waste – in terms of waste, because SIPs are pre-cut in the factory to suit the job they are built for, then there is a lot less on site waste which makes the job a much tidier one than one that uses traditional building materials and techniques.
• Already Insulated – as SIPs are already comprised of insulation, so no further cavity insulation is needed, thus meaning less expenditure and also less work is required from the construction team. This prefabricated insulation is also a cleaner option than insulating the building during construction.
• Reduce Bills – by having quality insulation already in place, then in comparison t0 a house that uses traditional building materials, you are going to be in a much better position in terms of the warmth and heat retention properties for your home, meaning that you are unlikely to need to use as much energy.
• Space - SIPs means that you don’t need to have roof trusses as it allows you to create additional space and essentially an extra room. This can also help with creating more floor space elsewhere, as in comparison to traditional building materials, SIPs building panels allow for less space to be taken up but provide the same external dimensions as brick or stone would.

As the above list shows, there are a number of great reasons to buy SIPs when it comes to building a new property. The environmental benefits, alongside making savings on your energy bills are a good enough reason alone.

Alongside this, the versatility of SIPs building panels and the fact that they allow you to create a building of the same dimensions externally as traditional building material while giving you greater interior space, means that you are afforded the luxury of having more room to work with in your new home.