SIPs in our Garden Offices

SIPs is an acronym for Structural Insulated Panels, where an internal core of insulating material such as polystyrene is bonded to external sheathing materials such as plywood, OSB etc.

The resulting composite panel is far stronger than the sum of its components. 

Currently more than 5% of houses in the USA (an an increasing number throughout the UK and Europe) are constructed from polystyrene SIPs.  SIPs are the main load bearing structure and they alone carry the full weight of internal floors and the entire roof structure.

Insulation capacity is one of the great advantages of SIPs. SIPs. provide better overall air tightness and greater practical thermal performance than conventional timber-framed walls. (see about heat loss).

These SIP panels offer a dense, uniform and continuous air barrier with few thermal bridges, and no opportunity for internal convection.

All our garden offices, home gyms, summer houses, garden studios and timber rooms utilise SIPS and so are extremely environmentally friendly.