No More Tape Measures: The Simple Process of SIP Installation

With the ongoing shortage of skilled labor, many architects and builders are turning to more efficient structural systems. The need? A simpler-to-install, yet highly effective building solution.

Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) offer just that—one system, four functions. With SIPs, one crew can handle tasks traditionally requiring multiple trades, drastically simplifying jobsite workflows. SIPs arrive pre-cut and labeled, ready for installation according to building plans.

Depending on the size of your project, SIPs can save days, weeks, or even months on the construction timeline. In fact, the exterior walls and roof panels of a 1,900-square-foot home have been installed in as little as one day. Check out this video…

Onsite Training:  SIPs Are Not a DIY Kit

While SIP installation is easier than traditional framing, it’s not a DIY kit for owner-builders. SIPs are a structurally engineered product, and proper installation is critical to maximize performance. That’s why we recommend using a trained SIP installer, just like you would hire professionals for electrical, plumbing, or foundation work.

For framing crews already familiar with traditional methods, the learning curve is minimal. Premier SIPS can train your crew in just a few hours, ensuring they understand the unique aspects of SIP installation. With large, pre-manufactured sections and reduced onsite cutting, SIPs simplify the construction process and significantly lower the need for extensive skilled labor.

To help your team succeed, Premier offers a variety of Builder Resources, including:

• Building with SIPS:  Need to Know 
• Installation and Jobsite Prep Guides
• Installation Videos 

Check out our YouTube Channel for additional how-to guides, animations, and expert tips.

MORE BUILDER RESOURCES AND BEST PRACTICES

Why Are SIPs So Easy to Install?

With SIP structures, you get framing, sheathing, and insulation in one product. Panels can be sent to the site ready to assemble (RTA), complete with pre-installed lumber and headers for maximum onsite speed and efficiency. Here’s why SIPs save time and labor compared to traditional stick framing:

Prefabricated Panels

SIPs are manufactured in controlled factory environments using advanced optimization software and CNC routers that deliver 99.9% accuracy. During the offsite fabrication process, each panel is cut to precise dimensions for your project, including pre-cut door and window openings. This eliminates the human errors often associated with site-framed measuring and cutting.

When panels arrive onsite, they’re ready for installation, reducing time spent on material preparation and waste.

Easy On-Site Assembly Process

SIP installation is straightforward, thanks to the detailed SIP layout drawings provided with every project. These drawings are reviewed and approved by all key parties before manufacturing, ensuring every panel fits perfectly, like an oversized jigsaw puzzle. Here is a handy checklist on how to review drawings.

The connections between panels, called splines, are insulated to enhance energy efficiency, and pre-cut penetrations further reduce onsite cutting and framing needs. The result is a faster, more accurate assembly process.

Since SIPs incorporate pre-cut openings for windows, doors, and other penetrations during the manufacturing process, the requirement for on-site cutting and framing is further eliminated, accelerating the installation of these elements.

Time and Labor Savings

By combining prefabrication and simplified onsite assembly, SIPs significantly reduce installation time compared to stick framing. This translates into lower labor costs and fewer project delays, freeing up time and resources for other tasks.

What to Expect With SIP Installation

When you purchase a SIP package from Premier, your SIPs arrive with your finalized set of SIP layout drawings, which include the dimensions of each panel. These drawings will show you where every SIP goes, where they connect, and where the minimal amount of lumber is required.

Any additional construction details are also included in your project’s layout drawings, such as how and where to apply sealant, tape, and fasteners to ensure your SIPs building is built tight and strong.

If you hire a crew to install your SIPs, typically, a five-person crew is optimal. With two people installing, two people preparing the next SIP for installation, and one person applying the sealant, cutting what little lumber is required, and helping lift the panels into place, the SIPs will be up in no time.

This installation preparation document will help guide your team to be prepared for jobsite delivery, panel setup, tool needs, and more best practices.

SIP Installation in Action

4-Person Crew Installed 2,200 Sq. Ft. of SIP Roof Panels

No need for a skilled team of framers to install this structural insulated panel roof in Leavenworth, Washington.

• Architect/Homeowner: Alison McLellan of Syndicate Smith LLC (this is a personal project; Syndicate Smith was not involved in the design process)
• SIP Specs: 2,200 square feet of 12″ SIP roof panels with a factory laminated 1/2″ ACX plywood interior finish skin and pre-installed insulated I-joists
• Installation Crew: 4-person crew, plus boom operator
• Roof Panel Installation Time: 13 hours

Washington State School Chooses SIPs for Their Rapid Installation

One particular growth area for SIPs is public and private schools. Educational facility project teams choose SIPs for their energy savings — and their rapid installation. Because school administrators often require new or replacement schools to be completed under strict schedules determined by the school year, rapid dry-in is a must.

According to the project manager for a new middle school in suburban Seattle, utilizing SIPs supported the strategies for energy savings and allowed for a smooth and rapid assembly process — shaving weeks off a tight construction schedule.

In some cases, the initial construction costs of SIP buildings are similar to other methods, especially when factoring in the fast cycle time and potentially lower subcontractor labor.

Labor Challenges? SIPs Are the Answer

Labor shortages are a persistent challenge in the construction industry. According to the NAHB and AGC, these shortages are not going away anytime soon, leaving builders searching for more efficient solutions.

SIPs address this challenge by reducing the need for extensive skilled labor. Panels arrive onsite in large, pre-manufactured sections, ready to install with minimal effort. This not only saves time but also allows builders to accomplish more with smaller crews, making it easier to meet project deadlines despite labor constraints.

Structural Panels Are the Solution

When you want to build fast and efficiently, consider SIPs as your framing option.

SIPs offer a streamlined process and faster construction compared to traditional stick framing. So, say goodbye to the challenges associated with stick building — such as skilled labor shortages, imperfect bowed lumber, and errors in site framing — and embrace the benefits of SIPs for a smoother and more efficient construction experience.

Ready to get started? Find a Premier SIPS representative near you.