Are you wondering what those panels with the pink in the middle are? Well, they are not giant strawberry sandwiches!

Our Houses & Barns crew has successfully installed Structural Insulated Panels, better known as SIPs, to the Great Island Boat Yard timber frame. This is a very important step during the building process of all John Libby timber frame structures because they insure energy efficiency and airtight construction.

SIPs form an airtight seal, which helps stop air infiltration. Researchers have found SIPs to be 50% more energy efficient compared to traditional stick-framed construction. A house built with these panels may reap financial rewards from tax credits to heating cost reductions. 

Even though they are pink or blue on the inside, they are “Green” in the long run!

SIPs are constructed by pairing 2 composite wood panels (OSB) on the outside of rigid insulation, forming a skin with a foam interior consisting of expanded polystyrene foam (EPS), extruded polystyrene foam (XPS) or polyurethane material. These panels are a strong structural alternative to conventional framing and may be used for roof, wall and ceiling sheathing. They are available in panels that are 8 to 24 feet long and 4 feet wide, with a standard insulation thickness of 4.5 to 8 inches achieving R-values (resistance to heat loss rating) of 27 to 38.

If dry wall is the preferred interior finish, SIPs can be manufactured with a dry wall layer on the interior. In the case of the Great Island Boat Yard project, we have primed and painted the drywall in our shop prior to installation.

Let the energy-saving begin!