Adhesives, fasteners, and sealants
Adhesives: First, you'll need adhesives that are compatible with foam; don't let highly solvent-extended adhesives and mastics come in contact with foam. During cold weather, keep these sealants in warm places until you need them. Second, select adhesives that are better than average in terms of air pollutants they off-gas within the building for years after construction. Remember: you're building a tight building, so one of the most effective ways to provide good indoor air quality is to keep sources of pollution out. (See "Ventilation and IAQ" section.)
Fasteners: The only unusual fastener you'll need are long wafer-head screws, between 6" and 14" long; typically these are used at corners and to fasten roof and floor panels to beams, girders, etc. If you're using roof panels, you're likely to need a lot of these, and they'll be longer than screws used to attach corners. The other fasters are your typical assortment of nails and staples for pneumatic guns, plus a typical assortment of bulk screws and nails. However, read your manufacturer's specifications carefully; you may need to screw on reinforcing strapping in a number of locations, so be sure to have those straps on hand before SIP assembly starts.
Sealants: While it's easier to tighten a SIP home, especially if it has roof panels, you'll need foam sealants to finish the job. Using a foam gun, get the usual non-expanding foams for use around doors and windows, plus plenty of the expanding foam cartridges for sealing off wall penetrations plus panel joints between walls, ceilings and the foundation. (NOTE: In the typical home, the leakiest sites are, in order of magnitude, attics, foundations and walls [including windows and doors]. If you are using SIP walls with a standard truss roof, focus on sealing the attic after drywall and just before insulation; unblocked dropped soffits, unsealed chases and the exposed drywall joints at interior wall junctions in the attic are major sources of regularly-overlooked air leakage in the average home.)
Shows an experienced SIP installer who likes using a pneumatic glue gun for the speed it offers. |
Notice SIPS are strong and stable enough to walk on, though OSHA would not approve. |
Screw fasteners are used at corners to connect wall panels. |
Even though SIP structures are easy to tighten, you'll still need some foam sealant. |