Panel house using Canadian technology. Using panels for building a house using Canadian technology. How frame houses are built using Canadian technology
Houses built according to Canadian technology are distinguished by ease of installation, economy and durability. They are not afraid of high humidity and earthquakes. Buildings from SIP panels have become more and more common in suburban areas. What is the secret of their success?
Buildings constructed using SIP technology (Structural Insulated Panel) are called Canadian houses. They are assembled from pre-fabricated panels. Sometimes such structures are mistakenly called frame structures, although they are more typical "panels". However, sometimes a frame base is really provided in the design of such a house. But today we will talk about the classic panel houses made using Canadian technology.
It is difficult to live without a car, even when access to parks is hampered by the presence of ditches and lack of sidewalks. We swing daily at the concert of lawn mowers, snow blowers and the bustle of motorcycles of "inflatable neighbors" 45 years old who live in childhood. Our idea of returning to a less suburban life, away from the congested boulevards of the Montreal Crown, made its way. We're focusing on Bromton, a medium-sized city and one of the few to have adopted a sensible urban plan. Here we carefully control the density of cities and the protection of green spaces.
It is still difficult to come to the end of their convictions when every real estate developer offers a limited selection of house models for "their" project, or, again, very strict rules must be followed. Promoters indicate, for example, that they need models “ country houses", With colored wooden walls and large window moldings. Don't mention that you need a house without a basement, with solar panels or using unusual materials, the developer will become weak - he will panic as soon as he sees a threat to the uniformity of his neighborhood project, he already thinks that we are hippies.
The advantages of houses built using Canadian technology
The main advantage of SIP technology is that it has been actively developed in countries North America and Europe, and in the process of designing houses, every detail is taken into account. "Canadian" houses have withstood hurricane winds and other bad weather and have proven their effectiveness more than once due to numerous advantages.
What is SIP?
In any case, we quickly became frustrated after consulting various experts in the field. Everyone agrees that a house without a basement is a “lost square”. Every argument for the environment has strong opposition from builders, who are often embarrassed to discuss the concepts under discussion.
Advantages and differences of Canadian construction technology
We do not need these expenses and troubles. But, on the other hand, we do not want to live in an apartment without land in a concrete tower in the city center. Green projects, have you seen a lot outside of Montreal? Apart from the eccentric boomer that installs solar panels and a small wind turbine at the back of his yard, this is rare. Montreal is making a real effort to transform entire buildings into an ecological perspective. Every month we see reports on a particular initiative. And this is the crux of the problem: green properties are not at all beneficial when used in a single-family home.
Unique thermal protection and thermal insulation
Although the walls of Canadian houses do not look massive and durable, they are pressed from "warm" materials, thanks to which they have achieved impressive thermal insulation. SIP panels do not need additional insulation, unlike brick or frame structures. Innovative walls have a positive effect on the useful area of the house - it increases only due to the fact that the panels take up less space compared to walls in conventional houses.
They cannot be profitable during their useful life. More and more developers are offering energy saving houses in various ways, but they are limited to two types of projects: city towers intended mainly for retirees and single-family, luxury homes.
Low weight of slabs
What is a passive house or a passive house? This is a home that uses only a small fraction of the energy used by a “regular” home of equivalent size. The strategies are multiple: - large solar energy of the water heater, allowing the accumulation of thermal energy - geothermal air circulation at a constant temperature, then adjust the temperature in accordance with the comfort zone. - heat recuperators in air ducts and water pipes - house plan using natural convection cells. - townhouses for better isolation and sharing of expensive systems. - no basement - optimal south orientation for large windows and north for blind facades. - integration into the natural environment - excellent thermal insulation - environmentally friendly materials.
Low weight of slabs
Canadian panels are very lightweight. Most of their mass is made up of expanded polystyrene - a lightweight and durable material. The role of the frame is played by the bar, and inside and outside this "sandwich" is covered by OSB-plates. And if Brick wall with an area of 1 square meter will weigh more than a ton, then the weight of 1 square meter of a wall made using SIP technology will barely exceed 20 kg. Lightweight panels reduce foundation costs: a strip or columnar base will usually suffice for these houses. These houses can also be built on complex ground - with a close location of groundwater, etc. In addition, it is possible to add SIP-panels to existing floors.
The advantages of houses built using Canadian technology
The secret of the Passive House project's success is integration and cost sharing. A geothermal system can provide a house, two houses, six houses at almost constant cost. By spreading costs and systems across townhouses, a “cluster” of houses with optimal energy management is achieved.
Even in California, a paradise of energy innovation and a castle of experimental ecology. If a movement is born in America, it will probably start from the Portland side with the famous "Cascapedia" mentality. The house of half a million, of course, is not within our means. After trying to buy a very ordinary home near the golf course, we investigated the condominium, but without much conviction.
Good sound insulation
Perhaps, private house does not need soundproofing as much as a city apartment, but homeowners also periodically think about unnecessary sounds. And again, SIP panels are in the lead. They significantly reduce the noise level and dampen the sound inside the room.
He was there, noticeably in the center of the city of Bromont. A total of 84 units of single-family houses are “passive” with solar panels and geothermal, in clusters of 5 or 6 houses, in the forest, just behind the town hall, along the Yamaska River. We guarantee a 60% reduction in energy costs compared to a cottage of the same size with an income of up to 80%. No improvisation here, all electronic equipment is imported directly from Germany. "Mechanical Engineering" is located in the storeroom under the final block, a short one, imperceptibly buried under a concrete slab and accessible by an external staircase.
By the degree of sound absorption, the SIP-panel can be compared with brick wall... They are worse at absorbing sound shock waves and vibrations (for example, those arising from walking), but if you put carpet on the floors, this will significantly reduce the noise background inside the room.
Increased strength
Canadian technology was developed taking into account the seismic activity of certain regions. Therefore, houses built using this technology can withstand a longitudinal load of 18-20 tons and a transverse load of 3-3.5 tons. This is an excellent result for such a light and thin material.
They also offer condo units, but that didn't interest us. We will live in a forest protected by the Ministry of the Environment, with our trails and views at the edge of the river. Since we are in the first phase of the first project of this size in Quebec, we will be kind of guinea pigs. But we will also be, in a sense, the "evangelists" of building the Passivehouse, a concept virtually unknown in Quebec.
A very interesting article, very complete. What are the prices for villas and houses? In Canada, companies that make up the timber industry turn wood logs into products ranging from lumber and wood chips. Softwood comes from most of the growers in the industry and comes primarily from trees in British Columbia. The rest of the industry uses hardwood lumber, which is found primarily in southern Ontario, Quebec and the coastal areas.
Minimum construction time
A house using Canadian technology can be built within a few months. And for this you do not need to attract any special equipment or hire one-of-a-kind specialists. No need for "wet" solutions, so work can be carried out in any weather. Internal works finishing can be started almost immediately after the construction of the "box" - after all, the "Canadian" house does not shrink. The material also retains its shape, so the walls and floor are always level.
Alberta produces a large number of aspen and poplars, as well as hardwoods, but their timber is technically more delicate than other hardwoods. Wood products include lumber, veneer, plywood, particle board, oriented particle board, compacted wood pellets and composite wood. These products are manufactured using mechanical processes such as sawing, peeling, slicing, or shredding.
Essences and regional production
This production is accompanied by the production of by-products: wood chips, sawdust and shavings. There is also growing interest in chemicals and fuels that can be extracted from wood. In Canada, the main coniferous forests used for timber are spruce, pine, hemlock, Douglas fir, larch and western radish, while the most important coniferous forests are birch, maple and oak. British Columbia produces about two-thirds of its softwood lumber, so the majority of softwood plywood is produced in this province.
More light!
The house, built according to Canadian technology, is always very light. In this case, the windows can be installed in a smaller size than, for example, in a brick building.
Disadvantages of houses built using Canadian technology
There are only three downsides to the "Canadian" house. At least, this is the opinion of some builders, who are still wary of a new "unknown material" from which houses are made. However, upon detailed study, it turns out that these disadvantages are indirect, and they can be completely neglected.
Hardwood and plywood lumber is sourced in Ontario and Quebec, and oriented particle board is harvested throughout Canada, where aspen and poplar are available. Most of the lumber produced in Canada is exported and less than 40% is used domestically, leading to a long-standing trade dispute that is plagued by cartels that are not.
Lumber and plywood production
Over the past fifty or so years, the number of large sawmills has dropped significantly in Canada. While this depletion is a result of the trend towards larger, more efficient plants, other factors are at play. Mechanical or hydraulic debarking is the first step in converting lumber to lumber. In conventional mills, large logs are placed on a moving cart and cut with a band saw or circular saw. Each pass produces a board that is usually recycled with cutters, cuts and squares.
The first drawback: the flammability of Canadian homes
Indeed, according to the degree of fire hazard panel houses of SIP panels are classified as K3. It is similar wooden house... At the same time, it is often forgotten that the expanded polystyrene "filling" actively prevents the spread of fire over the surface of the building. Also, the panels do not emit toxic substances such as carbon monoxide released during wood burning. An additional layer of plaster or drywall can reduce the fire hazard.
In sawmills that were fed with small logs, the first machine used is a sawing machine or a set of band saws or circular saws designed to cut more than 100m of wood per minute. Lumber produced in Canada is processed into planing machines where uneven surfaces are smoothed out and pieces of wood are cut to size. More than half of the wood is dried in or outside kilns to remove excess moisture and kill pathogens that may be present in the wood.
Second disadvantage: rodents love them
This is not always true. Not all rodents will be able to gnaw through the layer of OSB coating and boards, as well as cope with the solids with which the plate is impregnated.
Doubts about which material to choose for building a house begin to torment its future owners even before buying a plot. What to give preference to so that the house turns out to be warm, durable, comfortable for life, and its construction was quick and did not ruin the owners? To make the right decision, you need to study not only the information of manufacturers and developers, but also to find out the reviews of people living in such a house.
Plywood is an industrial product. The wood is cut into thin layers of veneer, which are then glued together, crossing the wood grain of adjacent leaves at right angles to create rigid and solid panels. The veneer is made by attaching a ball to lathe and then turns it against the knife. The resulting continuous coating tape is cut to the desired width or repairs defects. Once dry, veneers are classified into groups. Each kit will form a plywood panel of the required size and thickness.
The sheets are covered with adhesive, which forms an impermeable bond when exposed to the temperature and high pressure of the heat press. The still rough plywood panels are then trimmed and possibly sanded. To ensure consistent quality, lumber and plywood are classified according to a standardized method, with most of the lumber produced in Canada being used for construction, mainly houses. This wood is classified as a “wood sample” and is categorized into different grades based on its width and potential use.
Opinions and reviews about houses built using Canadian technology, that is, panel-frame ones, are especially different. Many are so accustomed to solid and solid constructions that the "frame constructions" inspire open distrust. Especially skeptical are the statements of older people who happened to live in such buildings in the middle of the last century.
Other lumber categories include joinery and mill, panels and flooring. There are three categories of softwood plywood: sanded, untreated, and coated. For general building and other structural applications, this is the most corrugated panel. Almost half of the plywood used in Canada is used to build homes and farm buildings, one third is used in industry and the rest for other purposes.
Particleboard and particle board production
Particleboard made of wood particles glued together in a press using glue. Since this product is made from small pieces of wood, certain properties such as density, hardness and elasticity of the panel can be adjusted. Pieces of wood are sieved and separated according to their size and shape in order to control their inclusion in the finished product. Then these particles are dried under a stream of hot air and then mixed with thermosetting binders. This mixture is finally aggregated in the layers before being hot pumped.
The first panel-frame houses, indeed, were not very high quality, comfortable and durable. But time passes, construction technology changes, new ones appear Decoration Materials... Today, such houses have become much stronger, warmer, while remaining affordable.
What is Canadian technology?
Panel-frame dwellings came to us from Canada, hence their popular name - " canadian houses". Later, the technology was improved more than once. In each country (Germany, Finland, Sweden), various additions and improvements were introduced taking into account local climatic conditions. With a half-century delay, the "Canadian houses" ended up in Russia. There is a definite advantage in this belated appearance: well-tested foreign technologies have come to us, which have proven their right to exist.
A panel frame house can be compared to a multi-layer cake. Industrial SIP panels are fixed to the timber frame. They are also called sandwich panels because of their multi-layer construction: insulation is located between two layers of chipboard.
From above, such a house is sheathed with siding, clapboard or false beams. In addition, both inside and outside there is a special film that protects the insulation from the negative effects of the environment and temperature changes.
Positive reviews
Everyone is familiar with shots from Hollywood films, where frame houses fly to pieces from the blow of the protagonist. In fact, this is not the case. The owners claim that they very strong... Indeed, according to Canadian standards, they should be able to withstand not only a small tornado or earthquake, but also much more frequent troubles, such as a half-meter layer of snow on the roof or the devastating influence of time. The service life of the first houses built in Russia using Canadian technology has exceeded 20 years, but they still look new and delight their owners.
Panel-frame house is being built very quickly, this is appreciated by those who are limited in time, for example, by the need to pay off a loan for building a house. For its construction, a complicated, time-consuming and expensive one is not needed. strip foundation... The final weight of the structure is low compared to a similar brick, block or log structure.
The "Canadian" house does not shrink - this is important for those who are in a hurry to move into it as soon as possible. Proceed to interior decoration buildings can be built immediately upon completion of construction: the tiles in the bathroom will not burst, the plaster will not crack, the wallpaper will not disperse.
Another plus of a frame house is relatively inexpensive construction technology... Such a house will cost less than building brick cottage at the same time, the level of comfort in it will not be lower. The balance of price and quality can be considered ideal for most ordinary consumers.
Frame house warm... Experts assure that thanks to the use modern materials thin walls of a panel-frame building are equated to meter-long walls made of bricks or expanded clay-concrete blocks. At the same time, much less resources are required to heat them. How much this corresponds to the truth can be seen by reading the forum threads dedicated to heating frame houses... Some owners manage to heat the whole house with just two oil heaters!
Negative reviews
Unfortunately, houses built using Canadian technology also have disadvantages. At incorrect assembly structures, high heat losses through the cracks are inevitable, although the house itself is warm enough. If the walls, floor, ceiling and roof are assembled without technological disturbances, it will definitely not be cold. On the other hand, when properly assembled, the house looks like a sealed thermos, and it needs ventilation, at least in the form of supply valves and a common ventilation pipe.
As with building houses from other materials, you need to choose the materials carefully. The owners of frame houses, who decided to save on this during construction, complain that over time, a frame made of raw wood begins to lead, and cracks appear in the cracks. Another common nuisance is mold, which is almost impossible to remove in such a house, since the frame is closed on all sides with panels.
Some doubts are raised house strength... Not the durability of the building, but the strength. Not everyone is pleased to realize that rather soft materials are separated from the street - siding, insulation, interior cladding. However, it is rather a psychological problem and a lack of a sense of security.
Talk about low sound insulation... Indeed, in panel-frame houses, it is slightly lower than in similar buildings made of denser materials. But this can be compensated for by additional layers of special soundproofing material and a thicker layer of outer skin.
Is a panel frame house the best choice? For a young family with a small budget - yes! This is practically the only chance for independence from clumsy central heating, noisy neighbors and other unpleasant circumstances.
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