Panel weights vary depending on panel thickness and because OSB weights vary somewhat as well. Generally, panel weights are: 4 1/2" panel - 3.6 lbs/sf; 6 1/2" panel - 3.75 lbs/sf; 8 1/4" panel - 3.9 lbs/sf; 10 1/4" panel - 4.05 lbs/sf; 12 1/4" panel 4.2 lbs/sf.

ALWAYS "glue and screw" stick walls to SIPs. Click on the link above to view the detail.

Of course you can! Or, you can buy from one of our local distributors for that added degree of comfort that comes from having local support!

Membership in our national trade association, SIPA, requires us to have extensive third-party product testing and evaluation. Believe it or not, there are actually "manufacturers" out there who do nothing more than slap some glue on EPS, and then set some OSB on it, and they call these "SIPs." SIPA members have full sets of engineering data available, and stand behind every panel they manufacture for sale. Insist on using only SIPA-member-produced panels for your project.

Our quotes are designed to be user-friendly, and easy to read. We know that different manufacturers use different formats. We believe that the absolute worst thing that can happen is for you to purchase a package that is less than inclusive, albeit seemingly less expensive, only to find out later that there are many "hidden" charges for things you already believed you had purchased. We get calls weekly from folks who ask us to help them decipher all of the quotes they've received from different suppliers. We're always happy to help. Just call us toll free at 866.302.3075, and we'll walk you though what each package includes, and what it does not.

Its all #2, or better Hem Fir

They are banded in bundles and tarped for delivery. It is vitally important that you keep your splines dry prior to use.

Yes! That is, in fact, how we load them at the factory so there is always 4x blocking material in the stacks. Your lift must have 6' forks, and a minimum capacity of 5,000 pounds. As a rule, the common carriers we use will NOT supply a piggyback lift.

Yes, in all "Ready-to-Assemble" packages its included in the price. Or, if you prefer, you can purchase them per piece. Bits are included, and generally come three to a tub of screws.

Beam pockets are designed to have 2x structural members installed during installation.

Top plates are installed in the field and should overlap the wall joints by two feet, if possible. In a "Ready-to-Assemble" package, the dimensional lumber for top plate is supplied with any angle and bevel cuts you need at the eaves.

All of our construction details can be accessed via the link at the top of this page. Each job that has contracted to have shop drawings comes complete with an easy-to-use set.

Yes we do! We use a Hundegger PBA machine to make our cuts.

In a "Ready-to-Assemble" package, all bucks are included. The window bucks are installed in any opening that we can put in a single panel. Door bucks are dried-in so that they can be removed to facilitate wiring.

Trucks will usually only stay on-site for four hours for off-loading before they begin to charge you. Our panels are loaded to maximize the load on a truck so we can not guarantee that they will be in any particular order. They all, however, are very clearly marked so that you can readily see which panel is which on the site. All roof panels ARE delivered "rough side" up so that you don't have to flip them. The exception is for very small roof panels that may be nested in window or dormer openings.

Call 866.302.3075 to arrange this service.

SureTight can rent or sell you "lift plates," but we recommend you drill through the panel and use "lifting eyes." You can get them at most building supply warehouses, and they are safer and faster.

No. Standard construction adhesive can and should be used at any and all wood-to-wood connections to bond the pieces together and to stop air infiltration. We supply, as part of our "Ready-to-Assemble" packages, foam-compatible adhesive/sealant to be used anywhere it may come in contact with EPS foam.

Always butt the panels tightly.

Of course we can! We need specific drawings showing radii and points for any windows that are not rectangles. We will even install the blocking around the windows wherever it is possible.

Click on the link above to access our full technical specs and tables.

Its usually a good idea, but it is not required by us. You can get washers at most builders' supply warehouses.

All wall panels have both horizontal and vertical chases installed at the factory. Electricians can work from either below or above to access the chases. Horizontal chases are always 16" and 44" above the finished floor.

The total weight depends, of course, on the core thickness, but a good rule of thumb is 700 pounds for a full 24' x 8' panel.

Drill and fill, though not required, is recommended to seal any imperfections at the panel joints. Use 1/4" holes drilled to the center of the foam cores at 1' centers, and inject high-expansion foam after the total installation has been completed.

We do not. We know that others are BIG believers in it. We believe it is a "band-aid" fix for poor installation and/or cutting. We've begun to notice some OSB moisture-retention issues directly under field-installed SIP tape in SIPs provided by other manufacturers. If you insist on using the tape, make absolutely certain that the panels are 100% DRY under the tape.

According to research done by the Pittsburgh District Habitat for Humanity, the material costs for SureTight SIPs are just about the same as with traditional stick-and-batt construction. You'll receive huge savings in time, labor and on-site waste and clean-up. Other savings are realized because less expensive heating and cooling systems are required with SIP construction. SureTight customers have reported anywhere from 50-80% reduction in their energy costs.

In commercial construction, wiring is pulled through conduit. "Chases" or channels are built into the foam cores of a SIP panel that work like conduit. Electricians use a fish tape and feed the wires through panel chases without compressing insulation or drilling through studs. Typically, plumbing is installed in interior walls and floors, but not in exterior walls. Where exterior wall vent pipes are necessary, chases can be formed in the foam cores. Installing island vents or loop vents is also a common practice and can be found in plumbing codes.

Fire requires three components: fuel, ignition, and oxygen. SIPs have no "air" within their solid cores of insulation. The fire cannot "run up the wall" cavity even when balloon framed. SIPs have passed every standard fire test required of wood based or type V construction. A key element of fire safety is protection of the SIPs and any other underlying structure with 15-minute thermal barriers, such as gypsum wallboard.

SIP buildings are vastly more energy efficient, stronger, quiter, and more draft free than other building systems, such as stud framing with fiberglass insulation. Fiberglass is sometimes used for furnace filters because air moves through so freely. Rigid insulation is used as solid component insulation in almost every industry for its inherent efficiency and lack of air movement. These attributes are built right into a SIP building. Less air leakage means fewer drafts, less noise, lower energy bills, and a much more comfortable indoor environment.

You can slash energy costs by at least to 50%. We even have empirical evidence showing energy savings up to 90%! Because SIPs create a tighter building envelope than conventional insulation, your builder can actually reduce the size of heating and cooling equipment. That reduces costs immediately. Better yet, SIPs keep your costs down from season to season, year after year, for as long as you own your home.

When you build with SIPs, you're building homes that can save 50% or more on energy costs when compared to conventional stick frame construction. That means less fossil fuel consumption and less greenhouse gas emissions. SIP technology provides higher "whole-wall" R-value, tightens the building envelope, and reduces air infiltration. That allows you to downsize the heating and cooling equipment. It's the combination of these systems that makes up the technology of a high-performance SIP home. You will also enjoy the green building benefits of less job-site waste, better utilization of material resources, and more environmentally friendly building practices. SIPs are also 80% to 100% recyclable.

SIPs structural characteristics are similar to a steel I-beam. The skinds act like the flanges of an I-beam, and the rigid core provides the web of the I-beam configuration. This composite assembly yields stiffness, strength, and predictable performance. Not only do test results show panels are stronger, but natural disasters have proven it time and again. Homes built with SIPs withstood the Great Hanshin (Kobe, Japan) and North Ridge earthquakes, as well as Hurricane Andrew.

All advanced technology building systems require mechanical ventilation. These systems bring fresh air into the building and exhaust moisture laden and stale air to the outside. Often, they can be combined with filter systems or other fresh air devices. Not only is ventilation practical, but it's a code requirement in many areas. Many heat recovery ventilators (HRVs) are available from your mechanical contractor.

Cutting and fabricating, based on your construction drawings, are done for you in a SIP manufacturing plant. That reduces site labor and time building materials are exposed to the weather on the job site. SIPs are also made in large sizes up to 8 ft by 24 ft so assembly on-site is faster, framing crews are more productive, and the project is "dried-in" sooner. That means other subcontractors can get a head start on the jobs they need to do.