How to conduct electricity in a house from SIP panels

Recommendation points

• Method one – open wiring
• Method two – under drywall on a metal frame
• Method three – hidden wiring in drywall without a metal frame

In this article, Our site of advice will tell you about three ways to conduct electrical wiring in a house built from SIP panels. Let’s find out what features each option has, what advantages and disadvantages they have.

The portal wrote about the peculiarities of construction and exterior decoration of a house made of SIP panels. Recall that the SIP panel is a composite material, in fact, a sandwich of three layers. The outer layers are sheets of OSB (OSB), oriented strand board, and between them a heat-insulating layer of expanded polystyrene (PPS).

This is a finished product, you can order a whole house kit, which will be produced at the factory, and simply assembled at the construction site. The main problem with conducting electrical wiring in a house from SIP panels is that this material belongs to combustibles. In particular, OSB-sheets, external cladding of panels, according to GOST, are assigned to group G4, that is, “highly combustible materials”. Even if the oriented strand board is impregnated with fire retardants to reduce flammability, the issue of electrical wiring is still difficult..

Important! According to the PUE (Electrical Installation Rules), on wood combustible structures, wiring can be carried out exclusively in metal pipes. Many experts believe that these rules are outdated, but they are valid and must be followed..

Method one – open wiring

The first option is the simplest – do not hide the wiring. In this case, cable channels are often used, but not plastic, but metal. By the same principle, electrical wiring is often equipped in houses from other wood-based materials, including in log cabins..

Alternatively, you can opt for retro-style exposed wiring. It is sold in a non-combustible imitation silk casing, therefore it is used directly on wood trim.

This method has many advantages:

• Installation is carried out as quickly as possible.
• Inexpensive.
• The cable is visible and its condition can be constantly monitored.
• If necessary, it will not be difficult to replace the wiring, as well as extend an additional cable, for example, for an outlet that was needed in a specific place.

The downside is that not all homeowners like the look of open wiring, even if it is beautiful, twisted, semi-antique.

Method two – under drywall on a metal frame

The second option is also popular – a crate made of a metal profile is arranged on SIP panels, a layer of stone wool is laid inside, which does not burn and disintegrates into hot dust only at temperatures above +600 … + 800? C, on top – drywall, and then the finishing finishing.

The advantages of this method:

• The wiring is hidden in a non-combustible material, it does not come into contact with SIP panels.
• At the same time, thanks to stone wool, the house is insulated, the walls become thicker, energy efficiency increases.

Minus one – such a “pie” of a metal frame, insulation and drywall significantly reduces the usable area of ​​premises inside the house.

Method three – hidden wiring in drywall without a metal frame

This option for creating a power supply system in a house from SIP panels raises the most questions. It looks like this:

1. Joints in SIP panels are glued with self-adhesive tape for vapor barrier.
2. Then there is a substrate, as under a laminate, it is nailed to SIP panels with a stapler.
3. Then a drywall sheet is screwed directly to the panel with self-tapping screws. This first layer is 9.5 millimeters thick..
4. Then, on top of the first, there is a second sheet of drywall, but already 12.5 millimeters thick.
5. It is in this second sheet of drywall that the grooves for electrical wiring are cut. In the process, it is very important not to touch the first sheet! Therefore, they take thicker drywall.
6. Wiring is laid in the grooves, the joints and seams are reinforced with a special mesh, the wall is plastered and hidden behind the finishing.

The advantage of this option is that much less useful area of ​​the rooms is “eaten”. No metal lathing and insulation needed – savings. The first layer of gypsum board serves as a reliable gasket between the SIP panel and the wiring. This ensures the required level of fire safety.

The disadvantages include a fairly high labor intensity, as well as the need to strictly observe the technology of laying the second layer of drywall – the seams should not coincide with the first.

Experts advise using only cable brands that do not support combustion when laying electrical wiring in a house from SIP panels. Also, don’t forget about arc protection devices and circuit breakers..