Sealing Up The Barnhouse For Greater Efficiency 2021 Modern Barnhouse

SIP Construction

Instead of traditional stick framing, the building envelope of our Modern Barnhouse is made of structural insulated panels, or SIPs. Like a sandwich made with a core of insulating foam and skins of structural oriented strand board, SIPs have the strength of traditional stick framing but offer much better energy performance because the insulation is uninterrupted by heat-conducting wood studs or rafters. “Using structural insulated panels built in a controlled environment just makes sense,” says Amy. “It reduces waste, increases construction efficiency, and means the building shell goes up quickly.”

The Benefits of SIPs

Amy and builder Chad Maack of Hartman Homes oversee the installation of the SIPs while marveling at their benefits, which include:

Large spans that don’t require expensive truss systems Insulation value of up to R-51 Ability to stand up to heavy Minnesota snow loads Speedy installation Tighter building envelope which can result in up to 58% savings on heating and cooling costs A healthier indoor air environment that resists mold and reduces the infiltration of dust and pollens Factory engineering that assures correct sizing and eliminates jobsite waste

Speedy construction

The factory-built panels for Amy’s house took about two days to make, including the detailed cuts required to precisely fit the whole panel package to the outlines of the house. Here, the SIPs will be raised by crane and slid into place between the 30-foot beams at the far end of the house.

Frigid winter worksite

With the sun going down and the temperature dipping into the single digits, workers race against the clock to seal the roof deck. Plastic sheathing holds in some of the warmth provided by propane-powered heaters inside until the front door and window above it can be installed

Oversize window install

Jobsite foreman Jeff Mears oversees the careful installation of one of two 9-foot-tall windows that form the glass bridge connecting the main house to the owner’s suite. Windows: Sierra Pacific Windows

Wall-to-wall windows

Knee walls flank the otherwise all-glass sunroom with two doors that lead out to the wooded yard and soon-to-be-built patio. Windows and patio doors: Sierra Pacific Windows

Waterproofing a flat roof

Both the dining room and sunroom wings feature flat roofs that are sealed watertight with EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer), a synthetic rubber. The roof is actually slightly taller in the center and pitched to each side. Openings are cut into the roof edges and lined with metal scuppers (or channels) that drain away and prevent pooling water and debris from damaging the roof.

Smart, solar-powered skylight

A worker installs a skylight in the owner’s suite bathroom. The unit features a solar panel that captures available daylight and uses it to charge a concealed battery-powered remote that opens and closes the skylight. It’s also equipped with a built-in rain sensor that will close the skylight in the event inclement weather arises while the homeowner is away. Solar-Powered Fresh-Air Skylight: VELUX

Temporary access

Rough, site-built stairs in the light-flooded, U-shaped stairwell provide easy access to the second floor for crew members. These will be replaced by a dramatic steel and white-oak-tread floating staircase.

Nailing it

The Western Red Cedar vertical siding has been pre-finished in a driftwood gray bleaching stain to accelerate an even-toned weathering process. Our installers take care to lower the pressure on the nail gun so that the stainless-steel ring-shank nails sit proud and can be finished by hand-nailing to flush. Western Red Cedar Siding: RealCedarStainless Steel Nails: Maze Nails

Not for the faint of heart

Our sub-contractors first had to brush off a foot of snow in sub-zero degree weather before they could begin installing the galvanized panels to the roof. Luckily, this system features revolutionary 2” snap seams that make short work of the install and then allow for the panels to be locked into place once the whole roof is installed. Metal Roof: Bridger Steel

Scenic view

The view from the owner’s suite bathroom takes in both the classic red barn and the quaint milk house. Windows: Sierra Pacific Windows

Jobsite jig

Installers use a custom jig to provide stability and accuracy while ripping and cutting the up-to-20-foot-long Western Red Cedar siding panels with a circular saw.