INSTALLATION - PROTEC® CONCRETE STRUCTURAL INSULATED PANEL SYSTEM

GENERAL INFORMATION, RECOMMENDATIONS &
INSTRUCTIONS FOR PROTEC® SIP’s

GENERAL
• Keep all panels, steel components and fasteners protected from the elements prior to installation.
• Store the panels laying flat.
• Do not drop panels.
• Remove debris from the foundation wall, slab, or floor, so that the sill channel can be connected
securely thereto.
• Remove debris from sill channel area prior to the placement of a panel on the sill channel.
• Use care in placing panels on the sill channels.
• The sill channel must be installed back from the edge of the foundation wall, slab, or floor, so that the
outer panel skin bears on the foundation, slab, or floor.
• The sill and top channels shall be installed so that the butt joint between channels does not occur
less than 12” from any panel joint.
• The top channel shall be installed so that the butt joint between channels does not occur in the
header above a window, door, or other opening in the wall.
• During the process of assembling and plumbing the panels, and prior to the use of the pneumatic
nails, connect the corners of the panels to the steel components with the proprietary screws.
• It is recommended that the building of the panel wall start with the assembly and erection of a corner.
• The corner panel units and steel angles making up the corner assembly shall be plumbed and
fastened together before proceeding further.
• When the next panel is installed snug to the corner, plumb the corner and the panel and fasten them
to the sill channel and to each other.
• As additional panels are installed, they must be snug to the previously erected panels and plumbed
prior to the installation of the fasteners.
• The T Clear proprietary fasteners and ITW Buildex GYP-FAST pneumatic nails used to connect the
panels to the steel components, shall be installed 8” on center and no more than 3” from the end of
any individual steel component.
• It is recommended that adequate bracing of panel walls be provided during erection.
• It is recommended that the top channel be installed and secured as the erection of the wall proceeds
and only after there is sufficient length of wall to accommodate a top channel.

FOUNDATION & SLAB ON GRADE
• Foundation walls and the outer edges of slabs on grade should be level, square, have a smooth top
free of irregularities, and have sides that are straight. Standard corners should be 90 degrees,
Corners other than 90 degrees can be accommodated with custom made panels.
• The use of Sill Seal or equivalent material, or silicone caulking is recommended between the top of
the foundation wall or slab and the steel sill channel..
• Steel sill channel shall be anchored to the foundation as per code. Where permitted by local building
officials, expansion bolts and/or powder actuated fasteners can be used to anchor sill channel.
• When the steel channel is used as a sole plate attached to a wood substructure and perpendicular to
the floor joists, it will be attached to each joist it crosses using either a coated 16d nail or a corrosion
resistant #14 - 10 X 2 1/2” pan head screw. Where the steel sole channel is laid parallel to the floor
joists, on an end or rim joist, as shown in Detail FS-4-HN, it shall be attached every 16” O.C. using
the same nail or screw indicated above.
• It is recommended that at the corners, the sill channels be formed and installed as shown in Detail
FS-9 or FS-10.
• To prevent water infiltration at the sill channel, it is recommended that Ice & Water Guard or
equivalent material be used as shown in Details FS-1, FS-2, and FS-4 through FS-8.
• In situations where the exterior wall finish is applied directly to the panel, such as a hard coat or
elastomeric finish, Silicone Caulking as shown in Detail FS-1A-HN, is recommended to prevent water
infiltration. In addition Silicone Caulking can be used as an alternate for an Ice & Water Guard type
material
• It is recommended that THERMADRY® Insulating Drainage Panels be installed on the exterior of the
foundation walls, as shown in Details FS-4-HN through FS-8-HN.

STEEL COMPONENTS & FASTENERS
• All steel components, angles, channels, splines and H-studs, used as part of the ProTEC® panel
system shall be a minimum of 20 gauge, G-90 Galvanized Steel.
• All steel components not normally part of the ProTEC panel system, but used as part of the structure
with the ProTEC panel system, i.e. the studs, structural C channel and structural track shown in
Detail WC-11, shall be a minimum of 20 gauge G-90 Galvanized steel and sufficient to handle the
loads placed upon them.
• The fasteners used to connect the ProTEC panels to the steel components shall be #14-10 X 1 5/8”
T Clear Driller and 1 1/2” GYP-FAST™ knurled shank pneumatically driven nail, both spaced 8” on
center.

WALLS
• Walls having corners other than 90 degrees can generally be constructed by using metal
components having corresponding angles and using standard fabrication procedures. Unusually
shaped corners may require specialized fabrication.
• It is recommended that at the corners, the top channel be installed as shown in Detail EWR-9-HN, or
similarly using a one piece top channel shown in Detail FS-10.
• In situations where one 2” X 4” wood top plate is used in addition to the steel top channel, as shown
in Detail EWR-10A-HN, the wood top plate shall be connected to the steel top channel with a
corrosion resistant 2 1/4” flat or pan head screw every 24” on center, and to the outer skin of the
panel using the 1 1/2” pneumatic nails every 16” on center.
• In situations where a second 2” X 4” wood top plate is used on top of a wood top plate already
connected to the steel top channel, as indicated above, the second wood top plate can be connected
using nails or screws, per code requirement.
• All panel joints shall be sealed with fiberglass mesh and latex modified thin set mortar. See Detail
EWR – 14.
• For rough openings for standard windows, steel channels shall be inserted into the jamb, sill, and
header panels. Steel splines shall also be used between the header panel and the side support
panels. All panel components shall be connected to the steel components using the T Clear
proprietary fasteners. See Details WD-1 and WD-3.
• For rough openings for standard doors, steel and panel components are connected in the same
fashion as described above, without the sill panel or channel. See Details WD-2 and WD-3.
• For exterior rough openings, all headers, jambs and sills shall be backwrapped with T Clear
Fiberglass mesh embedded in liquid water proofing medium or equal. A Drip edge
may be used on the header in place of the backwrapped mesh. See Detail EWR – 14.

ROOF TO EXTERIOR WALL CONNECTIONS
• Whether the roof structure is joist and rafter construction or roof truss construction, it is connected to
the exterior wall steel top channel using steel connectors (Clip Angles or Ties). It is recommended
that Simpson Strong-Tie® Connectors or equivalents be used. Details EWR-1-HN, EWR-2-HN and
EWR-7-HN show the use of Simpson A23 Clip Angles. Details EWR-3-HN through EWR-6-HN and
EWR-8-HN show the use of Simpson H1 and SH1 Ties. Details EWR-11-HN through EWR-13-HN
show the use of Simpson H2.5 Tie. Other Ties such as Simpson H3, H4, H5 and H10 or equivalents
can be used.
• Where the roof structure is metal, screws shall be used to connect the Simpson Ties, or equivalents,
to metal roof components and the proprietary screws or pneumatic nails used to connect the Ties to
the metal top channel.
• Where the roof structure is wood, nails or screws can be used to connect the Simpson Ties to wood
roof components and the proprietary screws or pneumatic nails used to connect the Ties to the metal
top channel.
• Where the roof structure is wood and rests on a wood top plate and no metal tie is desired or
required, nails shall be used to connect the roof structure to the wood top plate, per applicable code.
• Where it is necessary to connect three metal components to the panel, i.e. a Simpson Tie to an Hstud
and a top C channel, only the proprietary screw fastener shall be used.

ELECTRICAL
• Each panel has one vertical electrical chase, See Detail WC-9A. Panels with two electrical chases
are available, See Detail WC-9B.
• Electrical boxes can be installed in the panel by lining up the box location with the electrical chase,
cutting the panel skin to accommodate the box and removing enough panel core material to
accommodate the box. A Roto Zip tool is recommended for cutting the panel skin and a Hot Knife
can be used for quick and easy removal of the foam core.
• The electrical box is secured to the panel by using what is commonly called an “old work box” or by
using metal “F Clips or Hold-Its”.
• Panels are available with electrical boxes already installed along the vertical electrical chase.
• Never cut the panel’s skin to provide an additional electrical chase or change the direction of the
electrical chase.
• Cut, punch or saw 1 1/4” diameter holes in the top and/or bottom channels so that these holes line up
with the electrical chases that will be used. A drill with a step drill bit is recommended.
• Remove the burr from these holes or install an appropriately sized grommet prior to the installation of
electrical wire.
• When the electrical wires are being run from below, the 1 1/4” hole should be made in the sole
channel so it lines up with the vertical electrical chase, prior to the installation of the panel on the sole
channel.
• When the electrical wires are being run from above, the 1 1/4” hole should be made in the top
channel so it lines up with the vertical electrical chase, prior to or during the installation of the top
channel.

FIELD FABRICATION
Even on factory fabricated panels, slight modifications may be necessary to accommodate variations due
to field conditions. The most common modifications include cutting the panel to reduce its width, cutting
headers and window bases, and cutting panels to accommodate special situations. In most cases,
modifications to panels are not difficult to make.
• It is recommended that a circular saw with a carbide tip blade be used to cut the panel.
• Because of the thickness of the panel, the use of a hand held circular saw requires a cut be made on
each side of the panel.
• It is important that accurate measurements be made and the cut line be marked on each side of the
panel. Mark the first side and square across the panel to transfer reference points to the second
side. Using the reference points, mark the second side.
• The marking of both sides of the panel should be complete before any cut is made.
• It is recommended that a pencil be used to mark the cut lines. The use of a chalk line is not generally
recommended, because the chalk line can be easily wiped away in handling or blown away by the
approaching saw blade. Thus, there is little or no cut line to follow.
• Metal straight edges and framing squares are helpful tools for marking lines.
• Care should be taken to follow the cut line. Where applicable, use should be made of the guide bar
on the circular saw.
• Use the maximum depth of cut setting and make a straight cut following the cut line. Flip the panel
over and make another straight cut following the cut line.
• For cuts close to the panel’s edge, use the guide bar on the circular saw.
• The cutting of the panel will remove some or all of the factory installed slots necessary for the
installation of the steel components. These will have to be replaced as follows:
• Set the circular saw blade depth at 2 1/8”.
• If the factory install slots have not been completely removed, set the circular saw guide bar, if
possible, so that the blade will cut along the slots to deepen them to 2 1/8”.
• If the factory installed slots have been removed, use the slots on both ends of the panel to set the
guide bar on the circular saw, if possible. If it is not possible to use the guide bar, mark the cut
lines on the panel. Then using either the guide bar or cut lines, cut the new 2 1/8” deep slots.
• When cutting a panel to reduce its width by 10” or less, make the cut on the side where there is no
vertical electrical chase.
• Do not make any cuts to reduce the panel width on panels with 2 vertical electrical chases.
• Headers cut for spans greater than 3 feet should not contain an electrical chase.

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