Building a Tiny House with Plastics

The final Plastics Make It Possible® tiny house. Scroll through the gallery here for images from the build and more information on how plastics make this tiny house more energy efficient.

This durable polystyrene foam insulation made with plastic provides an insulating barrier beneath the flooring of the tiny house, which is particularly useful since the house is mounted to a platform on an outdoor trailer.

This plastic foam insulation expands to fill spaces in walls and attics, sealing tough-to-reach corners and cracks to help dramatically improve energy efficiency. Spray polyurethane foam courtesy of Dow Building Solutions and the Center for the Polyurethane Industries (CPI) and www.whysprayfoam.org.

Vinyl plastic siding and trim provide an additional barrier between indoors and out, plus they are low-maintenance, resilient, and do not need periodic painting. Vinyl siding and trim courtesy of Associated Materials, The Vinyl Siding Institute, Inc. National Housing Center, and the Vinyl Institute.

This luxury vinyl flooring adds a waterproof barrier layer between indoors and out. The traditional-looking door is made with tough polyurethane-based fiberglass and an insulating plastic foam core to provide resistance to heat/cold. Luxury vinyl flooring courtesy of Metroflor and the Vinyl Institute. Jeld-Wen Architectural Fiberglass door courtesy of Covestro and Innovation Exhibits, Ohio.

Plastics, such as vinyl, have a high resistance to heat and cold, which is one reason these plastic window frames are excellent insulators. Windows courtesy of TILTCO, A DIVISION OF WINDOWWORLD INDUSTRIES, INC., and the American Architectural Manufacturers Association.

Our fantastic kitchen, with plenty of counter space for cooking, is outfitted with kitchen utensils, cutting boards and more made with plastics and recycled plastics.

This tough plastic skylight provides natural daylight, thermal resistance, and UV protection to help save energy. WASCO skylight courtesy of Wasco Products, Inc. and Covestro

These tough, innovative plastic solar shingles play two roles: roof protector and renewable energy generator. Dow POWERHOUSE™ Solar Shingles courtesy of Dow Building Solutions and Dow Solar Field Operations.

The final interior design of the tiny house, featuring products that have been made with both plastics and recycled plastics! Who wouldn't want to live here?

Our final tiny home in motion - Innovations in building products made from plastics can help improve energy efficiency and drive down energy costs, in tiny and big houses. A key to energy efficiency is sealing the building “envelope,” the barrier between indoors and outdoors. Plastic building products help create a barrier to heat/cold and air (plus water, light, and noise) to seal the building envelope and save energy in this tiny house. Imagine how much energy they could help save in a not-so-tiny house!