Building a cabin out of plastic bottles

By Joan Janzen

This summer, many Canadians will be heading to the lake and enjoying time at their cabin. At Jackfish Lake, Sask. a newly constructed 1,300 square foot cabin is unlike any other structure in the area because its shell is made of thousands of upcycled plastic bottles. It was built and designed by Ecoplast Solutions, a Lloydminster, Alberta-based company.

Passers-by wonder what the cabin is made of since it doesn’t look like wood. The shell’s unfinished exterior is made of giant grey-coloured sheets. The building was up in only three days using pickers, as the sheets or panels were placed together much like a giant Lego project.

The product used is foam made from shredded plastic bottles, melted and blown into high-density structural foam. The foam is then processed and manufactured into sheets by a company in eastern Canada.

Foam core has been around for decades, however, it has predominantly been used in marine construction rather than for housing. Now it’s been discovered there are numerous benefits to utilizing these panels to construct houses, cabins, modular buildings, offices and more.

First of all, the closed-cell, high-density foam doesn’t allow moisture to penetrate. Secondly, it doesn’t lose its R-value over time or require insulation or vapour barrier. Additional benefits are beneficial for cabin owners or rural dwellers; rodents can’t get in and cause damage, and the structure requires very little maintenance.

The panels form not only the walls of the building but also the roof, after which it is all laminated into one structure. No additional structural steel or wood is required, and the end result is a building that is both lightweight and energy-efficient.

The exterior can be finished with paint, cladding, siding or stucco, and solar panels can be mounted on the roof. Homeowners don’t have to deal with lost shingles or issues with water seepage.

Composite beams are attached to the roof and laminated right onto the walls. The interiors are strapped on to channel electrical and drywall, HVAC is added, as well as conventional windows and doors. The completed structure looks like a regular building; the only difference is it has been constructed from plastic waste that would have ended up in a landfill.

By April of 2022, the Lloydminster-based company estimates they have successfully diverted over 4.8 million recycled bottles from landfills, which will keep increasing.

This building is constructed out of thousands of upcycled plastic bottles. (Ecoplast Solutions photo)