The Tiny house Blog

What Are Boxabl Homes Made Of?

By
Jason Francis
Designed and built over 100 custom tiny homes, lived on a sailboat for 9 months, and loves to live life to the fullest with his wife and their 4 kids.
Updated on:
April 25, 2024
nicely designed interior small home

Boxabl homes are made of high-quality building materials, specifically concrete, EPS foam, and steel, which do not degrade. These materials are why Boxabl homes hold up so well in harsh climatic conditions. They are also thermal resilient, bug, and mold-resistant.

The tiny houses are assembled in the Boxabl Las Vegas factory using laminates layered together with glue and close to no nails.

Conservationists understand how vital reducing the carbon footprint is, and Boxabl homes are the solution. You can hook up clean energy systems, save money, and finally own your home at an affordable $69,995 or $250 installments.

What’s exciting and revolutionary about the Boxabl homes is that they unfold in a couple of hours. You don’t have to worry about utilities or pay security guards for fear of building materials theft.

You can choose to live off-grid or on-grid once the home is up.

For buyers sold on Boxabl homes, we have curated a buying guide of everything you should know beforehand. We’ll discuss building materials, Boxabl homes’ durability, the cost of acquiring, shipping, and unfolding one, and other factors you should consider when budgeting.

What is a Boxabl home?

Boxabl homes are modular folding houses that are fast to put up, resilient, eco-friendly, and revolutionary cheap. They come with an affordable $50,000 price tag and are like nothing you have seen before. 

The novel form of tiny prefabricated homes gained popularity in 2021 after Elon Musk confirmed he owned one. 

The ease with which these trending prefab tiny homes fold out on-site in a couple of hours is captivating. 

A modular foldable Boxabl home can be assembled in a day using shipping containers, reducing construction waste and speeding up the building process.

The utilities come pre-installed, so you don’t have to plan for that.

These tiny modular homes are extremely energy efficient, and you can outfit yours with solar panels and other green technologies. They have a high R-value (insulation) and less thermal bypass.

Their carbon footprint is also significantly small, and you’ll be saving up energy from their pre-installed LED lighting.

These tiny homes are safe to live in and more robust than the average building because of the high-value materials used. 

As we will see later, their foam steel and concrete composite can withstand any climate, from the low-temperature arctic to hot areas in Phoenix, California, or any desert-like locations worldwide.

The 9’6” ceiling height adds to their appeal.

Boxabl Casita, the folding home now available, includes glass sliding doors and cabinets and is a 361-square foot one-bedroom compact home.

A state-certified licensed installer can stack Boxabl homes to get more room or modify them to pitched roofs if you prefer the latter over flat roofs.

For now, sales are as in the layout below, but buyers will soon obtain bespoke homes packed up and shipped worldwide as Boxabl expands. For a detailed virtual tour, click here.

What materials are used to make Boxabl homes?

Boxabl tiny homes composite is metal SIPs (Structurally Integrated Panels) using steel and styrofoam or expanded polystyrene for insulation. Boxabl also uses concrete and a form of nonflammable ceramic liner for the interior in place of drywall. 

Styrofoam panels have off-gassing and are safe for people sensitive to chemicals.

The walls, floors, and roof are structurally laminated integrated panels. Paneling inside and outside makes the walls thermal resilient and stronger than your average house.

The magnesium boards in the interior are low on off-gassing and safe.

Built-in shaker cabinets are particle boards and laminate, while the flooring is vinyl and SIPs. You can change the cabinets or make other modifications once the installer bolts up the Boxabl house. Countertops and table tops are laminate.

The building materials are fireproof, snow-rated, hurricane-proof, and resistant to bugs and molds.

Boxabl homes have no lumber or drywall commonly used in traditional homes; thus, they are water-resistant.

Boxabl company uses non-combustible materials for interior and exterior paneling, significantly reducing the possibility of a fire breaking out.

The roofing is flat, but Boxabl can arrange pitched roofing.

Is the Boxabl design durable?

The Boxabl design will last 100 years plus. They can withstand almost anything, including some of the harshest weather conditions.

Boxabl homes have a steel frame reinforced with concrete, making them incredibly strong and resistant to high winds and earthquakes. 

The home’s exterior materials are fire-resistant, so you can rest assured that your home is safe from potential disasters.

Inside the home, you’ll find high-quality finishes and fixtures. The floors have water-resistant materials, and the walls are insulated to keep your home comfortable year-round.

As long as the wall remains laminated, metal SIPS are impervious to condensation and mold growth. No cracks in the walls mean no cold spots for moisture to condense. The modular homes are also well sealed and joined, thus leak-proof.

How much time does it take to make a Boxable home?

According to the manufacturer, a typical single-family home can take up to seven months to build, but it can be assembled in a day. 

How much does a Boxable home cost?

As for its price, at the time of writing, the Boxabl Casita is going for $60,000. Please note that the quoted price is exclusive of foundation costs, land, utilities, client-requested modifications, permits, and shipping charges.

Shipping charges vary between $3-$8 per mile from Las Vegas, which is a rough estimate.

These additional expenses can run anywhere from $5,000 to $50,000, depending on where you plan to establish your Boxabl home and your particular requirements and preferences.

Conclusion 

Boxabl homes are unique, fast to set up, durable, and surprisingly cheap. High-quality building materials are not your average construction materials; they will last a lifetime and withstand low and high temperatures and other disasters. 

To know more about Boxabl homes and perhaps to be on the lookout for customized options, keep checking Tiny Homes news on Boxabl homes. You’ll also find tons of information on tiny homes that will help you decide on the tiny home type you wish to own.

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