JHinson
Registered Users
New Member
Posts:4
 |
| 12/06/2007 12:55 AM |
|
| Nice site, convincing literature. Anyone have experience with and/or opinion of this company? We're about to start a new SIP house and want a quality panel.
JHinson |
|
|
|
|
|
|
PanelCrafters
Registered Users
Veteran Member
Posts:1408
|
| 12/06/2007 11:09 AM |
|
Posted By JHinson on 12/06/2007 12:55 AM
Nice site, convincing literature. Anyone have experience with and/or opinion of this company?
Just say No. Contact me offline for more. |
|
....jc
If you're not building with OSB SIPS(or ICF's), why are you building? |
|
|
ziplip
Registered Users
New Member
Posts:9
|
| 12/06/2007 7:29 PM |
|
| what is wrong with Thermocore? their sips look like the most advanced osb sips i've seen so far. |
|
|
|
|
GeorgiaTom
Registered Users
Basic Member
Posts:152
|
| 12/06/2007 7:51 PM |
|
| How many trees do they need to kill to build one OSB sips house? |
|
|
|
|
olpjeb
Registered Users
New Member
Posts:58
|
| 12/06/2007 8:19 PM |
|
| I am in the process of building a SIP/timberframe home (a full report will come after the drywall is done). I had narrowed my choice of SIP suppliers to Thermocore and another urethane manufacturer. My main reason for not going with Thermocore was location. I was also a bit turned-off by their "salesman" type attitude. However, I still find their system attractive. They offer a 4" standard wall for timberframes which eliminates the use of special trim or custom jambs on windows (no other manufacturer does this). They also have a lot of experience with timber frames, their pricing is very competitive, and they offer an installation option. My SIP project turned out OK, but it was not free of complications, and in the end it cost more than the Thermocore product. |
|
|
|
|
PanelCrafters
Registered Users
Veteran Member
Posts:1408
|
| 12/06/2007 8:32 PM |
|
Posted By ziplip on 12/06/2007 7:29 PM
what is wrong with Thermocore? their sips look like the most advanced osb sips i've seen so far.
It's not the product, and looks can be deceiving.
Posted By GeorgiaTom on 12/06/2007 7:51 PM
How many trees do they need to kill to build one OSB sips house?
I don't know. Fast growth renewable trees vs. the energy needed to produce any other type of skin. And, we don't need to import trees.
You decide. |
|
....jc
If you're not building with OSB SIPS(or ICF's), why are you building? |
|
|
ziplip
Registered Users
New Member
Posts:9
|
| 12/06/2007 8:45 PM |
|
| OSB is made from a completely renewable resource -- small-diameter, fast-growing trees, and.....It takes far more energy and resources to produce steel, concrete or other building materials than to manufacture a structural wood panel. |
|
|
|
|
Dick Mills
Registered Users
Basic Member
Posts:159
|
| 12/07/2007 12:08 AM |
|
GeorgiaTom,
It probably takes more prehistoric trees (and dinosaurs) in the form of oil pumped out of the ground to make the EPS in the panels than it takes of harvested trees to make the OSB. Not to mention the amount of coal (trees and dinosaurs again) burned to produce steel, or other fossil fuels burned to make concrete. And what about the CO2 and pollutants pumped out into the envirenment from burning the fossil fuels. Everything is a tradeoff. In the case of OSB, the trees can very readily be replanted and in 20 years harvested again.
Dick Mills |
|
|
|
|
GeorgiaTom
Registered Users
Basic Member
Posts:152
|
| 12/07/2007 7:54 AM |
|
Posted By PanelCrafters on 12/06/2007 8:32 PM
Posted By ziplip on 12/06/2007 7:29 PM
what is wrong with Thermocore? their sips look like the most advanced osb sips i've seen so far. It's not the product, and looks can be deceiving.
Posted By GeorgiaTom on 12/06/2007 7:51 PM
How many trees do they need to kill to build one OSB sips house? I don't know. Fast growth renewable trees vs. the energy needed to produce any other type of skin. And, we don't need to import trees. You decide.
|
|
|
|
|
GeorgiaTom
Registered Users
Basic Member
Posts:152
|
| 12/07/2007 8:00 AM |
|
Posted By ziplip on 12/06/2007 8:45 PM
OSB is made from a completely renewable resource -- small-diameter, fast-growing trees, and.....It takes far more energy and resources to produce steel, concrete or other building materials than to manufacture a structural wood panel. I disagree steel is a recyclable resource.. steel skins for a sips house can be made from 2-3 scrap cars
Is 20 years fast growing?
|
|
|
|
|
GeorgiaTom
Registered Users
Basic Member
Posts:152
|
| 12/07/2007 8:02 AM |
|
Posted By Dick Mills on 12/07/2007 12:08 AM
GeorgiaTom,
It probably takes more prehistoric trees (and dinosaurs) in the form of oil pumped out of the ground to make the EPS in the panels than it takes of harvested trees to make the OSB. Not to mention the amount of coal (trees and dinosaurs again) burned to produce steel, or other fossil fuels burned to make concrete. And what about the CO2 and pollutants pumped out into the envirenment from burning the fossil fuels. Everything is a tradeoff. In the case of OSB, the trees can very readily be replanted and in 20 years harvested again.
Dick Mills
Isn't EPS a by-product of the oil refining industry?
|
|
|
|
|
ziplip
Registered Users
New Member
Posts:9
|
| 12/07/2007 11:41 AM |
|
| anyway.... Thermocore experience? Anyone? Prices? etc? |
|
|
|
|
Dick Mills
Registered Users
Basic Member
Posts:159
|
| 12/07/2007 1:29 PM |
|
Tom,
EPS is the produced by the dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene. There are small quantities of ethylbenzene in crude oil. but to make commercial quantities of it, they use benzene and ethylene - both are made from crude oil, and both are valuable in the manufacturing of other products. And all of these processes require input energy (from fossil fuels) to cause the reactions. And, none of the chemical precursors would go to waste if they wern't used to make EPS, they are useful for other products.
And, you are right about recycling steel. It does, however, take about 1/4 pound of coal to recycle 1 pound of steel - and the coal isn't very recyclable nor is it very renewable. On the other hand, you could use the same trees that are used to make OSB for fuel to recycle steel. It used to be that those trees were burned at the mills to provide energy because they wern't useful for anything else. By burning wood instead of coal you are probably looking at about 1/2 to 2/3 pound of wood per pound of recycled steel.
Dick Mills
|
|
|
|
|
kevinbourland
Registered Users
New Member
Posts:45
|
| 12/19/2007 9:35 PM |
|
I built using Thermocore this past Summer. As of right now, I am undecided as to whether I would use them again. It all depends on if i can get any help from them or not.
They seem to transmit sound thru and down the walls more than conventional walls. Kind of like putting one end of a broom stick to your ear and the other end to an engine. Very, very disapointing. Also, and this is the deciding factor as to my final
assessment of this company. My kitchen wall is bowing out. I have a growing gap of .400 between my sips wall and countertops ! This has happened withen the last two weeks. The fit was tight before, and the wall pulled the fasteners holding my floor cabinets thru the cabinets, and my 1/2 wall, breakfast bar now has a hug gap, between it and the wall. The outside looks like a banana now!
I have been trying to contact Thermocore, but, the owner is always busy... and does not return calls....voice ....e-mails......messages...etc..... etc... even though he has been at work, and knows of my delima.
The product did come withen a week of scheduled delivery, this was good. Product did not have one single miss milled door window or power/light switch box. Product fit reasonably well.
My situation could be a fluke, and has been positive until recent. |
|
Kevin |
|
|
PanelCrafters
Registered Users
Veteran Member
Posts:1408
|
| 12/19/2007 10:32 PM |
|
Posted By kevinbourland on 12/19/2007 9:35 PM
I have been trying to contact Thermocore, but, the owner is always busy... and does not return calls....voice ....e-mails......messages...etc..... etc... even though he has been at work, and knows of my delima.
I stand by my original recommendation: Avoid. |
|
....jc
If you're not building with OSB SIPS(or ICF's), why are you building? |
|
|
kevinbourland
Registered Users
New Member
Posts:45
|
| 12/20/2007 9:51 PM |
|
I got ahold of the owner today. He has been looking at my plans. They are puzzled about the bulged wall too! I sent him pictures. It was mentioned that they will be sending a rep out to see what is going on.
I feel better now, hopefully we can get the cause ironed out soon.
|
|
Kevin |
|
|
ziplip
Registered Users
New Member
Posts:9
|
| 12/21/2007 11:05 AM |
|
| Hei,let us know what happens. |
|
|
|
|
Lockard
Registered Users
New Member
Posts:40
|
| 12/25/2007 11:16 AM |
|
| JHinson, I know I am a little late for this party, but here is my 3 cents worth. We have been using SIPS since 1981 to enclose our timberframes. We have used/worked with several EPS manufacturers over the years, including: Foam Products, Inc., Insulspan, FischerSIPS and R-Control. In 1997 we decided to try Thermocore Panel Systems based in Indiana. At that time Thermocore was owned by Timbersmith's John Hayes and Drew Hoffman. Whether it is for a timber frame or structural house, we use Thermocore. About five years ago, Thermocore of Missouri was started up, and since my business, Woodhenge Timberframes, is located in Missouri it only made sense to try them. It was the best business decision I ever made. I would put Thermocore panels up against any other panel system out there, bar none. I don't know of any manufactured system that is perfect, but Thermocore comes real close. The sales staff (Mikey & Stephan) know what they are talking about and they are good, honest people. The fabricators in the plant are experienced craftspeople and the installers blow me away. The whole bunch take a lot of pride in what they do and it shows. You can put all of their construction site waste in a five gallon bucket! Killing trees? I am a tree hugger and proud of it. The trees used are basically fast growing plantation trees. When a plantation tree, like any other crop is ready to be harvested, then it should be harvested. Save the old growth forests. Save the rainforests in South America, Indonesia, etc. Many people, including me, are keeping an eye on using alternative plant materials like wheat chaff for the skins, and down the road, soy based foam will replace urethane. By the way, we refused to use urethane panels for years until they quit using CFC's as a blowing agent. PanelCrafters, why don't you just post your opinion on the board? If you have an opinion, just spill it. Don't be so mysterious. C'mon, name calling? Ankle biting? What's next? Throwing rocks? Lockard |
|
Lockard |
|
|
PanelCrafters
Registered Users
Veteran Member
Posts:1408
|
| 12/25/2007 12:19 PM |
|
Posted By Lockard on 12/25/2007 11:16 AM
PanelCrafters, why don't you just post your opinion on the board? If you have an opinion, just spill it. Don't be so mysterious. C'mon, name calling? Ankle biting? What's next? Throwing rocks? Lockard
I don't know how much clearer that I can be. The word avoid is pretty self explanatory. I am talking about the Indiana based company. Not the one based in Missouri.
They were dishonest(on a daily basis) and stole from us. The 'sale' was all that mattered. After they had the funds, it was a series of delays(and more lies). Clear enough? |
|
....jc
If you're not building with OSB SIPS(or ICF's), why are you building? |
|
|
Lockard
Registered Users
New Member
Posts:40
|
| 12/25/2007 1:44 PM |
|
| Fair enough. If you have issues with Thermocore of Indiana, that’s your business. I was defending Thermocore of Missouri. Inadvertently or not, you seem to have lumped them both together and that’s too bad.
Aside from the problems you have with Thermocore of Indiana, what do you think of urethane foam as opposed to EPS?
According to your site, you are a re-seller? Do you buy blanks and then fabricate to plans? Just curious. |
|
Lockard |
|
|