New to the forum,,,, I've been researching building with SIPs for Louisiana and am concerned about termites eating the walls. I've seen a lot of posts recommending the steel skinned SIPs. Obviously OSB with EPS is the industry standard and the panels are less expensive, so I posed a pointed termite question to a certain OSB/EPS vendor and received this reply:

--We have built many sip houses in LA (some over 25 years old) In each case the houses were treated like any stick built house by an infestation expert after the house was finished. No problem !!! If you are hung up on this I suggest you forget SIPS  There is no treatment of the osb or the eps that has any merit.And those who propose they have such are just doing a snow job on the public.


I'm guessing that this gentleman's skills are not in salesmanship.... I'm looking for positive non-flame comment on his claims, esp. if there is any documentation or testing along these lines. It's obviously easy to make a claim, Microsoft does it everyday , but empirical evidence rules.

TIA, Jeff

What's interesting is that he states that his houses were treated, and then states that there is no treatment that is worthwhile. Hmmmm.

I guess that I'd put it this way:
 
If you aren't afraid to stick build a house in that area, I wouldn't be afraid to build a SIP house.

I agree with your more customer-centric way of expressing the issue! Keeping it positive!

I understand what he's saying: build with SIPs but do the termite treatment -- poison and/or shields -- but don't trust anyone saying that their panels are termite proof. IOW treated OSB and/or borate treated EPS won't help.

Jeff;

You are right to be concerned about termites (formosans will eat thru concrete to get to food source)
My first two SIPs homes constructed in Louisiana were OSB, but after hearing horror stories about infestations, I made the switch to steel with borate in the foam.
Once the OSB is eaten away the panels lose there structural integrity.
Other advantages to steel are: no crane neccessary,no splines as they interlock, they can be exposed to the elements without worry of mold, warping, swelling, the  prefinished overhangs create a finished soffit. Steel panels are available in longer lengths than OSB

TERMITES WILL NOT STAY IF THERE IS NO FOOD