That report definitely may have proved one thing..................... If you're going to build an underwater house, OSB SIPs would not be the smartest choice for your building materials.

"Back in the old days" - 1991 when I was introduced to SIPs and built the first home using them, I had every hesitation in the world about OSB. Will it hold a nail, can't possibly be as strong as they say they are, what happens when this house goes through the winter without any coverings................ So over time we gave OSB SIPS every test we could. My favorite is the fat boy test (but that's another story). We did give it the submarine test. Now I'm not a scientist (but I play one on TV), we put a 4 ft. x 4 ft. x 6 1/2 inch SIP into a mason's mixing box and left it out in the weather for 9 months. The rain nearly filled up the container. We had to put bricks on top of the SIP to keep it submerged cause it wanted to float. What the rain didn't fill up, the snow that piled up on top of it melted and filled up the rest. It went through freezes and come spring time, we emptied the container to the point where the SIP was half emerged so the sun could beat on it for a few months. After all was said and done, the OSB grew from 7/16 to almost 5/8 of an inch and never shrunk back down to size once it dried out. It did not delaminate, the OSB did not separate from the foam and once I incorporated it into a demo structure, we applied siding to it and the nails held just fine. That demo structure has since become a permanent structure that houses my trash cans.

Two other real live tests........................ I've had several SIP structures that go through an entire winter with no protection with no negative problems resulting. Oh yeah, the two 8 x 24 OSB barges we float every summer on Scotts Flat Lake. One half of the barge is the barbecue and party area and the other half is for the band. We've done nothing to cover the SIPs, we just let'er float. Yea, the OSB has swollen as with the piece we had in the submarine test and they do weigh more. 8 years now, two to three lake adventures each year. We get the strangest looks with our SIP barges. They keep on going and going and going, just like the energizer bunny.

I don't have a fancy name like Ashland and my laboratory is the real out doors. No worries with OSB SIPs in my book.

The Panel Guy

JC;

 

I feel your frustration!

However our steel SIPs are approved by FEMA for use in "below base flood elevation" construction. They know the materials are un affected and this has been substantiated by the Ashland test.

In addition the panels are USDA approved , they are commonly used for "clean rooms", refrigerated warehouses, car washes and food proccessing applications.

You can continue to bury your head in the sand, but the EPS would dry out at the same rate it got wet (according to a previous Al Cobb post)

The insurance companies are not going to allow a structurally sound wall to be demolished after a flood. (probably one reason insurance rates are less for steel sips)

Steel SIPs do not foster mold growth, so not anything to disinfect?
If there is any residual odor's from flood water that can be overcome by a good pressure washing

TPG;

If the people in the 9th ward thought they would be underwater they would have built house boats too!

ASHLAND is a member of SIPA and supplies adhesive to OSB and Steel SIP manufacturers alike

When your doing your common sense testing why don't you plant an OSB and steel SIP in south Louisana and let the formosan terimites "have at it" for about 30 days

tsmu,

Having built our first 2 projects with OSB, we made the switch to steel because it was easier to work with.

So what this test is ultimately showing is that the glue was the glue didn't fail, yeah? Any idea which glue it was?
Personally I am skeptical of lab tests in controlled environments. In a real world scenario the OSB is typically protected from the elements, not soaked frozen and baked, but its good to know the glue is still good.

Elmers

I think we all know the where the difference lies here. The cost. It is the same reason the majority of the country uses EPS foam vs. Polyurethane. It is the same reason we as sip manufacturers have an edge on ICF walls. Everyone would switch to these more expensive products if cost is not an issue. However, sips are already sold at a premium above stick and batt, stick and spray foam and other panelized stick systems. You can make the claim that they are the same but it is a bogus claim. Nobody is going to disagree with the fact that steel is better just like I'm not going to say that a wood foundation is better than concrete. We all know why OSB is the primary product used throughout the country. If cost was not an issue we would all sell concrete reinforced steel sips with 20 inches of polyurethane foam in the middle. We all know the reason why this does not happen.

Louie, thank you for saying what nobody else will.

WOW

If anyone would like to look at purchasing the equipment to manufacture steel sips, email me and I will put qualified buyers in touch with the people who make first class machines to produce steel sips panels.

I'm here at the PCBC (Pacfic Coast Builders Conference), attendance is indicating a sign of the times. There are no steel or concrete SIPs being showcased just OSB SIPs with Polystyrene. Premier has the largest booth, Insulspan made a showing. No R-Control (nothing new there).

I was hoping to touch and feel the steel and concrete cousins.

er... uh.... no. its  Ashland, but which formula? I did not see it in the report.

according to the MUSA -SIPbLOC specs it was MorAD M-652

It is a compelling test, does anyone know if PU core panels have undergone similar testing?

GT;

have not seen any myself but, it seems like one of the refrigeration panel companies must have done similar testing as, they really go thru some extreme conditions being sub-zero inside and at times over 100 outside. It really stresses the panels

huh