I'm researching SIPS for a custom house for myself to live in. I started reading up on MgO SIPS and it all sounds magically wonderful. One of the firms that I'm talking with is making an impassioned case for doing the basement with MgO SIPS. I'm trying to keep an open mind, but I can't help thinking that an MgO basement might be straying too far off the reservation. I'm looking for feedback about MgO SIPS for basements. While you are at it, any feedback on MgO SIPS would be welcome. If you are a seller, please identify yourself as such. Maybe you can then sell me something!

Posted By JacobCambridgeMA on 02 Apr 2017 10:53 PM
I'm researching SIPS for a custom house for myself to live in. I started reading up on MgO SIPS and it all sounds magically wonderful. One of the firms that I'm talking with is making an impassioned case for doing the basement with MgO SIPS. I'm trying to keep an open mind, but I can't help thinking that an MgO basement might be straying too far off the reservation. I'm looking for feedback about MgO SIPS for basements. While you are at it, any feedback on MgO SIPS would be welcome. If you are a seller, please identify yourself as such. Maybe you can then sell me something!

Jacob,
my own pesonal experoence with MGo is it absorbs water,
you will get all kinds of opinions on the subject and if you scroll down in the (topic) subjects you will find an extensive thread about MGO warnings
http://www.greenbuildingtalk.com/Forums/tabid/53/aff/5/aft/77839/afv/topic/Default.aspx

Hi Jacob, Right now there are new version of mgo board, which is called as magnesium sulfate board, sulfate mgo board or chloride mgo board. which offers better strength

A quality MGO Board absorbs very little moisture. Properly manufactured MGO board experiences very little thermal expansion and absorbs very little water even when submerged in water for several days. Very little swelling is detected even after leaving the board in the water for weeks. If you are using an MGO SIP panel for the basement walls, the panel should be waterproofed like a concrete or block wall using a good peel and stick membrane (my material preference but there are many systems) and protection board if needed.You should use gravel or other good drainage material a few feet out from the basement wall and from the foundation up to a few feet below grade. Us a proper drainage cloth between the drainage rock and the dirt. Depending on your area soil type, a foundation drain (french drain) may also be needed. An MGO SIP panel will give you a good insulated structure. I would use a 8" or 10" MGO SIP panel depending on the depth of the basement and the height and loads of the house above on the SIP walls.

Thanks for sharing advise of MGO SIPs for basement. very helpful.

And as always with something new like this make sure the building inspector is going to approve it....I am building a ICF house and still have gone round and round with them. You might have to have a PE (professional engineer) oversee the whole project because the building department wont take responsibility for it.

Good Luck.