Building With Structural Foam Panels

Builders who use structural foam panels cite a number of advantages: They say panels are stronger, more energy efficient, go up faster, and offer higher, more consistent quality than stick-built houses. Enough homeowners and contractors have been attracted to foam panels to bring regular annual increases in sales of about 25% to the industry, even during recent slow times. Yet the majority of houses are still stick-built, in part because builders remain skeptical about foam panels. Is this skepticism healthy? Or are those who steer clear of structural stress-skin panels missing a smart building option? After researching and writing about structural stress-skin panels for several years, I’ve found no single answer to this question. For some builders, panels are a great boon; for others,