13 Pros and Cons of LP Smart Siding

LP smart siding is an engineered lap siding brand that is comparable to cement siding products. The manufacturer uses wood strands that coated in wax to add another level of moisture resistance to the product. Then the materials receive resin bonding and other binders to create a surface that looks and feels like real wood, but with better resilience to the elements. Zinc borate is added in a proprietary solution to protect against insect infestations and rot. A resin-saturated overlay then completes the process.

There are six different styles available for homeowners to consider with this siding. You can use double, triple, or quadruple profiles, take a Colonial approach, or use cedar textures to create the perfect look.

LP offers a unique program where they sell their siding to qualified pre-finishers, allowing for a diverse variety of colors from which to choose. You can also select a primed smart siding product that is ready for you to paint at a lower cost if you prefer.

List of the Pros of LP Smart Siding

1. The warranty you receive with LP smart siding is comprehensive for most homeowners.
When you purchase LP smart siding for your home, then you’ll receive a standard 5/50 warranty that gives you protection for up to 50 years. You’ll receive 100% protection for the first five years after installation. Hail damage is included as part of this warranty if it is 1.75 inches in diameter or smaller. That means you have an effective way to protect your investment should something unexpected happen. It won’t cover everything, and some homes do not qualify for this coverage, so you’ll want to speak with your installer about the options that are available to you.

The hail damage limited warranty only protects siding that was installed on or after January 1, 2017. Homeowners must maintain the product according to the manufacturer’s standards to qualify for this advantage.

2. It offers a superior level of impact resistance.
LP smart siding does an excellent job resisting the regular impacts that can occur against the frame of a home. You won’t need to worry about something falling off if you happen to bump into the side of the house for some reason. It handles ball impacts fairly well too, along with hail as mentioned in the previous advantage. This product won’t stand up to everything since nothing can do that, but you’ll find that the overall quality of this design is worth the investment you’ll make.

If you were to use a cement-based product, a high-speed impact from a ball or a bat would likely leave an indentation in your exterior that would require repairs.

3. There are more styles available with LP smart siding.
When you compare LP smart siding with other engineered exterior products, you’ll find that there are many different styles available. You have a total of six different options from which to choose with this product when most manufacturers only offer one or two choices. Then you have dozens of different color options available to you because of how the distribution of this siding works. That means this advantage can help you to find the perfect solution for your home because you can find something that meets or exceeds all of your expectations.

When you look at the final installation of LP smart siding, you’ll find that it tends to provide more of a rustic, almost hand-split look to it. This option works well if you’re working with a cabin-style home. The deep wood grain pattern is helpful in creating an authentic and natural look too.

4. There is less dust created when you cut LP smart siding.
It can be a lot of fun to create sawdust when cutting traditional wood siding for your home, but this work can also create a significant mess. The same problem exists for concrete-based or stone exterior options. When you choose LP smart siding, the combination of wood, wax, and resin create less mess when you need to trim boards to size. When there is less dust around, that means you can create a clean installation more often.

You’ll find that LP smart siding also cuts more easily than fiber cement products do for the home, which means you can use a standard saw blade to create the specific measurements needed to finish the work.

5. You can install LP smart siding quickly.
The manufacturer uses a series of locking clips with the smart siding design so that the installation is fast and secure right away. It is a lightweight product as well, which means that it is relatively easy to work with even if you’re the only person working on the house. If you’re used to working with other siding materials, you’ll find that this product can install about 30% faster than most other items.

One of the reasons for this advantage is the fact that LP provides longer planks to use than their competitors in the engineered wood market. Their boards are 16 feet in length, whereas Hardie board siding is only 12 feet long. You’ll have fewer seams because of this advantage, creating a noticeable difference in the final look.

6. It is an affordable product to consider using for your home.
LP smart siding is one of the best value purchases in the market today if you want to give your home more of a traditional look. Engineered products are priced 20% to 50% below what you would pay for natural wood siding. That means you’ll pay between $1.25 to $2.15 per square foot when using lap siding or panels. If you prefer shake siding for your home, then you’ll pay between $2.35 to $3.25 per square foot. The final expense is based on your geographic location, how much of the LP smart siding you want is in stock, and what the labor costs are for installation.

Hiring a licensed and bonded contractor will help to ensure the final results are what you want with LP smart siding. This can add up to $6.00 per square foot to the cost of the work, but it can provide long-lasting benefits too.

7. It offers structural supports for the home.
LP smart siding has holding integrity for screwing gutters into place and other exterior needs that a home might require. You won’t find that option with the cement board competitors on the market today. You can also avoid issues with silica inhalation with this product when working with it, which means there could be health advantages for some consumers.

List of the Cons of LP Smart Siding

1. The warranty on LP smart siding is not very long.
When you install LP smart siding on your home, then the warranty you receive will only cover defects in craftsmanship and materials for up to five years. Once you go beyond that limit, then the pro-rata deduction on the coverage you receive is 2.2% per year. That means you’ll only receive two-thirds of your coverage if a problem begins to develop after 20 years. Although the amount is still better than nothing, there are siding products on the market today that offer complete warranties in the 25-year range.

2. Some homeowners will not qualify for parts of the warranty.
If you live in Alaska, British Columbia, Hawaii, Northern California North of I-80, or West of the Cascades in Washington, Oregon and California, the LP warranty will not cover the performance of 16 foot (4877 mm) long 76 series fiber substrate lap siding. The manufacturer excludes that siding because high humidity levels and heavy rains are part of the usual climate cycle in those geographies. You may want to look for other options if you live in those areas so that you can protect your investment.

3. The coatings on LP smart siding can sometimes flake off.
The coating that you see on LP smart siding usually comes from the finisher or applier instead of the manufacturer. If they are used incorrectly, then there is a high risk that the outer material can start to flake off. That means you could lose some of your exterior protection, placing your home at risk for moisture damage and pest infestation. You’ll need to repaint the siding as needed because of fading issues as well, which can be as often as every three years. Taking shortcuts in this area will only lead to more disadvantages occurring over time with the product and your home.

4. You will need to prime and paint the edges of the siding.
Your installers will need to prime and paint the edges of your LP smart siding before installing the product on your home. When you cut through this product, it exposes the inner core to the potential damage that moisture can provide. The water penetrates deeply into the engineered product, causing it to prematurely decay so that a replacement is necessary far sooner than expected. That means it will take longer to install the product on your home since it must be measured and cut before you can even begin this work.

The one exception to this disadvantage is where the ends are getting sealed with a high-quality caulking material. If the edge is exposed, like along a roofline, then the instructions recommend working it. If not, then you can treat it like any other seam.

5. Engineered wood siding can still burn if a fire happens.
One of the reasons why LP smart siding is such a popular product is due to the number of wood fibers that are contained in the mixture. Since there is more organic material present in this design, it tends to be more susceptible to fire when compared to other synthetic siding options for the home. This product does better than traditional wood with its mix of resins, giving you a one-hour fire rating, but there are some options on the market today that can provide you with superior results in this category.

6. You will not receive any protection against termite damage.
If you live in a region where termite damage is common, then LP smart siding might not be the right choice to make. Fiber cement siding is not appealing to pests, but the wax-coated wood fibers in this product are prime for some chewing. If you read the manufacturer’s warranty with this product, you will discover that damage from this pest is not covered at all. You would be 100% responsible for any repairs that were necessary because of this issue. Hardie siding is a suitable alternative in this situation.

Conclusion

The pros and cons of LP smart siding are often compared to Hardie board siding because these two products currently lead the industry in market share. You’ll find that the LP product tends to have a more upscale look and are structural when installed on a home, providing a higher quality of product when compared to vinyl or cement boards. It provides a lot of curb appeal, even if it doesn’t come with the same brand reputation.