How much does LP SmartSide cost compared to Hardie and vinyl?
LP SmartSide averages $8 to $12 per square foot installed. Insulated vinyl siding averages the same $8 to $12, vinyl siding averages $6 to $8, and James Hardie fiber cement averages $9 to $15.
For example, 1,500 square feet of wall works out to roughly $12,000 to $18,000 at that range. The size and shape of your walls, the number of gables and corners, whether you choose primed siding painted on site or factory-applied ExpertFinish, and any hidden repair to the sheathing all move the price.
These are averages. After your Free Estimate we write a detailed fixed price for your full scope of work, with several payment options: split into monthly payments, or do the project now and pay later.
LP SmartSide or James Hardie: which is better for an Ozarks home?
Neither is better for every home. LP SmartSide is engineered wood with a traditional wood look and sits lower on price. James Hardie is fiber cement and is the higher-priced of the two.
Each comes in a painted-on-site and a factory-finished version from us. LP SmartSide primed lap siding is painted on site in any color. LP SmartSide ExpertFinish is factory-finished and carries a 50-year substrate warranty and a 15-year finish warranty, and James Hardie primed siding is painted on site, while James Hardie Statement Collection with ColorPlus is factory-finished with a 15-year finish warranty.
At your Free Estimate we put samples of both on your wall and quote them side by side.
How long does LP SmartSide last?
LP SmartSide ExpertFinish carries a 50-year substrate warranty, and its finish is warranted for 15 years. The finish usually wears out before the substrate does.
The 50-year substrate warranty covers structural defects, fungal decay and termites. A 5-year labor and materials warranty gives 100% coverage in the first 5 years, and the 15-year finish warranty covers cracking, peeling and fading. Installation matters as much as the board, so we put the siding over taped house wrap and flash every window and door.
Our Lifetime Craftsmanship Warranty covers our workmanship for as long as you own your home.
Will engineered wood siding rot or swell in Ozarks humidity?
LP SmartSide is made to stand up to moisture, and its 50-year substrate warranty covers fungal decay. No siding is safe from water that gets behind it, which is why installation details matter.
We install it over house wrap with taped seams, put flashing tape at every window and door, and keep cut edges and trim sealed. Ozarks humidity, rain and big temperature swings are hard on any wall that was installed carelessly.
Caulk at the trim should be checked now and then. Every hidden layer is photographed before it is covered, and the photos go in your Home Passport.
Is LP SmartSide the same as the old LP siding that had problems?
LP SmartSide is LP's current engineered wood siding, and we install it with its current warranty. We cannot speak for products sold years ago, and we will not guess about them.
What we can show you is the warranty that applies today: for ExpertFinish, a 50-year substrate warranty, a 5-year labor and materials warranty and a 15-year finish warranty. We can also put it in writing and walk you through what each covers.
If you have questions about older LP siding on your own home, we can look at it at your free estimate.
Does it come prefinished, or does it need painting?
Both. LP SmartSide ExpertFinish is factory-finished color with a 15-year finish warranty. LP SmartSide primed lap siding is painted on site in any color.
Prefinished siding goes up already colored, so there is no on-site painting. Painting on site lets you choose almost any color, and the paint will need redoing over the years.
We go over colors and the difference in cost with you at your Free Estimate.
Can LP SmartSide give me a board and batten look?
Yes. We offer board and batten as an accent, such as on gables, or across the full house.
Board and batten adds vertical lines and a more rustic or farmhouse look, and you can mix it with lap siding. Stone accents and shutters can finish the look. The extras change the total.
We show you how the look would work on your home, and what it costs, at the Free Estimate.
