LP SmartSide Review: The Honest Truth After Years of Installing It

# LP SmartSide: What We Actually Think LP SmartSide has become a popular choice for homeowners who want better than vinyl but don't want to spend James Hardie money. We install it regularly. Here's our honest take. ## What LP SmartSide Actually Is It's engineered wood. Wood strands bonded with resins and wax, then treated with zinc borate for rot and termite resistance. Not solid wood. Not fiber cement. Its own thing. ## What We Like ### Nothing Handles Impacts Better This is LP SmartSide's biggest selling point, and it's legit. Hit fiber cement with a hailstone? It cracks. Hit LP SmartSide? It might dent slightly. Might not show at all. The material flexes instead of shattering. For areas with regular hail, this matters. For homes where things bump into siding (ladders, kids, whatever), this matters. We've seen LP SmartSide survive impacts that would have cracked fiber cement badly. ### It's Much Lighter About half the weight of fiber cement. Why that matters: - Faster to install (less labor cost) - Easier on walls (some older homes can't handle fiber cement's weight) - Easier for crews to handle safely ### It Works Like Wood Cuts with regular saws. Nails without special tools. If you've worked with wood, you can work with this. That means more contractors can install it properly. Fiber cement requires special training and tools. ### The Price Is Right Typically 15-25% less than James Hardie installed. On a $30,000 job, that's $4,500 - $7,500 saved. That's real money. Sometimes that's the difference between doing the project and not doing the project. ### The Warranty Structure Is Interesting LP offers a 5/50 warranty: - Years 1-5: 100% coverage including labor - Years 6-50: Prorated coverage That 5-year full coverage including labor is actually generous. Most siding warranties make you pay labor from day one. If something goes wrong early, LP picks up the whole tab. ### It's More Sustainable Made from fast-growing trees. Uses nearly the entire log. Lower manufacturing energy than cement-based products. If environmental impact matters to you, LP SmartSide has a better story than most. ## What We Don't Like ### No Factory Finish Option This is the big one. LP SmartSide comes primed and ready for paint. That's it. No factory-applied color like James Hardie's ColorPlus. What that means: - You're paying for painting (within 180 days of install) - You're repainting every 7-15 years - Paint quality depends on your painter - Weather can delay your project Over 20 years, painting costs eat into the upfront savings. Do the math for your specific situation. ### Edge Sealing Is Critical Every cut edge must be sealed with primer or LP-approved sealant. Every single one. Miss an edge? Water gets in. Water in engineered wood is bad news. This isn't a knock on the product—it's just a reality that requires careful installation. The material doesn't fail; installations fail. ### It's Still Wood-Based Yes, it's treated. Yes, it's engineered. But it's fundamentally a wood product. In our humid PA/NJ summers, that means: - Extra attention to flashing - Proper ground clearances are non-negotiable - Moisture management matters more Fiber cement genuinely doesn't care about humidity. LP SmartSide needs proper installation to handle it. ### Shorter Track Record LP SmartSide has been around since 1997. About 25+ years of performance data. Compare that to James Hardie's 40+ years. We know exactly how fiber cement ages because we've watched it age. LP SmartSide's track record is good. It's just not as long. That matters to some people. ### Your Finish Quality Varies With ColorPlus fiber cement, every piece comes out of the factory looking exactly the same. Controlled conditions, consistent quality. With LP SmartSide, your paint job is your paint job. Great painter? Looks great. Mediocre painter? Looks mediocre. That variability is a real consideration. ## Real-World Performance Based on our installations and callbacks: ### What Holds Up - Impact resistance is everything it's advertised to be - When properly installed and painted, it performs well - The zinc borate treatment does work—we don't see rot or termite issues in properly maintained installations ### What We've Seen Go Wrong 1. **Unsealed edges swelling** — Always an installation issue 2. **Paint failure** — Usually cheap paint or poor prep 3. **Bottom edge moisture damage** — Ground clearance too small 4. **Flashing failures around windows** — Installation shortcuts Notice the pattern? The product is fine. Problems come from installation shortcuts or maintenance neglect. ## Who Should Choose LP SmartSide **Good candidates:** - Hail-prone areas where impact resistance matters - Budget-conscious but quality-minded homeowners - People who don't mind painting maintenance - Homes where fiber cement's weight is a concern - Craftsman, farmhouse, or cottage aesthetics (LP has great style options) **Maybe look elsewhere if:** - You never want to think about painting again - Maximum longevity is the priority - Fire resistance is a major concern - You're in an extremely humid microclimate ## Compared to the Alternatives ### vs. James Hardie | Factor | LP SmartSide | James Hardie | | ------------------- | -------------------------- | -------------------- | | Upfront cost | 15-25% less | 15-25% more | | Impact resistance | Better | Good | | Moisture resistance | Good (with proper install) | Better | | Fire resistance | Class A rated | Non-combustible | | Painting | Required | Optional (ColorPlus) | | Track record | 25+ years | 40+ years | ### vs. Quality Vinyl | Factor | LP SmartSide | Insulated Vinyl | | ----------------- | ------------------------ | ---------------------- | | Appearance | More authentic wood look | Still looks like vinyl | | Impact resistance | Excellent | Good | | Maintenance | Painting required | None | | Cost | Similar | Similar | | Perceived value | Higher | Lower | ## Our Bottom Line LP SmartSide is a genuinely good product. Not a compromise. Not "cheaper fiber cement." Its own thing with real advantages. If you're okay with painting maintenance and you hire an installer who does the details right, it'll serve you well for decades. The key phrase: **installer who does the details right.** This product punishes shortcuts more than fiber cement does. Edge sealing, clearances, flashing—it all matters. We install LP SmartSide for customers where it makes sense. We won't push you toward fiber cement if LP is the better fit for your situation and budget. ## Let's Figure Out If It's Right for You We're certified for LP SmartSide installation. We know the product well—what it does well, where to be careful. We'll look at your house, talk about your priorities, and give you honest options. Maybe LP SmartSide makes sense. Maybe fiber cement does. Maybe vinyl does. We'll tell you what we actually think. **Call ** or send a message. Let's talk about your project. --- _Based in Easton, working throughout the Lehigh Valley and into Jersey. Certified for both LP SmartSide and James Hardie. Licensed in PA, NJ, and NY._