Roofing & Exterior
The Warmth of Wood, Engineered to Outlast It
LP SmartSide is treated engineered wood — lighter and warmer-looking than fiber cement, tougher than the old panel siding it usually replaces. Installed to spec, it's a genuine Northwest contender.
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Signs to watch
Is this you?
You want the look of wood without the rot
Real cedar is beautiful and high-maintenance in this climate. SmartSide keeps the warm wood grain and texture with treated engineered wood built to shrug off moisture.
Your old engineered or hardboard siding failed
The panel and hardboard siding from the '80s and '90s that's failing all over the inland Northwest is exactly what SmartSide was designed to replace — a much tougher generation of the same idea.
You want fewer seams and a lighter product
SmartSide comes in long lengths and is lighter than fiber cement, which means fewer joints on long runs and a smoother install on some homes.
You're weighing warmth against budget
It often lands between vinyl and fiber cement on cost while giving a richer, more substantial look than either. Worth pricing next to Hardie before you decide.
Your options
Engineered wood, treated and installed right
LP SmartSide is engineered wood — wood strands bound with resins and treated through the whole board with a zinc borate process that resists rot, fungal decay, and termites. It comes pre-primed from the factory, ready for paint, in lap, panel, and trim profiles with a deep cedar-grain texture. Like any wood-based product, it lives or dies on the details: housewrap, flashing at every opening, correct clearances to the ground and roof, and sealed field cuts. Done to spec, it's a warm, durable Northwest wall.
The method
How we do it
- 01
Design, profile, and paint selection
Grain profiles and paint colors chosen against your actual house — SmartSide comes primed, so the color is your call.
- 02
Tear-off and sheathing inspection
Old siding off, damaged sheathing found and repaired at the per-sheet price printed in your bid — photographed as we go.
- 03
Weather barrier, install, and finish
Housewrap and flashing first, then boards fastened to LP spec with sealed cut ends, primed and painted to lock it in. Most homes: one to two weeks.
Straight numbers
What SmartSide actually costs
Engineered wood generally sits between vinyl and fiber cement on installed cost. What moves the number: square footage, stories, trim complexity, whether you paint on site, and what the tear-off reveals underneath. We quote fixed bids with financing available, and we'll price it right next to Hardie so you can compare honestly.
Where we do this work
LP SmartSide Siding: straight answers
How is LP SmartSide different from James Hardie?
SmartSide is treated engineered wood; Hardie is fiber cement. SmartSide is lighter, warmer-looking, and often a bit less to install; Hardie is heavier, non-combustible, and fully mineral. Both are strong PNW choices — we'll walk you through which fits your home, budget, and fire exposure.
Will engineered wood hold up in Northwest rain?
Treated and installed correctly, yes — it's built and warrantied for wet climates, and the through-treatment resists the rot and pests that killed older hardboard siding. The non-negotiable is the install: sealed cut ends, proper ground clearance, and flashing at every opening. That's where we're picky.
Do I have to paint LP SmartSide?
It ships pre-primed, so it needs a finish coat — but that's an advantage: you pick any color, and we apply a quality topcoat that holds up in this climate. Repaint cycles are longer than old wood siding but shorter than Hardie's factory ColorPlus finish.
Is SmartSide cheaper than fiber cement?
Often, but not always — it depends on the profile, the paint work, and your specific home. The honest way to decide is to price both for your house. We'll put the two side by side rather than steer you to one.
Get the lp smartside siding conversation started.
Free 20-minute inspection. Photo report you keep either way. Zero pressure.