LP SmartSide Siding We Install in the Chicago Suburbs

Product lines

How LP SmartSide engineered wood is made

Plain wood siding fails here for predictable reasons: water gets into end grain, the board swells and checks, paint lets go, and rot follows. LP SmartSide starts with wood strands rather than sawn boards. The strands are bonded with resins, treated to resist fungal decay and termites, and pressed under heat into boards.

The result is more consistent than solid wood and easier to work than fiber cement. It cuts with standard carpentry tools, and one installer can carry a long board. The flip side is that it is still a wood product. Cut edges and the bottom edges of boards need to be sealed or painted, and the boards must never sit in standing water or snow.

Lap, panel, trim and prefinished SmartSide options

• Lap siding is the main wall product. Ask which textures and widths come in the profile you want.
• Panel siding covers large areas in vertical sheets. With SmartSide trim as battens, it is a common choice for board-and-batten gables and detached garages.
• Trim and fascia let the corners, window surrounds and roof edges be made of the same material, so everything takes paint the same way.
• ExpertFinish is LP’s prefinished option, colored at the factory in a fixed palette. It skips on-site painting and its timing problems.

Primed SmartSide gives unlimited color choice, but the topcoat has to follow LP’s finishing instructions, and exterior paint has a minimum application temperature. Both matter if your project runs into November.

LP SmartSide through Chicago-area moisture, cold and snow

Engineered wood’s weak point is water that sits against it, not rain that runs off. In a northern Illinois winter that means snow piled against the bottom courses, roof runoff splashing onto a wall below a short eave, and ice dams pushing meltwater behind trim. LP’s instructions set clearances above the ground, decks and roof surfaces for exactly this reason, and kick-out flashing at roof-to-wall intersections is not optional.

Cold itself is less of a concern than with vinyl, since engineered wood does not turn brittle. Freeze-thaw damage shows up where paint has failed and water has soaked into an unsealed edge. A walkaround every spring to recaulk and touch up nicks keeps the finish intact. Our siding comparison weighs engineered wood against vinyl and fiber cement.

Line items to expect on an LP SmartSide siding estimate

1. Product and texture for each wall area, lap or panel, plus the exposure.
2. Finish: ExpertFinish color, or primed with a named paint, number of coats and a painting schedule.
3. Trim and fascia material. Mixing SmartSide siding with a different trim material changes how the paint ages.
4. Clearances, gapping at joints, and how cut edges will be sealed.
5. The weather barrier and window flashing, and an allowance for damaged sheathing behind the old siding.

See our siding services page for how a re-side is staged, or the engineered wood siding guide for the material itself.

How LP SmartSide warranties are structured

LP backs SmartSide with a limited warranty on the engineered wood itself. If you choose a prefinished product, ask how the factory finish is covered compared with the boards. Primed SmartSide that is painted on site relies on the paint manufacturer’s coverage for the finish. LP ties its warranty to following its installation instructions, which cover clearances, fastening, gapping and the painting of primed boards. Ask whether added benefits are available through contractors the manufacturer has certified. Read the current terms, including any prorating, at lpcorp.com.

ALTA installs LP SmartSide products. We do not currently hold a LP SmartSide manufacturer credential, so enhanced warranties that require one are not offered on our installations; your estimate names the warranty that applies.

Where LP SmartSide fits best

• Homeowners who want a painted-wood look in a material lighter than fiber cement
• Board-and-batten designs on garages, additions and modern-farmhouse elevations
• Projects where the same material for siding, trim and fascia keeps the paint consistent

Product information last reviewed November 5, 2026. Always confirm current specifications and warranty terms at lpcorp.com.

LP SmartSide questions

Is LP SmartSide real wood?

It is made from real wood strands, not sawn boards. The strands are bonded with resins, treated to resist fungal decay and termites, and pressed into boards. That makes it more consistent than solid wood siding while keeping a wood look.

Is LP SmartSide lighter than fiber cement?

Yes. Engineered wood is noticeably lighter than fiber cement, so long boards are easier to carry and hang, and it cuts with ordinary saws without silica dust control. Fiber cement, in return, does not burn and is not a wood product.

Do I have to paint LP SmartSide?

Primed SmartSide needs a finish coat applied according to LP’s finishing instructions, so get the painting plan in writing along with the install. ExpertFinish boards arrive with a factory finish and only need touch-up at cuts and nail heads.