LP SmartSide Siding Cost: Pros & Cons of LP Smart Siding

LP SmartSide siding is a popular alternative to genuine wood siding – it costs less and typically requires less maintenance. And it has the look and feel of real wood siding, something vinyl and fiber cement siding can’t quite claim.

Right off the bat, most homeowners can expect to pay between $9.50 and $15.50 per square foot to install LP SmartSide siding, depending on the project specific variables, choice of a contractor, and project location.

The above price range assumes a professional installation carried out by a licensed and insured contractor who will obtain a building permit, remove and dispose of old siding, and provide a comprehensive workmanship warranty.

For DIY enthusiasts, LP SmartSide siding cost is around $3.00 to $5.00 per square foot for materials. In addition to the cost of materials, you would also need to pull a local building permit, take care of the removal and disposal of old siding (if needed), install new house wrap (vapor barrier), and provision for all the necessary tools and supplies.

How much does it cost to side a typical house with LP SmartSide?

Siding a 2,000 square foot 2-story home with a garage costs around $19,000 to $31,000, depending on the specific LP SmartSide siding and accessories you choose, complexity of the installation process, and your home’s location.

What’s in this buying guide? This LP SmartSide siding review includes the kind of information found in the LP SmartSide catalog plus pros & cons, a price list and siding cost calculator chart, and comparisons to Hardie fiber cement siding and other composite options.

*You’ll see LP SmartSide called LP Smart Side or simply LP Smart Siding.

Average LP SmartSide Siding Cost per Sq. Ft. for a Typical Installation

The average cost per square foot is $10.50 to $12.50 when the most popular LP SmartSide siding and accessories are professionally installed by a contractor. You can save $3.50 to $6.00 per square foot by installing your own siding.

Costs for common house sizes and each LP SmartSide siding series are given below. But first, basic facts about siding material are provided to help you understand what materials are required and how the volume of material is calculated.

How is siding material calculated?

Siding needed is determined by the surface area of the exterior, of course, not the home’s footprint.

A siding estimator will measure the length and height of the home’s exterior sections and add the figures together. The space taken up by large windows and sliding glass doors is subtracted.

The siding needed on gables is determined by the formula ½(base x height). Then, about 5% to 8% is added to cover trimming and the occasional mess-up .

What materials are needed to side a house?

Here are the siding and accessories materials used to side a home:

• Siding: LP SmartSide makes plank/lap siding, horizontal siding, 4×8 panels and smaller shake panels.
• Corners: Outside corners cover the edges where siding comes together at the corners of your home.
• Fascia: The end of roof trusses are covered with fascia at the eaves of your home.
• Trim: While not required on all jobs, trim pieces of various widths are used as accent pieces around windows and doors or at the top of walls.
• Soffit: The underside of roof eaves (soffits) can be covered with vented soffit board that matches the trim or siding.
• Blocks: These square pieces are used to mount light fixtures, water spigots and other features.

In addition to the siding, a house wrap vapor barrier like Tyvek, Homeguard or Typar is installed over the home’s wood sheath to reduce drafts and moisture penetration into the home. Finally, nails or other fasteners are used to secure the siding to the home.

LP Smart Siding Price List

This chart includes all LP SmartSide siding series. The difference between the series is thickness. The thicker the material, the more durable it is and the higher its cost.

This LP SmartSide siding price list shows material costs and installed costs per square foot. Below, find your home’s size, and get an estimate for the completed job using LP Smart Side siding.

Here are the series, the “listed” or nominal thickness and the actual thickness.

• 38 Series: 3/8” – actual .354”
• 76 Series: 7/16” – actual .418”
• 190 Series: 5/8” – actual .578”

*It’s worth noting that the warranty coverage is the same regardless of series/thickness:

5-year 100% coverage on defects and labor cost to replace the siding.

50-year prorated warranty on the substrate – the board structure. This warranty covers years 6 through 50 and decreases by 2.22% each year.

15-year warranty on the factory-finished ExpertFinish coating available on 38 Series siding

LP SmartSide Siding Calculator Tables

These tables below make it easy to get an LP SmartSide siding estimate based on your home’s size and the series of siding you choose to have installed.

Cost by Home Size & Siding Series

Here are prices for common home sizes with attached 2-car garages.

Prices are determined by calculating the exterior walls surface area of typical single-story and 2-story homes of those sizes with attached garages.

Compare LP SmartSide Cost to Other Siding Materials

LP SmartSide Series – What’s Available?

Let’s get into the details.

Here are the LP SmartSide series, finish, lengths and widths of the materials.

What is LP SmartSide Siding? How Is It Made?

Smart Side siding is a composite wood siding. Yes, it contains wood, but other materials too that produce siding that withstands the elements better than solid wood siding. Here are general details about the manufacturing process. Each type of product, panels, lap planks, etc., have unique manufacturing details.

1. Aspen trees are harvested and processed into logs.
2. The logs are shaved into strands about the size of a small matchstick and are dried.

The strands are placed in a large tumbler and coated with:

Wax and resin for moisture resistance

Zinc borate for resistance to rot and fungus

3. Strands are arranged in multiple layers, oriented in different directions, to produce structural stability
4. An overlay of moisture-resistant material is added on top of the strand layers
5. All layers are heated and pressed. The heat activates the binder.
6. The formed sheets are embossed with wood graining in the press process.
7. Edges are trimmed, and the sheets are cut to the right width for the specific product.

Here is a promotional video, so take that for what it is worth, giving some details about how LP SmartSide siding is made.

Siding Professional (warrantied) Labor Costs

The installation cost of LP SmartSide is largely determined by professional installation (warrantied labor) charges. Professional labor estimates can range from about $5.00 to $10.00 per square foot. Here are a few factors related to labor:

The complexity of the house: A rectangular, single-story house is easy to side. Labor rates are $5.00 to $6.50 per square foot for easy homes. On the difficult end of the spectrum are multi-story homes with 6+ corners, roof dormers and other features that create a lot of cutting/trimming work. Labor ranges for challenging installations are $7.00 to $10.00 per square foot.

Where you live: Labor rates vary across the country – they follow the general cost of living. Costs are highest on the Coasts, especially in large metropolitan areas like Boston, NYC, Seattle and LA. Small towns and rural areas in the central regions of the country have the lowest rates. Most other areas have average labor rates.

Time of year: If you get estimates in early spring, when everyone is thinking about home improvement projects, they will likely be significantly higher than estimates provided later in the season. If winters are mild where you live, you might get a very competitive estimate during those months.

LP SmartSide Pros and Cons

Like all house siding material options, there are advantages and disadvantages to Smart Side siding.

Pros:

• Cost is $2.50 to $5.00 per square foot less than real hardwood.
• The water-resistant material is less prone to mold, mildew and rot than solid wood siding.
• Manufactured boards are more consistent than real wood lap siding – no boards that are warped, split or have other imperfections.
• Good selection of styles, primed and finished colors, trim boards and installation accessories.
• The woodgrain texture feels authentic.
• Cuts with less dust (stuff you do not want to inhale) than fiber cement.
• The warranty against hail damage covers hail up to 1.75” in diameter. That’s pretty large hail.
• Video tutorials and written instructions make DIY installation easier.
• Pro installation goes faster than siding with real wood, fiber cement or vinyl – but this won’t save you on installation cost unless the installer has experience with LP SmartSide, knows it goes quicker, and will bid lower as a result. That’s why it pays to get estimates from several installers with SmartSide smarts.

Cons:

• Water that soaks into the core of the siding will ruin it – so you must be diligent about keeping it protected with quality paint and caulked seams.
• The cost is higher than the price of vinyl siding.
• The warranty is 100% for just 5 years and then is prorated/reduced by 2.22% yearly.
• Fire – While it won’t burn as readily as solid wood, LP smart siding can catch fire in extreme heat (fiber cement won’t).
• The termites exclusion – While termites won’t devour this wood-based siding, they’re likely to sample it – “surface grazing” LP calls it. And termite damage is not covered.

It’s not a bad idea to read the LP SmartSide warranty before making up your mind about this siding product.

Does the warranty cover Hawaii? Alaska? The Pacific Northwest like Seattle and Portland?

Yes. Products installed in those regions have full warranty coverage.

Strange question? Not if you know that prior to the most recent warranty update back in December 2022, super-humid locations were excluded from the warranty coverage.

According to the Warranty Department representative we spoke to, the exclusion in the warranty was because some of the materials had a wood fiber substrate (or core) that was not wax/resin coated and was susceptible to water absorption and damage.

Because all LP SmartSide siding now has a core of coated wood strand, LP has dropped that exclusion. The warranty applies to the entire US, its territories and to Canada.

Durability – How Long Does LP SmartSide Siding Last?

You can expect Smart Side siding to last 20 – 35 years when it is properly maintained. Since the product was only introduced in 1997, its longevity remains untested. But most siding installed in the mid 2,000s is still in good condition.

How does LP SmartSide siding durability compare to other options?

It lasts longer than cheaper siding but not as long as fiber cement, solid wood, brick and stone.

Vinyl siding: 12 – 25 years

SmartSide wood composite siding: 20 – 35 years

Fiber cement siding: 25 – 45 years

Solid wood siding: 50 years to indefinitely

Brick and Stone: 75 years to indefinitely

Here are tips for getting the best longevity from your siding:

Choose materials with the factory-applied ExpertFinish coating or cover primed siding with premium acrylic house paint (cheap paint = shorter siding life).

Prime or prime and paint all cut edges – leaving edges bare when installing LP SmartSide voids your warranty and leads to water absorption and rot, warping and swelling.

Immediately prime and paint any bare spots (from wear, scratches, etc.).

Repaint the siding using premium paint before it begins to show bare areas from general wear.

Make sure gutters are in good condition and free of leaves and debris during heavy rains – rainwater overspilling gutters, falling to the ground and splashing onto siding is a common cause of water damage.

Avoid prolonged wetting of the siding from a hose or sprinkler.

Trim bushes near the house, so branches don’t scrape the siding.

Prefinished vs Primed Siding – Which is Better?

The popular 38 Series siding comes in primed and prefinished options.

Primer Only: There is no warranty on the primer itself, though primed siding has LP’s 5/50 warranty coverage – 5 years 100% coverage including labor plus a prorated 50-year warranty that starts in year 6.

Primer and Coating: The prefinished factory paint coating is called ExpertFinish, and it is backed by a 15-year warranty. Hence the ExpertFinish 38 Series warranty is called the 5/15/50 warranty.

Choose primed siding if:

You want 76 Series or 190 Series siding. ExpertFinish is not an option in those series.

None of the 16 ExpertFinish colors appeal to you.

You intend to paint it yourself (you won’t save money choosing primed siding and paying a painting contractor to paint it).

You’re OK with having to repaint in 5-10 years depending on your climate.

Choose prefinished siding if:

You’re in a hurry and don’t want to wait on paint once the siding is on.

You like the idea of not having to repaint the siding for 12-15 years in most climates.

*Reminder – Even if you choose prefinished/ExpertFinish siding, all edges cut during installation will have to be primed to prevent moisture absorption.

How much extra is ExpertFinish than primed siding?

The extra cost of prefinished LP SmartSide siding vs primed siding is $0.50 to $0.80 (50 to 80 cents) per square foot. On a typical 2,000 square foot home requiring 2,200 square feet of siding, the extra cost would be $1,100 to $1,700. Compare that extra cost to the cost of hiring a house painter, and you’ll save money with ExpertFinish siding.

FAQs

Is LP SmartSide any good?

Yes. Smart Side siding is a good product when properly installed and maintained. This means that all cut edges that expose the core of the siding must be thoroughly primed before the board is installed. And keeping water off of it is a vital key to its durability.

Is LP SmartSide better than wood siding?

It can be better because the wood strands are coated with wax and resin to resist moisture. Solid wood siding is not. Plus, SmartSide is treated with zinc borate, just like pressure treated lumber is, to prevent rot and fungus.

Which is better LP SmartSide or Hardie siding?

James Hardie siding is considered more durable than SmartSide. One of the reasons is that it is less susceptible to water damage.

However, LP SmartSide has a much more genuine wood look and feel.

What is the problem with LP SmartSide?

Moisture is the main problem with Smart siding. If planks and panels are cut during installation, the bare edges must be completely primed and sealed, or water damage (swelling, delamination, rot) is likely to occur.

Is LP SmartSide considered a green siding?

Yes, it is fairly green. Less energy is used to produce it than is used to make fiber cement siding. And it is a low-VOC siding. Aspen, the species of trees used for the wood strand, grows quickly and is considered a renewable, sustainable resource. And the bark of the aspen trees is burned to provide heat in LP factories.

Because the wood used in the siding stores more carbon dioxide than is emitted in its production, the siding is considered a carbon negative building material.

*The siding cannot be recycled – most of it is dumped in landfills.

Does LP SmartSide contain formaldehyde?

No, it doesn’t contain urea-formaldehyde.

When was LP SmartSide invented?

1997.

Was there a LP SmartSide lawsuit?

Yes. LP settled a class action lawsuit in 2,000, paying out around $300 million. The problem was the first generation product that was not water resistant.

Does LP SmartSide use third-party prefinishers?

No. The program that allowed coating manufacturers like Diamond Kote and Coastal Coatings has ended. The only prefinished Smart Side siding is produced by LP in its factories.