New Siding - House and Garage

[3Series]

What's the latest opinions on LP Smartside siding?

I've got 30yr old Cedar Lap siding on the house and garage. The south side has been beaten up by the sun and the mitered outside corners aren't the best. Not a of care was given to it, it's first 22 years.

I'm planning to reside the house with LP Smartside. I live in an area with all custom homes and lots of mature trees. There are homes built in the late 1800's and also many rebuilds as "modern farmhouse". There's a good mix of materials on the homes in the neighborhood.

 

[yeldogt]

There is no "one answer" to this question ... if just one side, it may be best to just replace the one side -- is the cedar satined?

Custom is relative -- there are million dollar houses built with vinyl siding.

My favorite "fake" wedge clap was Boral -- but they stopped making it a while back. I don't know it they restarted. My current project like a few previous is a 19th century stone with a framed addition -- I'm using pre-painted Hardie. It may sound like an odd product to use in an historic district -- but most additions are smaller and the Hardie is not a split/ wedge/ bevel clap ... It flat -- so it actually better mimics what was used in my area of PA back in the 1870's. The large window moulding and the quiet Hardie is what looks best .. the windows shine and the siding falls away. In other areas the large shadow of a bevel clapboard is more suitable. I always us the smooth ....

I have never used the Smartside -- but it gets good reviews.

 

[walta]

Before you buy the LP Smartside be aware they turned out some bad product that swelled up and looked very bad after only a few years.

The warranty took years to pay out only little more than the material cost.


Walta

 

[3Series]

Before you buy the LP Smartside be aware they turned out some bad product that swelled up and looked very bad after only a few years.

The warranty took years to pay out only little more than the material cost.


Walta

Are you referring to the "Inner Seal" product.
https://www.hartmanhomeinspections.com/blog/view/136/the_lp_siding_fiasco

I just googled that link.

My overall goal is to get some opinions about SmartSide and see what other materials are folks using when they are building garages or other structures.

 

[NWOhioChevyGuy]

My younger brother did the smart siding on his house build and swears he would never use it again.

I am going the Hardie Siding route on my garage build

 

[3Series]

There is no "one answer" to this question ... if just one side, it may be best to just replace the one side -- is the cedar satined?

Custom is relative -- there are million dollar houses built with vinyl siding.

I have never used the Smartside -- but it gets good reviews.

I hear you. Custom meaning that the houses in the neighborhood have different architectural designs and use a variety of exterior products. On my street, there's asphalt, cedar shake and slate tile roofs. Lot sizes are not uniform.

This is opposite to where I grew up in a suburban tract home in the midwest. One developer, 5 floor plans and 800 homes all on same size lot using the same materials etc...

 

[3Series]

My younger brother did the smart siding on his house build and swears he would never use it again.

I am going the Hardie Siding route on my garage build

Can you elaborate on why?

Hardie is my other plan.

 

[Stevee]

When I built my garage ~5 years ago, I went with Hardie fiber cement plank (lap) siding and Azek trim. Did all the install myself - pretty straight forward and easy.
I just finished doing the same thing to the house....

 

[walta]

Are you referring to the "Inner Seal" product.
https://www.hartmanhomeinspections.com/blog/view/136/the_lp_siding_fiasco

I just googled that link.

My overall goal is to get some opinions about SmartSide and see what other materials are folks using when they are building garages or other structures.

This video shows what the failure looks like. Definitely LP

Walta

 

[SGKent]

anything that needs painting or sealing, do it on all sides, and all cuts before installing it. That will help it last.

 

[Jackfre]

I did cedar on our MA house about 30 yrs ago. I primed it all and put the first coat on it before it went up. Finish coat on the wall. 6 yrs and time to repaint. I did pre-finished hardie on this house and the color is warranted for 15 yrs. 6 yrs in it looks good. I've done Hardie board and batt, shingle, Artisan lap and standard lap here on the property. It is a pain to work with from the dust standpoint but it won't burn, a big deal here, takes paint well and with the Gecko Clamps it is easy to handle going up. They have shears for cutting it now that work well. I have no experience with Smartside.

 

[NWOhioChevyGuy]

Can you elaborate on why?

Hardie is my other plan.

His house build was done with foam insulation board on the outside of the sheeting. Which resulted in having to drill and hand nail all the siding so not to blow it out with a nail gun. (more a design issue on his build)

In addition to that issue he has not been happy with the paint performance on the siding. House has been up for 7ish years now.

 

[nadogail]

I have used Hardi Plank, I liked it, the Gecko Clamps and special saw blade paid for them selves on just 500 square feet of wall.

 

[yeldogt]

I will jump back in .... the Hardie comes pre-painted. Some of the other products are third party painted ...

You have to be careful with the pre-painted -- you can't go at it with the idea of doing touchups. Don't over caulk -- and don't caulk the lap joints. I try and eliminate as many lap as possible.

I also buy the next larger exposure with Hardie so i have a bigger lap and it makes the siding stronger and takes out any wave.

The Hardie is not ground contact -- Boral is. I use the boral at the corners and use the Boral freeze board (it's quiet). Boral is not pre-painted ... I prime with BM oil and topcoat with Mooreglo.

Hardie will not burn -- same with Boral. I like the pre-painted ... because .... it's painted.

Wood is stiff and will span w/o a wave -- not true with the fake products.


IMO - most of the job you see that look bad are because it was installed incorrectly or put on a wall not flat. I see jobs where it's over nailed ...