Protecting Your Siding During Hurricane Season

Keeping Hurricane Protection & Aesthetic Appeal in Mind When Selecting Siding for Coastal Homes

 Looking for the best siding material for a beach house or for a home in a coastal environment? Before you dive too deep into your search, consider an important fact. Based on recent changes in the global weather patterns, severe storms are only likely to increase in both frequency and intensity in the coming years—a category of events that could include hurricanes. If you live or are looking to build a home in an area that’s vulnerable to seasonal hurricanes—Florida, the Gulf Coast or the Eastern Seaboard—your home’s ability to stand up to inclement weather should be a top concern, alongside wind damage to your siding.

 Which siding stands up best to hurricanes? Not all siding products are created equal. When you try to compare siding materials to find the best siding for high wind areas, the top three key areas to consider are durability to protect against moisture, strength to stand up against high winds and overall visual appeal—as many neighborhoods in coastal areas adhere to very specific styles and color palettes. Since LP^® SmartSide^® Trim & Siding performs well in all three of these categories, let’s take a closer look at specifics:

 

1. Durability: Though there may not be such a thing as a hurricane-resistant siding, LP SmartSide siding comes close to earning that distinction. Thanks to its proprietary SmartGuard^® process, which involves a carefully formulated mix of resins, waxes and zinc borate with an overlay finish, the siding offers protection against prolonged exposure to rain and moisture to help avoid swelling and delamination. This makes it a great choice for siding in high wind regions.
2. Strength: The two key indicators of a siding’s true strength are its wind and impact resistance—and LP SmartSide siding excels on both fronts. In fact, our impact resistant siding can stand up to wind gusts of up to 200 mph, something you are likely to see during a potent hurricane. As for impact resistance, LP SmartSide siding can stand up to golf ball-sized hail with a diameter up to 1.75 inches—talk about impact protection that can give you real peace of mind.

Amit Gupta, co-founder, principal partner and president of SAGA Construction, Inc., who has built a small-scale multifamily project as part of a larger planned development in the central Outer Banks, offers his perspective on the matter: “LP SmartSide Trim & Siding has held up well in our coastal environment that can put stress on any product.”

3. Design: While durability and moisture protection should be at the top of your considerations list, the appearance of your impact resistant siding is also important. With its two textures (cedar and smooth) that come pre-primed for exceptional paint adhesion to meet any color preference, LP SmartSide siding offers enough stylistic versatility to achieve an aesthetic fit for coastal architecture.As Gupta puts it: “LP SmartSide Trim & Siding is extremely flexible; for example, it holds up to custom colors for unique designs, like Cambridge Cove. It not only allows us to create durable builds, but provides versatility so we can achieve the coastal aesthetic residents crave on the Outer Banks.”

With its combination of moisture and wind protection as well as aesthetic flexibility, LP SmartSide siding is a great choice for homeowners living in a coastal environment who are looking for the best siding for high wind regions and extra peace of mind during hurricane season. Learn more about how LP SmartSide products protect against extreme winds here.