LP® SmartSide® siding options withstand impact from airborne debris and everyday bumps better than many other products. They offer the kind of toughness that helps keep your home looking great for years. See what happened when LP SmartSide siding was independently tested for impact resistance.
We wanted unbiased proof of the superior durability of LP SmartSide siding. To get it, LP Building Products asked researchers at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to test and compare the impact resistance of fiber cement siding and LP’s engineered wood siding. Both types of siding were hit with golf balls and baseballs, two projectiles which could be accidentally hit into the side of a house, as well as rocks and marbles, to simulate the effect of rocks being thrown from a lawn mower.
High-speed video cameras clocked the speed of the projectiles and documented damage to the siding materials. NASA reported the following results: “Under similar conditions, with all four projectiles more damage was sustained by the fiber cement siding product than the engineered wood siding product.” A link to the full written evaluation can be found at LPSmartSide.com.
Another advantage of LP SmartSide products is treatment with the SmartGuard® process. During this process, the naturally-occurring additive zinc borate is added to the wood used in SmartSide substrate, making it exceptionally resistant to fungal decay and damage from wood-eating insects. To put the termite resistance of LP engineered wood siding options to the ultimate test, we exposed samples to colonies of Formosan termites, widely recognized as one of the world’s most destructive pests. Even after years of exposure, the LP SmartSide siding sustained no termite damage.
In addition, the termite testing took place in the extremely wet, humid conditions of Hilo, Hawaii, with an average temperature of more than 70 degrees, high levels of humidity and almost 170 inches of annual rainfall. Even after years of exposure to that environment, LP SmartSide products remained structurally sound.
We think you’ll be impressed by the strength and beauty of our engineered wood products. For more information on using LP SmartSide products for your next project, find an LP SmartSide siding retailer or remodeler near you to request an estimate.
Learn about other benefits of LP Smartside siding, including the beautiful finish, long-term durability and warranty coverage.
According to the latest American Community Survey from the U.S. Census Bureau, about 4 million people now work in residential construction (both single-family and multifamily) – down from the 5 million who were employed just before the Great Recession. Although the workforce has shrunk by 20 percent nationwide, some parts of the country are experiencing less pain than others. Similarly, light commercial construction has been reportedly back on the rise post-Recession, with IBISWorld reporting that the recovery started just before 2014 and continuing steadily through 2019 (source).
Continue ReadingIt’s frustrating when factors outside of your control cause you delays or unexpected expenses during a project. Those factors could be weather delays, insufficient staffing, breakdowns in cash flow and unreliable product availability. LP devotes significant resources each year to ensure that its product availability is second to none. Because even the most innovative building solution is useless to customers unless they know that it’s available when they really need it.
It’s a silly name, but a “butt joint” is an application technique where two pieces of material are “butted” up against each other. It is the simplest joint to make, and a butt joint can be either end to end or end to face. Depending on the width of the wall, butt joints will occur where two pieces of lap siding come together, creating a vertical seam. LP® SmartSide® lap siding products are available in 16’ lengths, and can help reduce the amount of seams where a butt joint would normally occur when using shorter pieces.
For many years, construction pros have relied on experience and gut instinct more than on data, but that’s rapidly changing. Many banks, investment groups and insurance companies now need a construction data analysis to help identify potential risks before okaying a construction deal. And in the field, builders need easy access to actionable information – both at the lot level and company-wide – to help boost quality, control costs and manage trade partners.