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Business Advice10 min
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.
Trends6 min
Using the Right Siding for a Ranch Home

Ranch-style home designs are known for low and wide single-story profiles, large picture windows, sliding glass doors and attached front ga…

Industry Trends7 min
Why You Should Rely On Data Rather Than Instinct

For many years, construction pros have relied on experience and gut instinct more than on data, but that’s rapidly changing. Many banks, in…

Maintenance4 min
What First-Time Buyers Should Know About Home Maintenance and Storage

Most first-time homebuyers arm themselves with a lot of information about mortgage interest rates and closing costs. What they sometimes ov…

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Business Advice6 min
Increasing Jobsite Efficiency with High-Performance Solutions

The three main buckets of costs to build a home: cost of land, cost of materials and cost of labor. Regarding labor costs to build a house,…

Industry Trends6 min
55+ Housing Is Booming Coast to Coast

The mood of builders in the 55+ single-family sector can be described in just two words: very optimistic. Earlier this year, the NAHB 55+ H…

Trends5 min
Trend Alert: Sleek & Smooth Style on the Rise

It’s no surprise that 97% of realtors say that curb appeal is most important to a potential buyer, which makes keeping up with the latest e…

Trends5 min
Using the Right Siding for a Modern Farmhouse

In recent years, designers have offered new visions of this classic style and have dubbed it the “modern farmhouse.” Chip and Joanna Gaines…

Protecting Your Business From Subcontractor Mistakes

Both general contractors and building product dealers have a lot on the line when they use subs, so it’s important to understand subcontrac…

Industry Trends4 min
A Mid-Year Look at 2019 Exterior Trends

While many building professionals actively seek out exterior trends at the start of the new year, it’s important to keep on top of trends a…

Industry Trends8 min
Building Smarter Starts With Smashing Silos

One of the most vexing problems in home construction is that productivity isn’t rising fast enough – even though there are fabulous product…

Outdoor Living6 min
How to Keep Your Shed Cooler in Summer

In many parts of the U.S., a shed can get unbearably hot in the summer unless you take steps to ventilate it and prevent the sun’s radiant …

Industry Trends7 min
A Solution for the Labor Shortage?

The on-going shortage of skilled labor in the construction field is forcing manufacturers to find creative ways to deal with it, particular…