Engineered Wood Siding vs. Fiber Cement Siding
While both fiber cement and engineered wood siding offer great aesthetic value to homeowners and require little maintenance, engineered wood is the more durable choice. Engineered wood, such as LP® SmartSide® Trim & Siding, is also much easier to install and comes with a much longer warranty.
What Is the Best Option for Your Needs?
Choosing the right siding material—and in this case evaluating fiber cement vs. engineered wood siding—can be a daunting task. And while certain universal criteria apply, the final decision should always be informed by the homeowners’ individual considerations, such as aesthetic value, neighborhood codes, weather-related threats or even geographical locations. Read on to find out how these substrates compare in some key areas.
Fiber cement is an exterior home building material consisting of sand, cement and cellulose fibers. Fiber cement can offer the look of painted wood clapboards, shingles, even stone or brick—but it lacks the industry-leading durability offered by engineered wood siding such as LP SmartSide Trim & Siding.
Engineered wood siding exterior is a manufactured siding that is made up of composite wood materials. Composite wood siding is mixed with different fibers and strands of various woods to create a durable and cheaper to install finished product.
Compare Fiber Cement & Engineered Wood Siding
Is fiber cement siding better than wood? Let’s see how fiber cement and engineered wood siding compare in some key areas:
Efficiency
Durability
Price
Composition
Installation
Length
LP SmartSide Trim & Siding is less prone to breakage, making it easier to transport on a jobsite. It can also be installed by one person.
How Durable is LP SmartSide Siding?
LP SmartSide Trim & Siding is the most durable siding material on the market—but you don’t have to take our word for it! Here are a few entertaining tests we’ve subjected our siding to in order to prove that it can stand up to a variety of challenges the world can throw at it.
Head-to-Head: LP® SmartSide® vs. Fiber Cement
Is Your Siding Tough Enough? LP® SmartSide® Siding vs. Baseballs
Four Components of Protection
The secret to LP SmartSide Trim & Siding’s reputation as the most durable wood siding is LP’s proprietary SmartGuard® manufacturing process. It ensures that every strand of wood is treated with a carefully formulated mix of resins, waxes, and zinc borate and finished with an overlay to offer complete protection against hail, moisture, termites and fungal decay.
Zinc Borate
This naturally derived additive helps engineered wood resist damage from termites and fungal decay.
Resins
Engineered wood stands up to impact and survives freeze/thaw cycles due to resins that offer incredible strength.
Waxes
Designed to resist moisture, waxes coat each strand to offer enhanced durability in humid environments.
Overlay
This final element of protection resists moisture intrusion, providing a durable base for a finished look.
Featured Content
LP SmartSide Durability BrochureProduct Literature
With less durable siding, unsightly damage can happen merely from everyday bumps and exposure to the elements. LP® SmartSide® products combine…
Break Free From Fiber Cement Siding for Better WorkabilityBlog Article
Do you currently use fiber cement for your siding projects? We know that old habits can be hard to break. However, by not learning about all your…
Check out LP SmartSide product literature on engineered wood vs. fiber cement siding.