Essex Home Improvements Uses LP^® SmartSide^® Siding to Provide Superior Aesthetics, Ease of Installation

SUMMARY

A New Jersey-based family owned and operated business, Essex Home Improvements provides general contracting services with a specialization in exterior design, according to owner Jack DeRosa. The company turned to LP^® SmartSide^® Siding for a high-end residential re-size project to provide the look of wood siding at an affordable price point.

OBJECTIVES

When a customer sought to replace the vinyl siding on his $800,000 home, DeRosa needed a siding product with a high-end look of traditional wood siding that would fit within his customer's budget. While DeRosa had used fiber cement siding in the past, he wasn't fond of the additional gear and care he needed to install the product.

IMPLEMENTATION

"We had a customer who was days away from replacing his vinyl siding with fiber cement when we were introduced to SmartSide at a Pella^® remodeling function," DeRosa said. "He had originally wanted to replace the siding with wood, but it would have been an expensive project. With SmartSide, we were able to give him a product he wanted within his price range."

LP SmartSide Siding provides the look of traditional wood siding with a whole host of other benefits. The LP^® SmartGuard^® manufacturing process helps LP SmartSide Siding products deliver strength and durability. Geometrically sized pieces of wood are bonded together using waxes and advanced resins created specifically for exterior use. Zinc borate, a recognized wood preservative, is also distributed throughout the wood substrate. An overlay then provides additional protection against the elements and a paint-ready surface.

"SmartSide was easier to work with than fiber cement. We were able to make nicer cuts with the product," DeRosa said. "The product is backed by a better warranty than any fiber cement product I've ever used."

LP SmartSide products work and cut just like traditional wood. Not only do they take nails with ease, but they are also less likely to break or crack than fiber cement during installation. Because they are lighter than fiber cement products, they provide for quicker, easier installation.

With more than a decade of extensive testing in a laboratory and real-world environments, LP is able to offer a 5/50-Year Limited Warranty on the product. See LPCorp.com for complete warranty details.

OUTCOME

"The homeowner was thrilled with the product. It gave the exterior of his home the look it deserved," said DeRosa.

Essex Home Improvements found such success with the product that they will continue to use it on future projects. With the help of LP Building Products, the company has also worked to gain approval from the historic preservations committee for the product in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, a historical neighborhood with the affinity for wood siding for its turn-of-the-century homes.