Hardie Plank or LP smartside siding

[jcc911]

Planing on building a house in the next few months and was wondering what everyone's opinion on either product as some builder use one over the other.
I know have improved over the last 10-15 years but am still hearing about quality issues with hardie plank, but know little about smart side.

Thanks guys. Jeremy.

[Jeff Alton]

No experience with LP, but we have Hardie on our 6 year old home and no issues yet....

cheers

[A930Rocket]

I've used Hardie for years on new construction, but have no long term info. Seems to be good product, but the 12' lengths can make for a lot of joints.

[porsche4life]

We used smart side on our house when we replaced the old cedar several years ago. Still looks good after about 4 years now, easy to work with too.

[LakeCleElum]

Did LP myself when I built in 2007......It's known to have issues in some very moist areas, but that's not where I am and I felt is was easier to install than Hardy Plank.......

Haride is probably more durable, but was kinda new when I was doing it. If cutting, wear a mask.... l

[MRM]

No, LP Smartside is the better and more durable product. It does not absorb water like Hardi Board does and does not have to be installed precisely per the manufacturer's instructions to perform well. Hardi can and will deteriorate like tissue paper if it's not installed perfectly. Hardi is basically cement-based stucco that gets its rigidity from being spread over layers of tissue paper and being allowed to dry in the form of a wood plank. It will absorb water and deteriorate if any joint is left open or any surface is left unpainted. This includes the ends that are cut to size the plank.

LP Smartside looks the same but is a cometely different and better product. It is wood chips held together by glue. Basically it's a wood composite. It does not absorb water, will not deteriorate if it gets wet, and gets cut and installed just like real wood.

Hardi has a marketing machine that can't be beat. But LP Smartside is the better product. Everyone up here switched from stucco siding to Hardi because of water infiltration issues. Now they're having problems with their Hardi siding. I'm sure it's a great product when installed correctly, I just don't trust a product that won't perform unless it was installed perfectly. LP doesn't have any of those issues and doesn't need all the tools you need to cut the cement-based Hardi product.

[jcc911]

Great info thanks guys.

[billybek]

I put Hardy Board on a small shed a few years ago and it really wasn't the easiest material to work with.

[dad911]

Tried to match Hardie Shakes that are about 6 years old for a repair.... they changed the sizes and texture..... Customer support was terrible, said tough luck, and they had no comment when I asked how they offer a warranty on a product they can no longer supply for warranty repairs......

They also declined warranty for a friend, blamed the paint on boards that were advertised as paintable.

IMHO like some other 'high end products' the money you pay goes to sales and marketing, not quality and customer support.

[john70t]

Spend an hour searching key words: "class action" "problems" "recall".
Trex decking has had it.
Hardie also.
LP too (mabye only earlier versions).

Hardie and LP would add some thermal value, but also consider metal or plastic with spray foam.

[jcc911]

Thanks again. As I am in the beginning processes of building I have many questions.

I also noticed one builder used a wood main I beam instead of the traditional steel. They said it is stuctually the same, but is better if you are going to finish the basement as you can nail into it. Thougts?

[dad911]

Originally Posted by jcc911

Thanks again. As I am in the beginning processes of building I have many questions.

I also noticed one builder used a wood main I beam instead of the traditional steel. They said it is stuctually the same, but is better if you are going to finish the basement as you can nail into it. Thougts?

We use wooden beams, search gp lam, microlam, or lvl.

Steel would need an engineer to design, and adds another process/subcontractor to supply and install. Laminated beams are sold by any major lumberyard, a good framing contractor will know how to install. Structural design either by architect or the lumberyard will be able to supply an engineered joist layout. If lumberyard does it, get the drawings sealed by their engineer to cover your butt.

[craigster59]

I installed LP on the garage we built after the Northridge quake. Easy to install and has held up with no problems. LP had a class action, but I think it was in the late 80's and they improved their product.

[jcc911]

Awesome info. Thanks guys.

Any other suggestions? Things I should look out for? Ways to save?

[mb911]

smart side on mine and going to use smart side on my house up north in the next month

[jcc911]

Hey Ben. Good to hear from you. Hope you are doing well!

[MRM]

Yes, Smart Side had a class action several years ago that severely degraded their brand value. That's probably why Hardi has such market share. The current LP Smartside product is completely different than the product that was subject to the class action lawsuit and is an improvement in part as a response to that class action claim. The current LP Smartside product is as solid of a building material as I know of on the market today. No affiliation, just associated with other building products whose performance is affected by the exterior cladding. My field guys swear by LP Smartside and convinced me.

But who am I to say? 20 years ago I met a distant relative at a family reunion who was a successful builder. I asked him what the best product was for a new house, since I was looking to buy my first one. He told me with deadly certainty that stucco was the best home construction because the stucco was integrated into a structural part of the home. Ten years after that conversation I was making my living in construction litigation over water infiltration that came from stucco houses. That's still the main focus of my practice. But I do really believe in the LP Smartside product.

[mb911]

Originally Posted by jcc911

Hey Ben. Good to hear from you. Hope you are doing well!

Good to see you are still there. I have been hearing construction loans are hard to come by these days(I have not looked into them) so its good news that they are doing them again.

Where you building? Burbs?? If you need an outstanding builder look up JPK builders. There building my place up north and have built several homes of friends of mine. highly suggest them.

[fintstone]

My mother used hardie plank to build her house about 5 years ago.. So far it has held up very well. No issues. It is in a high moisture area where it rains an awfully lot, but no problems yet. Her builder initially didn't want to use it as he said it was harder to work with but she insisted and is happy with the results.

[peppy]

Don't know much about the sidings, but This Old House was using HP siding and said everywhere you make a cut it has to be painted to keep the cement board from wicking moisture.