LP SmartSide Siding vs Hardie & Vinyl Siding

This post is my opinion based on experience of personally installing with my own hands, LP SmartSide siding vs Hardie & Vinyl siding products. In our Houston Texas metro area, it is not uncommon to experience rotted siding on your home exterior. This is due to the fact that we have nearly 4’ (48”) of rain per year in southeast Texas.

With all of this water running down the side of your home, it is no wonder that so many homes in our area are needing siding replacement. If you are reading this, it is likely you are in the market for new siding for your home and looking at available siding options.

Ranking: 1 – 10 (with 10 being the best)

What Is The Difference Between SmartSide & Hardie Siding Options?

How They Are Made?

SmartSide

The SmartSide siding product is made from treated engineered wood.  Strands of wood are pressed together with bonding agents and treated so they will not rot or decay.

Fiber Cement 

The fiber cement Hardie siding is made from fiber cement. This is a composite material made of sand, cement and cellulose fibers (wood pulp) and pressed together and will not rot as well.

Vinyl Siding

The Vinyl siding product is manufactured primarily from polyvinyl chloride PVC resin. It comes refinished and never needs painting. This product will never rot and is a great option for homeowners who never want to paint their home again and are okay with staying with the same color for years.

Differences In Impact Resistance?

SmartSide Impact Ranking – 10

Impact Resistance: SmartSide siding is very impact resistant to everything from golf balls, hail and larger objects which could potentially impact the home. Due to SmartSide being manufactured from engineered wood and the bonding agents, it is very strong.

Fiber Cement (Hardie) Impact Ranking – 8

Hardie siding is also impact resistant to golfballs and hail but not so much from larger objects of impact. Due to the Fiber Cement product being manufactured form a cement-based product, it will crack more easily when struck with larger objects.

Vinyl Siding Impact Ranking – 3

Vinyl siding offers little in protection from impacts due to the fact that it is a thin, non structural siding product. But due to its flexible nature with lower impacts, the vinyl will bounce back when struck.

Structural Rigidity Differences 

SmartSide Structural Rigidity Ranking – 10

SmartSide siding holds snug to the wall studs in adding racking and structural rigidity to the wall system due to the fact that this product is structurally strong and is not brittle. Because SmartSide is made of engineered wood, it will move at the same rate as the studs that the home is built with with temperature  changes. This is a good thing in building terms and in my opinion.

Fiber Cement (Hardie) Structural Rigidity Ranking – 7

This product also It holds snug to the wall studs but does not offer much in the way of structural stability. Why is this? Fiber Cement is easily broken as is a brittle product. This is not to say that the fiber cement will not offer the home any structural rigidity, it will however not as much as the SmartSide siding. The Fiber Cement will also move at a slightly different rate as the wood studs in your home with temperature changes.   

Vinyl Siding Structural Rigidity Ranking – 2

Vinyl siding has almost no structural rigidity value to it. It is a very flexible siding product that can be easily bent. It conforms to wavy walls becuase it is so flexible and offers no structural rigidity. It moves at a much greater rate than the wood studs in your home during temperature changes.

Fire Resistance

LP SmartSide Fire Resistance Ranking – 5

Because the LP SmartSide siding is wood based, it will burn just link the wood that you home is built of.

Hardie Siding Fire Resistance Ranking – 10

If you have a home that is in a high fire danger area, then you should consider this siding product. Made from a cement based process, the Hardie siding is extremely fire resistant. 

Vinyl Siding Fire Resistance Rating – 1

This one is pretty self explanatory. Vinyl siding when exposed to any kind of heat over 160 fahrenheit will start to melt.  

Appearance

LP SmartSide Appearance Ranking – 10 

The SmartSide siding comes in many profiles and styles. Lap horizontal siding, grooved vertical siding, shake shingle siding and trim options. The LP SmartSide siding products comes in pleasing woodgrain and smooth finishes. 

Fiber Cement (Hardie) Appearance Ranking – 10

Just like it’s competitor it also comes in many profiles and styles. Lap horizontal siding, grooved vertical siding, shake shingle siding and trim options. Also just like it’s competitor above, the Hardie fiber cement siding products comes in pleasing woodgrain and smooth finishes. One note here, the smooth tends to show the imperfections and the nail heads. The wood grain tends to be more pleasing in my opinion. This is the same for the competitor above. 

Vinyl Siding Appearance Ranking – 7

Just like it’s competitors above it also comes in many profiles and styles. Lap horizontal siding, grooved vertical siding, shake shingle siding and trim options. However the Vinyl siding tends to have a plastic look about them. It is an inherent nature of this siding product. 

Warranties Offered

LP SmartSide 

LP Building Products offers to homeowners a 50 year SmartSide warranty on both the siding and trim. The warranty expresses a 100% coverage for the first 5 years, and then prorated after that from years 6 – 50. Interesting to make note of, the siding and trim are both covered under LP’s 50 year warranty full prorated term. The prorated period starts after the first five years so for example on year 25 you will be getting 50% of the warranty value should an issue arise. 

Fiber Cement (Hardie) 

James Hardie Building Products offers to homeowners a 30 year siding warranty and a 15 year trim warranty. The warranty expresses 100% coverage for the full 30 years on the siding and 15 years on the trim. There is no prorated  period with the James Hardie siding and trim products.

Vinyl Siding 

Since the term, Vinyl Siding is a generic one as there are many manufactures that have a lifetime warranty as PlyGem Mastic offers. This siding product has many manufactures. In general this siding product will come with a lifetime warranty. Having said that, there is really not much to warranty since the product is basically plastic.

Vinyl siding is warranted not to crack, and loose it’s color. One of the problems with Vinyl siding is that you are stuck with the color that you choose. If you are like most homeowners, you like to change up the color from time to time.

And The Winner Is:

LP SmartSide siding is the overall winner! If you are looking for fire resistance then I say to go with the Hardie siding option. You can go wrong with that siding product. If you want to never worry about painting your home and do not mind that inherent plastic look, then I would say go with the Vinyl siding. 

Creditable Reference Links

HCI – SmartSide siding tougher than competition 

DIY Home Decor Blog – Vinyl SmartSide Fiber Cement 

We hope that you have found this LP SmartSiding vs Hardie & Vinyl Siding post informative and most helpful. Thank you from all of us here at, Texas Home Exteriors INC. 

Martha’s Vineyard Home During The Writing Of This Blog Post

Here at THE we have been working in the home exterior siding business since the early 1980’s. I have been personally witnessing the evolution of siding products with a history of installation of a variety of siding products with my own hands.

Recently I took a much needed break from the business and found myself on Martha’s Vineyard sitting there noticing the cedar shingle siding on the waterfront home where my wife and I were staying. I realized this cedar shingle siding has been quite common and the norm in New England with little change in the siding market in this part of the country. I thought about how this was so unlike most of the rest of the country and started thinking about how has siding products evolved over the years and found myself researching the subject.

A Brief History of Siding Timeline

Keep in mind as you read that this timeline is according to my own personal experience since the 1980’s but I do believe that many other siding contractors who were involved in the industry during this time would have a similar experience to share. The stories of the evolution of siding will include information on all of the the following siding options:

Cedar Shingle Siding

If you live in New England or the metro area, you can not help but notice the timeless look they offer. I have personally installed them many years ago when I live on Long Island. They have become a desired siding for homes especially in the northeast coastal areas. They render many years of service and weather nicely into a natural look. By far and away, they are the most what I call a “down to earth siding product”. 

Introduction of Asbestos Siding Products

Asbestos Shingle Siding

Asbestos Shingle Siding – This product was introduced in 1907 when Ludwig Hatschek invented the process for creating asbestos cement a process that is still used today.  It comes in a stack of thinly pressed together small sheets of siding (3’x2′) that is made from a mixture of asbestos, portland cement and water then pressed between metal plates with heavy pressure creating sheets.

The product was considered superior and by the 1920s was recommended by the National Board of Fire Underwriters to replace wood as a siding and roofing material boosting an increase in sales for its ability to protect structures from moisture and its ability to provided insulation from heat and fire.

Additionally, the product was comparatively light weight, easy to apply, weather and fireproof, had a nice appearance and permanence, all made the product a popular choice. This siding product is one of the very first siding products I installed  with my own hands in the state of New York early on in my home improvement career.

Reputation of Asbestos Siding

Asbestos siding will last for many years and has a history of rarely having warranty issues. The problem most homeowners may have experienced with this product is the fact that it is brittle and cracks at a gentle to moderate impact. The product had no flexibility whatsoever and it could often seen on homes with the bottom row of the siding broken off from the wheels of lawnmowers or other items had bumped into it.

Dangers of Asbestos Siding

There are several issues to consider with the dangers of asbestos siding including the dust which was known to contain 20-45% asbestos, this is a concern the public was made aware of later. The asbestos fibers can easily become airborne when the product is being power washed, sanded sawed, drilled, removed or disturbed. Workers in the industry are at the greatest risk of being exposed to the fibers during manufacturing, installation, removal, renovation and demolition processes. High levels of this toxic dust can often be found in the factories and plants resulting in a high risk of diseases caused from the exposure.

The Popularity of Asbestos Siding

From around 1907 until the early 1980’s this siding product was well received by the public as well as with siding installers over the years. During the late 1960s and early /70s the news media began to report the health issues and the EPA banned the use of asbestos in the manufacturing of building products in 1973.  Into the 1980’s the health risk with Asbestos siding became so apparent with public awareness regarding the dangers of breathing in the dust and causing mesothelioma that, the popularity of new installations with the product soon diminished quickly to just about non-existent today.

Introduction of Aluminum Siding Products

Dented Aluminum Siding

Aluminum Siding modern siding was born in 1937 with Francis “Frank” Hoess securing patent on the process in 1938 with the method of using a locking joint to solve the problem of water leakage that were a problem of siding designs of the time.

In the late 1947’s showing up in the market as the next biggest and greatest siding option and was the rage of the 1960s. This siding product was very popular with installers due to it coming in long horizontal lengths of 12′ long and up to 12″ wide for quick installation and it came pre-painted, right out of the box.

The product was manufactured from aluminum coil that was chemically coated to protect the metal and then paint was applied for further protection and color that was baked on for a bright and durable siding product.

Reputation and Problems of Aluminum Siding

Aluminum Siding experienced great success since the late 1940’s. After the product was initially installed it was time to see how it would stand up to the elements. The issues that homeowners started encountering was it easily dented even a good hail storm can damage aluminum siding. If someone were to hit it with a baseball or golf ball, it would most certainly leave a dent in the product. Furthermore, dents were noticed from impacts from car doors, lawnmowers and other minor impacts. It was like the dents you would see on automobiles.

The Tin Men Movie

It was like a new problem was borne for a variety of reasons. For instance, metal conducts heat and in the summer can even be hot to the touch if painted with a dark color and in the winter it actually sucks the heat from the home requiring it be well-insulated to prevent the problem. There was also the issue of paint peeling off from aluminum siding due to paint adhesion issues of aluminum siding, this is a metallic product that is not very good at holding paint. There were also siding chalking and fading paint issues that became a huge turn-off for many homeowners.

The painted surface of aluminum siding provides minimal adhesion and the siding also moves at a different rate than the paint. So with temperature changes especially when exposed to the sun where the aluminum gets hot to the touch expanding as metallic product do, the paint would often fall off in small sections.

Popularity of Aluminum Siding

The aluminum siding product was most popular in the mid 1950’s- early 1980’s due to the marketing of never having to paint your home again. With the product becoming so wildly popular even Hollywood got involved producing a movie comedy about it in 1987 called Tin Men starring Richard Dreyfuss, Danny DeVito and Barbara Hershey is worth watching.

Today the Aluminum Siding product has lost most of it’s popularity due many of the issues with paint peeling, fading, chalking and denting issues mentioned above. Today aluminum siding sits at only about 15% of the siding market share. Most of the remaining market of new installations is in the northeast and midwest part of the country.

Introduction of Vinyl Siding Products

Vinyl Siding

Vinyl Siding products were introduced into the market back in the late 1950’s when plastics gained popularity. The vinyl siding product became a direct rival to aluminum siding competing with the market for its fair share of the home improvement market gaining 32% of the siding market in the United States. Keep in mind that this was an era when plastics and vinyl were being embraced and loved by many Americans in many different products.

Reputation of Vinyl Siding

Move over aluminum, here comes vinyl! Coming into the market as a replacement for aluminum homeowners were enticed with the fact that you would never have to paint as well as the color was not just surface but was through the entire thickness of the panel. With this came the love of Vinyl Siding and great success for the product in the mid 1960’s. They could now simply pick out a color and not have to worry about the paint ever coming flaky and or chalking off of the siding panel. The product was also pitched by many home improvement companies as an end all to the denting aluminum siding issue.

Problems with Vinyl Siding

Besides the problem with the siding not holding its color without fading or yellowing and that the product buckles in the heat, one of the most common complaints reported about vinyl siding after installations moisture would often be found forming on the surface in humid climates. Additionally, water intrusion and/or retention of moisture behind the siding product was also a concern. Due to the products lack of breathing ability, the product could hold moisture in the walls often causing mold and rot issues. There were also a number of incidents reported of the product cracking when being struck with only moderate impact.

Popularity of Vinyl Siding

The vinyl siding product was most popular in the mid 1960’s until continues to be very popular still today. Vinyl siding was and continues to be marketed as never having to paint ever again, offers better insulating qualities than aluminum and will not dent or have peeling paint issues. Vinyl Siding popularity continues to this day in some cities in the northeast part of the country although overall, it has lost more than 60% of its market share due to competing products such as fiber cement (such as HardiePlank) and LP SmartSide siding, engineered wood siding. I believe another issue was that homeowners were now looking to move away from the shiny plasticky look that vinyl siding often look like for something more real and wood like. Fiber Cement (Hardie) and SmartSide offered that look by far and away over Vinyl.

Introduction of Fiber Cement Siding Products (Hardie Plank)

James Hardie Siding, HardiPlank Textures

Fiber Cement Siding, so next in comes the bulldog of all siding products, fiber cement siding “Hardie Plank Siding“. The reason I say “bull dog” is that this product was introduced to the United States siding market by a company called James Hardie with strategically planned domination of the US siding market.  In 1990 they set out to cultivate the market for fiber cement with a mass-marketing strategy.

The company came into US the market with a notable presence in the late 1990’s with promises of a competitive pricing with wood, vinyl and aluminum selling on benefits of the product being fireproof, rot resistant and not easily damaged or dented as well as resistance to bug infestation.  The popular Australian company James Hardie who manufacturers fiber cement siding products came on the scene at the perfect time when homeowners in the US were looking for an alternative siding product to the current vinyl and aluminum siding products and took the market by storm.

Reputation of Fiber Cement Siding

From its rapid introduction to the siding market back in the late 1990’s to this very day, the fiber cement siding product has experienced a very good reputation. They had to get past the fact that with the homeowners that they would, once again, have to return to an acceptance of having to repaint their homes once again after experiencing the vinyl siding products promises. The fiber cement’s reputation slightly waned as many homeowners and contractors alike began posting about fiber cement siding issues as well as fiber cement siding defects all around the internet.

Another issue homeowners were reporting was the same issue that the asbestos siding product had which was the brittleness of the product. Additionally there were a variety of installation issues as well as hammer marks, broken pieces, shrinkage gaps and the dreaded broken and chipped edges on the bottom row of the siding homeowners were commonly experiencing from lawnmowers, weed eaters and the like.

Popularity of Fiber Cement Siding

Click See and Enlarge GOOGLE Report – SmartSide (Blue) Becoming More Popular Than Harde (Yellow and Red Both Spellings)

Fiber Cement siding by James Hardie had a steady increase in popularity finally peaking out right around 2014 at which time the siding enjoyed a respectable market share of over 69% of the US market. Homeowners, contractors, builders and the big box home improvement retailers all sold, and were sold on, the fiber cement (Hardie Plank) siding product.

All of this started to change when some of the above issues started to surface with fiber cement (Hardie). In the meantime, homeowners started seeing another siding product on the market in 1997 called LP SmartSide. Homeowners and installers started sharing their experiences of the new product and it started to gain traction to catch up with the fiber cement siding market. After nearly ten years, the fiber cement dominance was now in for some stiff competition as per the Google chart above and what we are now hearing from homeowners.

Introduction of LP SmartSide Siding Products

SmartSide Siding by Louisiana Pacific (LP) is the manufacture this engineered wood siding product. Just like fiber cement product, it has been around since the late 1990’s. The product was not heavily marketed like its rival fiber cement. As a matter of fact, when fiber cement by James Hardie first came into the market, there were not offering manufactured trim to go along with the siding so builders and remodelers were using the LP SmartSide 1″ X 4″ and 1″ X 6″ trim along with the fiber cement siding product on their projects.

The LP SmartSide product is manufactured strand board. The wood strands are coated in a a treatment of resin and zinc borate to protect it from termites and rot, compressed into the siding board and coated with a moisture-resistant overlay embossed with a cedar grain pattern, the end result is a siding product with superior strength. Additionally, the SmartSide Siding product has been tested and proven to resist heat and sun exposure, impacts, rot and fungal decay and termites.

Reputation of LP SmartSide Siding

Unlike fiber cement which starting to decline from dominance, LP SmartSide siding has been steadily gaining ground since its conception. The product is enjoying a reported good reputation and continues to grow in popularity today. Homeowners and builders alike are enjoying the extreme durability factor that has led to no callbacks due to damaged siding struck by lawnmowers and even more moderate impacts as well as its resistance to moisture and termites.

The biggest reported issue with the SmartSide siding product, is the one time expansion issue which is resolved with proper installation using the suggested gaping method all certified remodelers are trained to do. To this day, there are no reported issues with the performance of properly installed LP SmartSide Siding. Additionally the product comes with a 50 year warranty.

Popularity of SmartSide Siding

LP SmartSide Siding Options Click to Enlarge

According to Google, you can see by clicking on the chart above, from November 2015, how Smart Side (in blue) has been been gaining ground on the Hardie fiber cement product since mid 2007. It is interesting to note how in the current day (2015) SmartSide has gained so much ground that it is soon to surpass Hardie (fiber cement) in interest and popularity.

Builders and remodelers alike are shifting their preference to installing the SmartSide vs. Hardie Siding product. This is for a variety of reasons some include the following: the product being lighter in weight, the siding pieces are longer at 16′ vs. 12′, more durable so no breakage issues, much less dust, more user-friendly for the installation crews (no special tools needed). Homeowners are also liking the deeper wood grain embossment that gives the product a closer real look to wood.

It is interesting to note that once the siding crews experience installation of the LP SmartSide siding product, they do not want to install anything else.

Conclusion:  At this point with factual and informative hindsight considering the evolution of siding products, it is necessary that I use a legal term for this conclusion, “case closed!” For me the decision is clear what my choice for siding is today.

Please share your comments, questions and/or thoughts below, we always like to hear from you.

It was around 1999 in Houston TX when Houstonians started hearing about a siding product called Fiber Cement/Hardie Siding on the am home improvement radio station 750 Ktrh.  As many will attest, Vinyl Siding was king and the most requested siding product in the Texas market (and across the USA).

Current Results says Houston Texas  average yearly precipitation we receive nearly 4′ (48″) of precipitation every year and due to this and a great many of the homes here built using wood or masonite siding, homeowners ended up with siding often failing. This failure was due to the lack of painting and upkeep required for these types of siding products. Many Houston homeowners were looking at replacing the rotting wood or masonite siding on their homes and at the time, vinyl siding was the option most commonly selected.  This was until some of the local radio home improvement guys started getting paid to pitch a new siding product called, “Fiber Cement Siding“.  At this time, not much was known about the fiber cement product other than it was a cement-based siding product and would need paint application.

Move Over Vinyl . . . Fiber Cement/Hardie Siding Takes The Lead

The advertising campaigns and pitching paid off as this new siding product was pitched and heard more and more on the radio with boasts of what a better a product it was compared to vinyl siding. Homeowners in the metro Houston area started taking notice, local contractors were starting to pitch this new Fiber Cement Siding product and homeowners started jumping on the HardiPlank made by James Hardie Building Products band wagon as the greatest new product on the market. My company, Texas Home Exteriors was selling and installing Hardie Siding as well.

Fiber Cement HardiePlank Siding

Contractors in this part of the country are known for taking the path of  least resistance, so when homeowners started asking for this new siding product, the home exteriors companies and siding contractors alike started pitching (selling) the fiber cement siding product to homeowners throughout southeast Texas like crazy.

Fiber Cement Hardie Jumps From 5% Market Share to 90%

Within the period of about 5-6 years, I personally watched as the Fiber Cement Siding market went from being a mere 5% in 1999 to a jump of nearly 90% by 2005. To survive in the Houston TX siding market as a siding contractor, any company installing siding would or should have been offering the Fiber Cement product by this time.

The City of Houston TX – Texas Home Exteriors

Needless to say, many contractors did NOT like pitching a product to homeowners that needed painting and upkeep especially following an easy upkeep product like vinyl.

However, if you were to survive in the Houston Texas metro market buying into fiber cement, you would need to participate if you wanted to stay in the business of siding installation!

When Repainting Becomes a Reality

In this day and age many homeowners do not want the continued maintenance of repainting their home or changing out their roof every 10-15 years for that matter, like we have found is needed here in the south. Let’s face it, we are all busy and who wants to have to deal with this, the time, the money, the liability?

Homeowners in the Houston metro area (as well as across the country), now with the realization that the siding they just had installed and painted a few years ago needs to be repainted again and again and/or repaired.

This meant, getting bids, hiring a contractor, dealing with the HOA, getting colors approved (again), the mess, cost and dealing with the contractor telling you…”that is old paint on your brick” or . . . “it is peeling again because of the old paint was not removed or installed properly”. Yep, we have heard one or more of these scenarios and no fun!

The Issue of VOCs and Paint

Volatile organic compound VOCs are regulated by law, especially indoors, where concentrations are the highest. Harmful VOCs typically are not acutely toxic, but have compounding long-term health effects. Because the concentrations are usually low and the symptoms slow to develop, research into VOCs and their effects is difficult for workers installing products on your Houston Texas home exterior. There’s also the issue of silica dust cause when the fiber cement is cut and its harmful effect on the workers. 

Peeling Paint Long After The Siding Crews Are Gone

This is an issue that many do not think about until the crews are long gone and the reality of peeling paint has settled in. This is the time when homeowners consider if they are just going to simply paint over that old paint again, or what to do next . . .

Paint Peeling Off Of Fiber Cement Hardie Siding

Paint Peeling Off Of Fiber Cement hardie Siding

Finding yourself with questions like, “really, to only to have it peel off again?”; “How do I get every square inch of that old paint off of my home?” amongst many other concerns racing through the thought process.  If you don’t believe me that the paint might peel from your new fiber cement than take a look at these photos because it does and possibly could.  The images above show the reality of how paint can peel off from fiber cement siding just a few years after installation and painting of the siding product.

The results of this can vary depending on which paint was applied as well as how the surface was treated or prepped. Fiber cement siding is made up of a combination of Portland cement, ground sand, cellulose fiber and select additives which holds paint exceptionally well. The siding is available either unprimed or as pre-primed panels.

Improperly treated, cement-based products can become mildew magnets. A high quality exterior acrylic masonry primer, such as Sherwin-Williams Loxon Masonry Primer, will fortify the siding’s mildew and efflorescence resistance as well as caulk at the butt joints and applying the finish coat or coats. However many contractors to do not take the time to do what is needed to prevent the paint from peeling.

Foundation Problems – Notorious In Houston TX

Another issue with fiber cement siding is that it does not flex and move with the home. Anyone in Houston TX will tell you that sooner or later, either you or someone that you know, will deal with foundation problems.

With a moving home and siding product that is too rigged, a homeowner is asking for trouble. This can lead to problems like cracks that allow for water to leak into and behind the siding and trim causing, mold, mildew and eventually, rot.

Here you can clearly see how this fiber cement trim and siding has cracked and separated. I personally took this photo at a west Houston Texas home.

The photo on the right clearly shows the results of a home that has apparently had some movement.  There is no wonder that rigid siding and trim, like fiber cement, carries only a 15 year trim and 30 year siding warranty. With no movement flexibility in the fiber cement siding, your home can end up with cracks like the ones in the image on the right.

Not All Fiber Cement Hardie Jobs Have Issues

When a homeowner is considering siding products, it is important to be aware of some of the POSSIBLE problems associated with the products they are considering. Do your research and learn about the possible problems associated with siding products whether you are considering fiber cement siding or any other siding product.

What About Vinyl Siding Option for Houston Texas?

Vinyl Siding has it’s own set of problems, however; these are minimal and vinyl siding has been on the market for a good many years. This product is easy to install, low-maintenance, a great price and great option for Houston Texas homeowners.

Vinyl Siding Sales Up 15% 2014 1st Quarter in Houston Texas

Most of the siding supply houses in Houston TX are reporting that Vinyl Siding sales are up 10 to 15% over 2013 espechley KayCan a manufacturer of Vinyl Siding. As homeowners become more educated and are researching products on the internet, they know more about the products and reported problems and are able to make more informed and smarter choices. It seems many homeowners are finding that the old saying is true . . . “Vinyl is Final”

KAYCAN OCEAN PARK ULTRA VINYL “LAP SIDING”
What Does Vinyl Siding Offer Over Fiber Cement Hardie Siding?

• Lower Cost To Install
• Never Paint Again
• Energy Efficient
• Energy Star Rated
• Extra Insulation
• Quieter Home
• Lifetime Warranty
• By Far, The Best Return On Your Dollar!

Additional Benefits Include:
1. Heavy thickness for exceptional impact resistance.
2. Beautiful appearance – rough cedar wood-grain.
3. Double-thick nail hem windload resistance of up
to 213 mph.
4. Self-aligning locking system for quick, easy installation = straighter walls.
5. Double-sized insulated panels means up to 45% less noise and significantly reduced air
infiltration for a quieter, more energy efficient home.
6. Larger panel profile adds rigidity and dramatic shadow line.
7. Duratron UV technology for superior weatherability and color retention.
8. KayCan Ocean Park ULTRA siding’s premium color is consistent all the way through.

KAYCAN MONTEBELLO VINYL “LOG SIDING”

Rustic Charm ​KayCan Montebello Vinyl Log Siding will give you the rustic look and distinctive warmth of log siding with added durability and resistance.
• Montebello log siding wall system has all
the distinctive warmth, rustic style and beauty of
log siding with the strength and durability of vinyl.
​ • ​Montebello’s low gloss natural
wood grain appearance has been built to last as the
siding won’t dent, crack or split.
• Montebello resists mold, rot and mildew and
incorporates ​Perform Guard patented foam additive
for insect and termite resistance.

Montebello is the low maintenance alternative to real wood  requiring no painting, no staining and no wood preservatives means more time to enjoy your home and the things that you enjoy doing the most. 

1. Heavy gauge siding adds comfort to your home.​
2. Precisely contoured foam underlayment adds
rigidity and superior impact resistance.​
3. LineLoc panel locking system locks panels
together for greater rigidity on the wall.​
4. Ultra-Vinyl UV vinyl technology guarantees
superior weatherability and color retention.

​I hope you found this information helpful as you consider home exterior siding choices. Both Fiber Cement and Vinyl Siding are great home exterior products. The choice is yours to make, I am happy to provide information and facts about products and to answer any additional questions you might have, share your thoughts and questions in the comments below and I will respond timely.

Free Siding Estimate

Southeast Houston TX homeowners often remove their old siding and install James Hardie Siding. This is a great decision for the longevity that fiber cement offers. Although often overlooked by most siding contractors, is what can be done before the new HardiPlank Siding is installed to improve the energy efficiency of the home. By adding a reflective energy efficient vapor barrier such as Dupont Tyvek ThermaWrap, this will help in utility bills with it’s added increased R and reflective values. Below I explain and provide some suggestions.

Your Texas home exterior walls can account for 40-70% of the solar heat gain and/or loss of your home. This varies depending on many factors such as the amount of sun exposure to walls, shade and the type of building materials your home was built with. Often I notice a job sign of a contractor doing a siding job and I see no roles of the Tyvek product delivered to the jobsite. When the siding is removed and there is no extra insulation existing with any level of R-Value such as Home Wrap being installed on the home, this is the perfect opportunity to install the Tyvek product while the siding is off and being replaced.

The Perfect Time to Install

Something to think about, when you have your old siding removed, this is the best time to improve the energy efficiency of your Texas home, don’t you say? I would think that the immediate answer would be yes! When you have your old siding removed, this is absolutely the perfect time to install Dupont Tyvek ThermaWrap.

What this product will do for your Texas home is to push the unwanted HEAT Back Out of your home in the Texas Summertime and push the HEAT back INTO your home (prevent it from escaping) in the Texas wintertime. This in turn will save you money year round and reduce your Texas utility bills every month by having your Heat/AC unit run less now that your home is more energy efficient because the Tyvek ThermaWrap is stopping much of the heat gain/loss!

Energy Efficiency Performance under Your Hardie Siding 

Tyvek ThermaWrap is a low emissivity (Low-E), metallized weather barrier that will actually increase the effective and total R-value of any wall systems, to help improve energy efficiency in our Texas homes. DuPont Tyvek ThermaWrap is made with a metallized, low-emission (low-e) surface that reflects solar radiation away from our Houston Texas metro area homes. Cold weather in Texas, this will help stop radiant heat transfer and loss from within the home.

In the Texas summer weather, Tyvek ThermaWrap do the opposite by reflecting warm air back out and away from our Texas homes, to help improve air-conditioning (A/C) efficiency. In all of our Texas seasons, that can help make our homes much more comfortable, more energy efficient, and less costly to operate. No more Hot and Cold rooms and the home has more of an even temperature.

R-2 Plus Helping Block Air Infiltration and Exfiltration

ThermaWrap has the ability to help increase the effective R-Value of a wall, Tyvek ThermaWrap is also an excellent vapor permeable air and water barrier, like all Tyvek materials. The low-e surface changes the dynamics of radiant heat flow across the entire wall system.

Nearly two-thirds of the total heat lost or gained is through our Texas homes occurs through radiant heat flow. Tyvek ThermaWrap addresses this by helping to dramatically improve the effective R-value (resistance Value) of the wall system. This is highly effective at reducing heat gain when the weather turns hot here in Southeast Texas for over 6 months. Tyvek ThermaWrap is ideal for our Southeast Texas weather.

Reduce Texas Energy Bills – How It Works

Radiant Heat

Radiant Heat flow occurs when heat is transferred from a warmer object to a cooler one by electromagnetic waves and natural heat flow. These waves do not need to pass through air and they do not require any contact between the two materials. They simply cross empty space in exactly the same way as the heat of the sun, which
can be felt on cold days. Tyvek ThermaWrap incorporates a low-e, metallic surface that changes the radiant heat flow dynamics of the entire wall system. In winter, it reflects and or pushes radiant heat back into the wall system. Texas summer time,
ThermaWrap reflects the outside solar radiation away from the wall system, to reduce unwanted heat gain into our Texas homes in southeast TX. The total overall effect is an overall total increase in the effective R-value to the entire wall system.

When installed, Tyvek ThermaWrap adds an effective R-value (thermal resistance) equal to R-2 (R- Value). In Texas homes this can help reduce energy usage and costs for heating and cooling systems, year-round. This is a huge plus for southeast Texas Homeowners in the Houston, Spring The Woodlands metro area.

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