Everett An Honest Look at LP SmartSide
Homeowners in Everett and across Snohomish County ask us about LP SmartSide often enough that we think it deserves a straight answer instead of a sales pitch. We don't install it, but that's not because it's a bad product in every setting. It's because of specific trade-offs that matter more here on Puget Sound than they might somewhere drier and inland. Here's the honest version of why we standardized on James Hardie fiber cement instead.
What LP SmartSide Actually Is
LP SmartSide is an engineered wood siding made from wood strands bonded with resin, then treated with a zinc borate process (LP calls it SmartGuard) to resist fungal decay and termites, and coated with a wax layer meant to slow moisture absorption. It's lighter than fiber cement, easier to cut and nail on site, and it holds paint well when installed and maintained correctly. Builders like it because it moves faster on the wall and costs less up front than premium fiber cement. Those are real, legitimate advantages, and we won't pretend otherwise.
Where It Runs Into Trouble on the Wet Side of the State
The core issue is that SmartSide is still a wood-based product. The zinc borate treatment and wax coating are engineered to manage moisture, not eliminate the fact that wood strands swell, wick, and eventually degrade if water gets past the surface and stays there. That's a very different risk profile than fiber cement, which is made from cement, sand, and cellulose fibers and doesn't rot, swell, or feed fungal growth even when it does get wet.
In Everett, that distinction isn't theoretical. We get driving rain off the Sound, salt-laden air along the waterfront and up into neighborhoods like Riverside and Silver Lake, and a moss season that can stretch from October well into spring under the tree cover common throughout Snohomish County. That combination means siding here spends a lot of the year damp, not just rained on and dried quickly. Every seam, butt joint, and cut edge on an engineered wood product is a spot where the factory treatment has been interrupted, and every one of those spots needs to be field-sealed and caulked correctly — and then re-caulked and repainted on a schedule, indefinitely, for the life of the siding.
The Maintenance Math
SmartSide requires an ongoing paint and caulk maintenance schedule to keep water out of those cut edges and joints. Miss a cycle, or have a caulk joint fail quietly behind a downspout or under a deck overhang, and moisture can get into the strand material before anyone notices a problem on the surface. Because it's wood, once moisture is trapped, it doesn't just sit there inert — it can lead to swelling, softening, or fungal issues at that specific location. Fiber cement doesn't carry that same failure mode, which is a big part of why we made the switch.
We're not saying SmartSide fails on every house. Installed correctly, caulked correctly, and repainted on schedule, it can perform reasonably well for years. The problem is that "installed and maintained perfectly, forever, in a marine climate" is a high bar, and we'd rather not build a business around hoping every homeowner hits it.
A Side-by-Side, Fairly Stated
| Factor | LP SmartSide | James Hardie Fiber Cement |
|---|---|---|
| Base material | Engineered wood strand | Cement, sand, cellulose fiber |
| Moisture behavior | Treated to resist, but can swell/degrade if compromised | Non-combustible, does not rot or swell |
| Finish | Field-painted or factory-primed; ongoing repaint/caulk cycle | ColorPlus factory finish holds color for decades with minimal upkeep |
| Install sensitivity | Easier to cut/nail, but joint sealing is critical | Heavier, requires proper fastening, joints engineered into HZ product lines for climate |
| Upfront cost | Generally lower | Generally higher |
Why We Standardized on Hardie
Once we started paying closer attention to callback patterns and long-term performance on homes exposed to marine air and constant moss growth, fiber cement was the clear winner for this climate. James Hardie's HZ10 product line is engineered specifically for cold, wet Pacific Northwest weather, the material itself is non-combustible, and the ColorPlus factory finish means the color coat is baked on before it ever reaches the jobsite — it's not relying on a field-applied paint job to hold up against Everett's rain and salt air year after year. Hardie also backs its products with a strong, transferable warranty, which matters to us because we want to stand behind what we put on a house long after the crew leaves.
We made a decision to install one product system, do it correctly every time, and not manage a portfolio of materials with different maintenance requirements and failure modes. That's why LP SmartSide, vinyl, and a few other common options aren't in our lineup — not because they can't work anywhere, but because we don't think they're the right long-term call for homes exposed to Snohomish County's rain, salt air, and moss.
If you're weighing siding options for your Everett home and want a straight answer about what will actually hold up in our climate, we're happy to walk your property, look at your exposure, and talk through it. Reach out for a free, no-pressure estimate.