Crushing the Top Rumors About Engineered Wood

LP Building Solutions uses engineered wood to create a portfolio of products that help professionals build smarter, better and faster. The innovations of engineered wood siding are relatively new. For instance, LP^® SmartSide^® Trim & Siding was introduced in 1997. Thanks to its advanced manufacturing process, it is one of the most durable siding solutions available. Sometimes people are skeptical of things that are really that good. So, let’s crush a few myths with engineered wood facts. 

MYTH #1: Engineered Wood Siding is Not Real Wood

Engineered wood isn’t fake. It’s real wood. It starts with combining individual wood strands (primarily Aspen) with other materials to provide advanced durability. It’s a fact that LP SmartSide products are treated with the proprietary LP^® SmartGuard^® process, which helps keep out moisture and resist fungal decay for long-term durability and strength. 

MYTH #2: Engineered Wood is Not Made of Sustainable Materials

LP SmartSide Trim & Siding products are made with wood, a renewable resource, grown and gathered under strict Sustainable Forestry Initiative^® standards. These standards include responsible forestry practices that protect water quality, biodiversity and wildlife habitat. Products like vinyl and aluminum are made with non-renewable materials, consume additional energy to manufacture, and are not likely to decompose in a landfill. 

MYTH #3: LP SmartSide Products are More Susceptible to Rotting than Fiber Cement

When reviewing LP SmartSide products versus fiber cement, many professionals prefer LP SmartSide products for a number of reasons. Not only can they be easier to install and offer a longer limited warranty, the durable engineered wood products are specially manufactured to help keep out moisture. 

As mentioned, every LP SmartSide product is treated with the proprietary LP SmartGuard process, offering four elements of protection:

• Zinc borate: Resists damage from termites and fungal decay for decades
• Adhesive resins: Helps protect against impact damage from everyday collisions with small rocks, sticks and golf balls
• Waxes: Coats each strand for enhanced durability in rainy, humid environments
• Resin-saturated overlay: Offering the final layer of protection against the elements to help resist excessive moisture intrusion while providing a durable base for quality paint adhesion

MYTH #4: LP SmartSide Products Do Not Comply with Strict Fire Codes 

LP SmartSide siding in tandem with other building materials, including LP^® FlameBlock^® Fire-Rated Sheathing, has multiple California Fire Building Material Listings approved for use in Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) areas. To date the California Office of the State Fire Marshal has approved and listed multiple applications of LP’s products for use in WUI areas, proving that wood-based building materials can be part of a WUI-compliant solution. LP SmartSide siding helps meet California Fire WUI codes when paired with either gypsum board or LP FlameBlock Fire-Rated Sheathing with its proprietary Pyrotite^® coating. 

MYTH #5: LP Legacy^® Premium Sub-Flooring is Not Water Resistant and Will Swell from Significant Water Contact 

LP Legacy^® Premium Sub-Flooring Panels are made from oriented strand board (OSB) and are packed with more strands, resin and wax than commodity OSB to provide exceptional resistance to moisture and edge swell. In fact, LP stands behind its premium sub-flooring and offers a unique Covered Until It’s Covered^® No-Sand Warranty (no re-sanding after a deluge!) plus a Lifetime Limited Warranty that lasts as long as the home.

Want to learn more about LP’s entire portfolio of engineered wood innovations? Watch two professionals build an LP House and get tips from professionals by following @lp_pros.