Engineered wood, LP SmartSide being the name most people know, looks like wood, is painted like wood, and generally costs less than fiber cement and more than vinyl.
We are a lead referral service, not a contractor. Free, no-obligation quotes.
In Waukesha, 31 percent of homes were built in the 1980s and 1990s (Census Bureau, 2020 to 2024). Those houses are now between about 27 and 46 years old, past NAHB's roughly 25-year estimate for exterior trim. LP makes matching SmartSide trim, so siding and trim can be replaced together.
The 5 in LP's 5/50 warranty is five years of 100 percent labor and material replacement. The 50 is a prorated material replacement feature through year 50, where LP covers a portion of the material cost. ExpertFinish adds a 15-year limited finish warranty.
LP says SmartSide's waxes, resins and zinc borate give it resistance to fungal decay and termites. Where a board is cut, the end needs sealing; ask how that will be done.
Vinyl panels: the budget choice, and a hose is most of the maintenance.
Painted fiber cement boards from Hardie and other makers, a step up in weight and price from vinyl.
Foam-backed vinyl, or rigid foam board under new siding.
Let us know what the house needs and a licensed siding contractor who works in Waukesha will reach out to schedule a visit. Pricing comes after someone has measured the walls.