A New Jersey- based, family-owned and operated business, Essex Home Improvement provides general contracting services with a specialization in exterior design, according to owner Jack DeRosa. The company turned to LP® SmartSide® Siding for a high-end residential re-side project in Morristown, NJ, to provide the look of wood siding at an affordable price point.
OBJECTIVES
When a customer sought to replace the vinyl siding on his $800,000 home, Jack needed a siding product with a high-end look of traditional wood siding that would fit within his customer’s budget. While Jack had used fiber cement siding in the past, he wasn’t fond of the additional gear and care he needed to install the product.
IMPLEMENTATION
“We had a customer who was days away from replacing his vinyl siding with fiber cement, when we were introduced to SmartSide at a Pella® remodeling function,” Jack said. “He had originally wanted to replace the siding with wood, but it would have been an expensive project. With SmartSide, we were able to give him a product he wanted within his price frame.”
LP SmartSide Siding provides the look of traditional wood siding with a whole host of other benefits. The LP® SmartGuard® manufacturing process helps LP SmartSide Siding products deliver strength and durability. Geometrically sized pieces of wood are bonded together using waxes and advanced resins created specifically for exterior use. Zinc borate, a recognized wood preservative, is also distributed throughout the wood substrate. An overlay then provides additional protection against the elements and a paint-ready surface.
“SmartSide was easier to work with than fiber cement. You don’t have to wear special gear when you cut it, and we were able to make nicer cuts with the product,” Jack said. “The product is backed be a stronger warranty than any fiber cement product I’ve used.”
LP SmartSide products work and cut just like traditional wood. Not only do they take nails and screw with ease, but they are also far less likely break or crack than fiber cement. Because they are lighter than fiber cement products, they provide for quicker, easier installation.
With more than a decade of extensive testing in laboratory and real-world environments, LP is able to offer a 5/50 Year Limited Warranty on the product. See www.lpcorp.com for complete warranty details.
OUTCOME
“The homeowner was thrilled with the product. It gave the exterior of his home the look it deserved,” said Jack.
Essex Homes found such success with the product, that they will continue to use it on future projects. With the help of LP Building Products, the company has also worked to gain approval from the historic preservations committee for the product in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, a historical neighborhood with an affinity for wood siding for its turn-of-the-century homes.
IN BRIEF
LOCATION
Morristown, New Jersey
PROJECT SUMMARY
When the owner of an $800,000 home in Morristown, New Jersey, wanted to upgrade from vinyl siding to wood siding, Essex Home Improvement needed a product that could provide the look of traditional wood at a reasonable price point.
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
Essex Home Improvement needed a siding product that would:
Provide superior exterior aesthetics for a siding replacement
Offer ease of installation
Meet competitive pricing needs
SOLUTION
Essex turned to LP SmartSide Siding. Backed by a 5/50 Year Limited Warranty, the product combines the look and feel of traditional wood with the durability and workability of engineered wood.
“SmartSide was easier to work with than fiber cement. You don’t have to wear special gear when you cut it, and we were able to make nicer cuts with the product. The product is backed be a stronger warranty than any fiber cement product I’ve used.”
