The Freeze-Thaw Cycle: Traditional Wood Siding vs. LP® Smartside®

Oct 30, 2020

Southeastern Wisconsin is no stranger to extreme weather, especially drastically fluctuating temperatures and heavy snow falls during the winter months. Area residents are also familiar with pesky potholes that litter the streets every winter and spring. These can be blamed on the freeze-thaw cycle, which puts a great deal of stress on any built surface, from roadways to your home’s siding.

For example, when water becomes trapped inside a siding material and the temperature drops below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, the water freezes and consequently expands. “The expansion weakens the surrounding siding material and when the ice melts as the temperature rises, the siding contracts and leaves gaps, voids, or cracks behind,” said Scott Cline, J&B Construction owner. “The more this process repeats, the worse the damage becomes. Your siding must endure multiple freeze-thaw cycles every year and depending on the material, your siding will react differently to this process.”

Traditional Wood Siding

Traditional wood siding is adored for its beauty; however, it typically has a much shorter life expectancy compared to other siding materials. In addition, it’s a porous material that absorbs moisture like a sponge. It also requires regular maintenance as it must be scraped and painted or stained every three to five years. “Clear sealers should also be applied to help retain the siding’s natural color and must be reapplied every two years,” Scott said. “Moreover, it must be cleaned frequently. If these tasks are neglected, traditional wood siding will be ill-prepared for repeated freeze-thaw cycles, causing it to be susceptible to major damage.”

LP® Smartside®

Conversely, LP Smartside, an engineered wood siding product, is comprised of wood fibers coated with MDI resins and zinc borate. Its unique composition creates a particularly durable product that resembles the look of natural wood. “Resistant to splits, cracks, and warping, LP Smartside will survive countless freeze-thaw cycles because it does not absorb moisture. Not to mention, engineered wood siding requires virtually no maintenance other than the occasional cleaning,” said Scott. “In fact, it is available factory pre-finished, saving the homeowner time and money associated with future maintenance.”

Given its makeup, performance, and longevity, LP Smartside engineered wood siding is a popular choice as one of the best lines of defense against freeze-thaw cycles while being easy to maintain.

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Enjoy Peace Of Mind

The only complaint I have is when I have J&B do my roof in another 30 years or so, is Dave their sales man (a great guy) would not guaranty I could get the same great crew I had this time. They did a fantastic job. Much better than the last roofing company did. A nice bunch of guys. Did a very nice job cleaning up. I'd give them 10 stars but 5 is the limit. If you need a roof done this is the company you want to do it. One more point I need to make. The guys that did the chimney flashing are artists. I went up on the roof when they were done and was very pleased with not only the roofing job but the sculptured sheet metal work. It's kind of a shame it's on the roof and not hanging on the family room wall :). You get the point. Hire em. You'll like em.

Dave H

We live in a historic designated neighborhood and recently had our 30 year wood shingle roof replaced with another wood roof and new gutters. From Day 1 of the project to the final day, the entire team was responsive, professional, and very competent. When some minor changes were proposed by us they quickly and effortlessly complied. After going through this experience with J&B, I would highly recommend them to anyone considering a roof and gutter replacement, whether it be a simple or complicated project.

John Lamb

J & B did an amazing job from start to finish. The initial meeting at my home took place exactly at the time that was agreed upon and Scott was thorough in his explanations and transparent about costs. When the time came to begin the project, the team that showed up was friendly, professional and timely in getting the project done. The cleanup afterward was such that it looked like they hadn't been there at all. The roof looks great, there were no surprises and Scott came by to inspect the work and explain the warranty upon job completion. I would highly recommend them.

Kenneth Simons

My neighbor had their roof replaced and I was really impressed with the speed, carefulness and quality of the work I saw. Asked her for her experience and she told me she would highly recommend J & B. I called Scott to set an appointment. He showed up on time and was very thorough in his assessment, also letting me know about some other issues and advise on where to get help. J & B is a fantastic company to deal with - their people are incredibly careful about the work they do, clean up and leave the property in the same condition as when they started, were careful about plants and the house, and work very efficiently. The office staff is great about following up, checking in and very responsive to anything that comes up. I was happy with the price charged. If you are looking to replace your roof, you should be calling J & B to get the job done.

David W.

We had work done by the J&B team at a commercial property and were very pleased with the whole process. Their estimator met us onsite and communicated with us every step of the way. They went over the scope in detail and the work performed exceeded what we were expecting. They found some additional concerns during the installation that were quickly addressed and communicated to us and to our surprise, there was not an additional charge. Our tenants reached out to share how respectful the employees were during the installation and how clean everything was left afterwards. As the project was wrapped up, we were walked through the completion paperwork and provided the warranty information. Very impressed with the professionalism of this company and would not hesitate to refer their services or use them again in the future.

Jessie C.