by Last Updated on October 22, 2020 by legacy450
A custom home should look like no other home in the area so it has to make a statement on the outside as well as the inside. No matter what siding material you choose there will always be some level of maintenance required. LP SmartSide products are a great option for those who like the look of natural wood but prefer a longer maintenance schedule. Staining these products like you would natural wood siding is not recommended but you can get a a stained wood look finish. The only drawback is that this finish cannot be done by applied after the siding is installed, it has to be done in a factory before installation (also known as Prefinishing). This article will explain how this process is done and what profiles can be finished to look like stained wood.
Will a Traditional Stain Work on LP?
A traditional wood stain whether it be oil or water based should not be used on LP SmartSide products. Exterior stains are designed to penetrate wood to change the overall tone, and in some cases provide moisture protection for the wood. However, LP products can be finished in a way that looks like a stain. With our proprietary paint process, we can apply fifteen or more unique stain like finishes to LP SmartSide siding products. The process is done in our facility where we can control the paint application to eliminate runs, sags, brush marks, and other paint application issues. This process does require the material to be laying flat to ensure proper coverage and to achieve the desired look. The stain finished is best suited for cedar textured products only so this look cannot be applied to any smooth siding product. The textured areas are highlighted during the application process thus making the final product look like real stained cedar siding.
What Profiles Can Be Finished In A Stain Color?
Our stain colors can be applied to any of the LP SmartSide products as long as they have a cedar texture. This includes; Lap Siding, Panel siding in 4 x 8 or 4 x 10 sheets, Shingle/Shake Panels (staggered or straight edge), trim and fascia, and soffit (vented or unvented).
What Colors Are Available?
We have fifteen stain colors to choose from with several natural brown tones including Barnboard, Beechnut, Hemlock, Jacobean, Legacy Wheat and Red Teak.
If you prefer a golden tone, more like that of a natural wood, then you might want to consider our Cedar stain color. If you really like the Cedar color but want something just a bit darker, try our Maple stain color.
Our Mahogany stain has a rich dark reddish/brown tone that can be used as the main siding color or as an accent color. Our Redwood stain is more of a reddish/brown with just a touch of orange and is a great main siding color.
If you’re looking for an old red barn look we have two beautiful red colors in Dark Holly and Rustic Brown. The trim, fascia, and soffit can be finished in the same color or you can use a complementary color such as an off white.
Our Sagebrush stain finish has a beautiful green base with darker accents that make this a popular choice. Silver Ash has a hint of gray and a hint of green which makes it a great choice for a mountain home. If you like the color of a silver weathered cedar our Slate stain finish is a great choice. The darker accents really make this siding material look like real wood.
Are Custom Stain Colors Available?
Custom stain colors have been created in the past to meet the desired look based on our clients’ needs. Because all of our products are finished to order we have the flexibility to blend special colors or sometimes color match existing stain colors.
Special Care For Prefinished Siding
DO NOT use a pressure washer to clean the siding and trim as high-pressure water can do damage to your siding and its painted finish.
Storage of the material on the job site is important to a great finished product. See our How to Handle Prefinshed Siding Before and During Installation post for more details.
How To Order
All of our products are made to order just for your specific project. We do have distributors with store displays and/or samples available so you can see the actual color and finish. Please call us for a distributor near you and at the same time, we can answer any questions you may have. If you are interested in obtaining samples we can do that as well and can take that information by phone or by the contact form on our website.
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