LP SmartSide Shakes
The cedar shake look, engineered. Fiber cement-free shakes in staggered and straight-edge profiles — won’t rot, won’t warp, and won’t need re-staining every five years like real cedar does.
Cedar Shake Alternative • Engineered Wood • Family-Owned Since 2005
Cedar Shake Maintenance vs. Engineered Wood Shakes
Real cedar shake looks beautiful — for about the first decade. Then the maintenance curve starts going the wrong direction. Re-staining every 5 to 7 years. Woodpeckers drilling for insects. Carpenter bees. Rotting edges where moisture sits. And in the last few years, some insurance carriers pulling back on coverage for homes with wood shake siding.
LP SmartSide Shakes are the engineered-wood answer. Precisely-oriented Aspen strands treated with SmartGuard’s 4-component process, pressed into cedar-shake-style individual panels. Zinc borate means termites and carpenter bees can’t touch it. Marine-grade MDI resin means the boards won’t delaminate from moisture. And the factory-applied ExpertFinish eliminates the re-staining cycle entirely. Cedar look, engineered spec, McHenry County-proven.
Why LP Shakes vs. Real Cedar
Real cedar is a beautiful material with real limitations. LP SmartSide Shakes were designed to replicate the aesthetic without the maintenance trajectory that makes cedar a commitment. Here’s how they compare.
Cedar-Shake Aesthetic, Engineered Wood Performance
LP SmartSide Shakes ship in two profiles: staggered edge (irregular bottom line for hand-split cedar appearance) and straight edge (clean horizontal for Cape Cod and colonial styles). Panels are pressed from Aspen strands treated with SmartGuard — zinc borate for termite/decay resistance, marine-grade resin to prevent delamination, wax-coated individual strands for moisture protection, resin-saturated overlay for the paint-adhesion face.
I’ve stood next to freshly-installed LP shakes and real cedar on the same elevation. From 20 feet back at the sidewalk — which is how homes get seen — most homeowners can’t tell the difference. Up close, you can tell. From street view, it reads cedar.
Zero Rot, Zero Termites, Zero Woodpecker Problems
Real cedar shake has three consistent failure modes in McHenry County: rot (moisture at the bottom course and behind the exposure), woodpeckers (drilling for the insects the cedar attracts), and carpenter bees (boring holes in the soft wood fibers). LP SmartSide Shakes are fundamentally immune to all three. The zinc borate is distributed throughout the strand (not just surface-treated), the marine-grade resin won’t delaminate from moisture, and the engineered wood composition doesn’t attract the insects cedar does.
After one season of looking at a cedar shake gable that the woodpeckers have been working on, the LP conversation usually goes quick. The homeowner isn’t looking to replace what they had. They’re looking to stop fighting it.
Half the Weight of Fiber Cement Shingles, Easier Install
LP SmartSide Shakes weigh approximately 1.2 pounds per square foot. Fiber cement shingles (HardieShingle) weigh 2.5 pounds per square foot — roughly double. For gable installations, that weight difference matters: our crews can move faster with less fatigue, which translates to cleaner installs and lower labor cost. The LP panels cut with a standard circular saw using a carbide blade (no silica dust concerns like fiber cement). Every cut edge must be sealed with LP-approved sealant to maintain warranty coverage.
Lighter product, faster install, cleaner jobsite. Our crews like working with LP. That’s not a sales point we advertise to homeowners, but it shows up in the finished product.
22 ExpertFinish Colors, 15-Year Paint Warranty
LP Shakes ship primed for field-painting OR pre-finished with ExpertFinish. ExpertFinish is the factory-applied 2-coat acrylic latex coating with consistent coverage and optimal adhesion. Comes with a 15-year paint warranty separate from the substrate warranty. 22 color options: 16 Core Colors and 6 Naturals Collection colors. Sand Dunes (2026 Color of the Year) has been our best-seller on Craftsman homes. Oyster Shell reads cleanest on Cape Cods and colonials.
When a homeowner is comparing LP Shakes to real cedar, the ExpertFinish labor savings close the conversation. Field-staining a real cedar gable costs time, scaffolding, and $1,200-$2,500 every 5-7 years. ExpertFinish eliminates that cycle for 15-plus years.
See LP SmartSide Installed by IHC
Real projects across McHenry County. No stock photos.
Before & after — McHenry County, IL
Shake profile detail
After photo — McHenry County, IL
Finished elevation — McHenry County, IL
Completed project — McHenry County, IL
Shortly after install — McHenry County, IL
Two Shake Profiles for Two Looks
LP SmartSide Shakes ship in two profiles. Match the profile to the architectural era of the house.
Staggered Edge
Irregular bottom line mimicking hand-split cedar. Most natural-looking profile, right for Craftsman, lake homes, and rustic remodels where the organic texture is the design goal.
Best for: Craftsman, lake homes, rustic
Straight Edge
Clean horizontal bottom line. Traditional New England cedar shake profile — common on Cape Cods, colonials, and modern farmhouses.
Best for: Cape Cod, colonial, modern farmhouse
Most common McHenry County pairing: Staggered edge LP Shakes on gables with LP Lap (6-inch or 8-inch reveal) on main walls. Both products use the same ExpertFinish palette so colors match exactly across the whole house. See both profiles at our Crystal Lake showroom.
LP SmartSide Shakes vs. The Alternatives
Three real options for a cedar-shake look in McHenry County: real cedar, LP SmartSide Shakes, and James Hardie HardieShingle. Here’s the honest comparison.
| Feature | LP SmartSide Shakes This Page | Real Cedar Shake | HardieShingle (Fiber Cement) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Material | Engineered wood (Aspen + SmartGuard) | Western red cedar | Fiber cement |
| Lifespan | 20–30 years | 20–30 years (well-maintained) | 50+ years |
| Weight | ~1.2 lbs/sqft | ~2.0 lbs/sqft | ~2.5 lbs/sqft |
| Fire Rating | Combustible (treated) | Combustible | Class A non-combustible |
| Rot & Pest Resistance | Engineered — SmartGuard treated | Vulnerable — woodpeckers, bees, rot | Immune — cement |
| Maintenance | ExpertFinish: no repaint 15-20 yrs | Re-stain every 5–7 years | ColorPlus: no repaint 15+ yrs |
| Insurance | Combustible classification | Increasingly restricted | No issues (non-combustible) |
| Warranty | 5/50 prorated | Typically 1-year installer only | 30-yr non-prorated + 15-yr finish |
| Weight on Gable | Lightest engineered option | Moderate | Heaviest — crew impact |
| IHC Recommendation | When homeowner wants wood feel | Rarely — high maintenance | When fire safety matters |
Why Buy LP SmartSide Through IHC
The Crew That Knows Gable Shake Installation
Shake siding on a gable is different work from lap on a main wall. The courses have to stagger correctly so the shingle pattern doesn’t repeat in a visible line. The bottom course needs proper flashing at the gable-to-wall transition. Every cut edge has to be sealed, every fastener driven to flush (not countersunk), and the grade clearance at 6 inches minimum if the shakes run down to the lower elevation. Our crews run LP installs to the LP manual, every cut, every fastener.
IHC is LP SmartSide Preferred Installer. When we install LP Shakes, the warranty holds because we follow LP’s spec. You get the cedar-shake look you wanted with the engineered-wood performance and a labor warranty backed by a local crew that’s 15 minutes from your house.
21+
Years in McHenry County
380+
Google Reviews at 4.6 Stars
A+
BBB Rating
Family
Women-Led, Locally Owned
Notes From the Field — What We Actually Install
I’ve installed LP Shakes on Cape Cod gables, farmhouse dormers, and full-elevation lake homes across McHenry County. Our most common shake order is staggered-edge in ExpertFinish Sand Dunes or Cobble Stone on Craftsman and lake-home gables, and straight-edge in Oyster Shell on Cape Cod and colonial gables. We’ll specify which profile during the in-home consultation based on your home’s architecture.
Installation specifics we don’t compromise on: 6-inch grade clearance minimum if shakes run to the lower elevation, every cut edge sealed with LP-approved sealant, fasteners flush not countersunk, every butt joint on a stud with proper caulk. I check fastener depth on day one of every job. Shakes weigh 1.2 pounds per square foot — lighter than Hardie’s 2.5 but still enough that we run two-man crews above single-story. Shakes cut with a carbide blade on a standard circular saw (no silica dust).
When a homeowner calls us about woodpecker damage, rotting cedar, or carpenter bee holes, LP Shakes or HardieShingle are the two real answers. LP if they want the lighter engineered-wood feel and 200-plus mph wind rating. HardieShingle if they want non-combustible fire safety and the 50-plus year lifespan. I’ll walk you through both in the showroom so you can see the difference up close before you choose.
A few more McHenry County specifics I’ll share from years of LP Shakes work. We run 16-inch exposure on staggered-edge shakes for the most natural cedar-shake appearance; we’ll tighten to 14 inches when the architectural detail calls for more visible courses. Every shake has to be fastened with 2 corrosion-resistant fasteners per unit — we use hot-dip galvanized at 1.5 inches from the top edge per LP’s spec. On staggered installs, I’ve got the crew stagger course lines at 3 to 4 inches minimum so the shake pattern doesn’t repeat in a visible diagonal. That pattern-repeat issue kills the look on low-end installs, and it’s the first thing I walk the crew through on every new LP Shakes project.
Photo context matters too. On full-gable installs we’re running 40 to 60 shingles per gable on a typical 1,200-square-foot McHenry County home, which means 80 to 120 fasteners per gable. That’s real work, and it’s why we’ve got 2 crews dedicated to LP Shakes installs during the spring push from April through July. I’ve got one gable project in my photos from 2024 where a woodpecker had worked the original cedar shake for 3 seasons; the LP replacement has been up for 18 months and the woodpecker hasn’t touched it. That’s the real-world proof that matters.
Other LP SmartSide Products We Install
LP SmartSide covers the full exterior — lap, shakes, panel and trim for board-and-batten. Most projects pair two or more together.
Ready to Replace Cedar Shake With Something That Doesn’t Fight You?
We come to your house, look at the gables, discuss the look you want — Craftsman staggered, Cape Cod straight, or some combination — and walk you through LP Shakes profiles, ExpertFinish colors, and the install details in person. No pressure, no obligation.
Visit Our Crystal Lake Showroom
4410 IL-176, Suite 1, Crystal Lake, IL 60014
Mon–Fri 9AM–4PM | Appointments available 24/7 via AI receptionist
380+ Google Reviews · 4.6 Stars · Family-Owned Since 2005
Frequently Asked Questions
Do LP SmartSide Shakes really look like cedar?
From 20 feet back at the sidewalk — which is how homes actually get seen — most observers can’t tell the difference. Up close, an expert can. LP Shakes replicate the dimensional thickness, the staggered pattern, and the cedar-grain texture of real shake. They don’t have real wood grain, but they also don’t have cupping, splitting, or weathering that real cedar develops over time. Pair LP Shakes with an ExpertFinish color in a natural wood tone (Sand Dunes, Cobble Stone) and it reads as cedar to virtually every observer.
Which profile should I choose?
Match the profile to the architectural era. Staggered edge mimics hand-split cedar and is right for Craftsman, lake homes, and rustic remodels. Straight edge is the traditional New England cedar shake profile — appropriate for Cape Cods, colonials, and modern farmhouses. We bring physical samples of both to the in-home consultation so you can see the difference against your actual house.
Can I combine LP Shakes with LP Lap on the same house?
Yes, and that’s one of the most common combinations we install. Shakes on gables, dormers, and upper-story accents. Lap siding (6-inch or 8-inch reveal) on main walls. Both products share the same ExpertFinish palette, so colors match exactly across the whole house.
What’s the warranty on LP SmartSide Shakes?
Same as the rest of the LP SmartSide line: 5/50 prorated substrate warranty (full materials and labor for Years 1-5, prorated materials only from Year 6 through Year 50). If ExpertFinish is applied, that adds a separate 15-year paint warranty. Hardie is the longer-lifespan alternative with a 30-year non-prorated substrate and 15-year ColorPlus finish warranty covering both paint and labor.
Are LP SmartSide Shakes fire-rated?
LP SmartSide is combustible — it’s engineered wood. It meets building code for exterior wall covering, but it’s not Class A non-combustible the way fiber cement is. For homes near wooded lots or in insurance categories that restrict coverage on combustible siding, HardieShingle (fiber cement) is the better fire-safety choice.
Will my insurance company accept LP Shakes if they’ve restricted cedar shake coverage?
Insurance carriers that restrict wood shake siding do so because of fire risk. LP SmartSide is technically combustible (engineered wood), but it’s a manufactured product rather than raw cedar — carrier responses vary. Some carriers treat LP SmartSide differently from cedar, others don’t. If insurance is the driver for the replacement, HardieShingle (Class A non-combustible) is the safer call. We’ll tell you that up front during the consultation.
