Gilroy LP Smartside Siding

Some Gilroy homeowners want the look of real wood siding — the grain, the warmth, the depth a painted board has that a plastic panel never quite gets — without signing up for the rot, the insects, and the constant upkeep that come with solid cedar or redwood. That's the niche LP SmartSide fills. It's engineered wood: real wood strands treated through LP's SmartGuard process and bonded into planks, panels, and trim that carry a convincing wood texture but resist the moisture and pest problems that plague natural wood. Bay Area Siding Company installs it, and for a lot of Gilroy's craftsman bungalows, ranches, and character homes it's the material that threads the needle.

Curious whether it fits your house? Request a bid or call (415) 619-5167.

What makes SmartSide different

Engineered wood sits between real wood and fiber cement, and its personality is its own:

• Real-wood texture. The embossed grain reads as genuine painted wood from the curb, which is why people choose it over vinyl or even fiber cement when the look is the priority.
• Lighter and more impact-resistant. SmartSide weighs substantially less than fiber cement and handles impact better — less prone to the chips and cracks a fiber-cement board can take. That also makes it easier and often faster to work with.
• Treated for durability. The SmartGuard treatment gives it resistance to fungal decay and termites that solid wood doesn't have out of the box.
• Long limited warranty. LP backs SmartSide with a well-regarded limited warranty (state generally — we confirm the current terms for your product).
• Comes primed; needs paint. It ships primed or pre-finished and does need periodic repainting like any wood-look product — less often than raw wood, but it's not the zero-paint deal vinyl is.

Where it fits in Gilroy — and where to think twice

For valley-floor homes where you want warmth and character, SmartSide is a strong, practical choice: it takes and holds paint well, and its dimensional behavior handles Gilroy's hot, dry summers better than solid wood. The honest caution is the same one that applies to any wood-based product near a fire edge. SmartSide is engineered wood, not a noncombustible material, so if your parcel sits on or near one of Gilroy's designated Fire Hazard Severity Zones along the western foothills or the eastern grassland toward Henry W. Coe, California Building Code Chapter 7A may steer you toward a noncombustible wall covering instead. On those parcels, compare fiber cement — we'll confirm your parcel's designation with the City before recommending SmartSide there. On the flat valley lots that make up most of Gilroy, that's typically not a constraint.

How it compares

Against fiber cement, SmartSide is lighter, easier to handle, more impact-resistant, and arguably warmer-looking — but it's combustible and needs repainting, where fiber cement doesn't burn and holds a factory finish longer (fiber cement, James Hardie). Against real wood, SmartSide gives up a little authenticity but wins big on rot/pest resistance, consistency, and cost (wood siding). Against vinyl, it's a clear step up in looks and substance at a higher price (vinyl). For the whole-picture material overview, see Gilroy siding replacement.

Installation and finish

On a re-side we strip the old cladding to the sheathing and substrate, inspect and repair the water-resistive barrier and the flashing at every opening and penetration, and only involve framing if the sheathing itself has failed. SmartSide is then installed to LP's spec — correct fastening, gapping, ground and roof clearances, and proper treatment of cut ends and joints, which is where an engineered-wood product either lasts or lets water in. Because it comes primed, we (or you) topcoat it after install; a quality exterior paint on a properly detailed SmartSide wall is what gets you the long service life the material is capable of in Gilroy's climate.

Cost drivers

SmartSide typically prices below fiber cement and above vinyl. The number moves with the home's size and stories, how much substrate or flashing repair surfaces at tear-off, the profile (lap, panel, shake, and trim price differently), whether you take it primed or pre-finished, integration of trim and windows, and access. A walkthrough is how we price it — there's no useful online figure.

Permits in Gilroy

Re-siding is permitted exterior work handled through the City of Gilroy Building Division under the adopted 2025 California Building Standards Code, and we manage the permit. The one material-specific wrinkle, again, is fire: on a hillside parcel inside a mapped Fire Hazard Severity Zone, Chapter 7A may not allow an engineered-wood wall covering, so we verify your address against the City's adopted maps before locking in SmartSide.

FAQ

Is LP SmartSide as durable as fiber cement in Gilroy's heat? It's very durable for a wood-based product — treated against rot and termites and dimensionally stable in dry heat — but it does need periodic repainting and it's combustible, where fiber cement is noncombustible and holds a factory finish longer. Which wins depends on your priorities and your parcel.

Will SmartSide need repainting? Yes, on a normal exterior-paint cycle — less often than raw wood, but it's not maintenance-free like vinyl. In exchange you get a genuine wood look.

Can I use SmartSide if my home is near the Gilroy foothills? Maybe not, if your parcel is in a designated Fire Hazard Severity Zone where Chapter 7A requires a noncombustible covering. We confirm your parcel's designation with the City of Gilroy Building Division before recommending it, and suggest fiber cement where fire code rules it out.

Do you handle the permit? Yes — re-siding is permitted through the City of Gilroy Building Division, and we pull and manage it as part of the job.

Get a SmartSide quote for your Gilroy home

Call (415) 619-5167 or request a bid. We'll walk the house, weigh SmartSide against the alternatives for your look and budget, and confirm any fire-zone limits on your parcel. Replacing windows too? See Gilroy window replacement. Browse our project gallery or the South Bay service area.