James Hardie vs LP SmartSide: Best Siding for Tulsa Homes

Category: Siding

Why this siding comparison matters

When homeowners in the Tulsa area start looking at siding, two names come up over and over: James Hardie fiber cement and LP SmartSide engineered wood siding. Both are well-known products, but they behave very differently in real Oklahoma weather.

After installing siding on homes across Tulsa, Owasso, Collinsville, Skiatook, Broken Arrow, Bixby, Jenks, Claremore, Sapulpa, and Catoosa, we’ve seen one material stand out for durability, appearance, and long-term cost:

For most Tulsa-area homes, LP SmartSide — especially with Diamond Kote — is our recommended siding.

1. How Oklahoma weather affects siding

Tulsa doesn’t have gentle, predictable weather. We deal with:

• Fast temperature swings from hot to cold
• Heavy rain, humidity, and moisture
• Freeze–thaw cycles in winter
• Intense sun and UV exposure in summer
• High winds and hail during storms

How James Hardie responds:

• Very rigid and heavy, similar to concrete
• Can absorb moisture at cut edges and joints
• More prone to hairline cracking and edge chipping over time
• Paint can fade faster on south-facing walls in strong sun

How LP SmartSide responds:

• Engineered wood product treated with the SmartGuard® process
• Designed to resist moisture, fungal decay, and termites
• Has enough flexibility to move with the home instead of cracking
• Performs very well in Oklahoma’s mix of heat, cold, and storms

In day-to-day Tulsa weather, LP SmartSide tends to stay more stable and less brittle than fiber cement.

2. How they look on the house over time

Most people want siding that looks good the day it’s installed and still looks good years later.

On many older Hardie installs, we often see:

• Wavy walls where rigid boards highlight framing imperfections
• Small cracks around nail heads or corners
• Chipping at edges or ends
• Visible gaps at joints if they weren’t flashed perfectly

On LP SmartSide jobs, we tend to see:

• Straighter, cleaner lines
• Tighter joints and fewer visible seams
• More consistent appearance across the wall

If curb appeal and resale value are important, we lean toward LP SmartSide for a cleaner, more uniform finished look on most homes we work on.

3. Real installed pricing in the Tulsa market

Here’s how the actual installed costs break down in our area:

LP SmartSide is already more affordable than Hardie from a pure install standpoint. When you factor in long-term painting and maintenance, the gap widens even more — especially with the Diamond Kote option.

You can see our current siding pricing any time on our pricing list page.

4. Impact resistance and storm performance

Storms are part of life in Oklahoma. Hail and wind-blown debris are a real concern when choosing siding.

James Hardie:

• Very hard, but also very rigid and brittle
• Can crack or chip under direct hail impact
• More fragile during handling and installation

LP SmartSide:

• Engineered for excellent impact resistance
• Has a bit of flex, which helps absorb impact instead of fracturing
• Holds up very well in hail-prone neighborhoods around Tulsa

If you’re worried about hail damage — and most homeowners here are — LP SmartSide has a clear advantage.

5. Maintenance and installation differences

The way siding is installed and maintained has a huge impact on how long it lasts.

James Hardie requires:

• Very specific clearances from roofs, decks, and grade
• Exact joint flashing, caulking, and fastening details
• Respirators and special blades because of silica dust
• More labor time per square foot

LP SmartSide:

• Cuts with standard carpentry tools (no special blades required)
• Much lighter and easier to handle on the wall
• More forgiving if the framing isn’t perfect

In the field, LP SmartSide is quicker to install and easier to work with. That keeps labor costs down and reduces the chance of small installation mistakes turning into big problems later.

6. What is Diamond Kote and why consider it?

Diamond Kote is a factory-applied finish system that can be added to LP SmartSide. It takes everything good about LP SmartSide and gives it a major upgrade in the finish and color department.

Key benefits of Diamond Kote:

• 25-year no-fade warranty on the finish
• Pre-finished under factory conditions (not painted on site)
• Highly resistant to UV, chipping, peeling, and cracking
• No need to repaint due to fading over the warranty period

In a strong-sun market like Tulsa, Diamond Kote solves one of the biggest issues with any painted siding: color fading and repaint cycles.

7. Try out colors with the Diamond Kote Visualizer

One of the most common questions we get is, “What will this actually look like on my house?” Diamond Kote offers a helpful online Color Visualizer that lets you:

• Test Diamond Kote colors on sample home styles
• Upload a photo of your own home to preview different color combinations
• See how siding, trim, and accent colors work together before you commit

You can try it here: Diamond Kote Color Visualizer .

It’s a great way to get comfortable with bolder colors or subtle combinations before we ever order materials or schedule the install.

8. Diamond Kote vs repainting: long-term cost comparison

Here’s a simplified look at the 25-year cost of three setups we commonly see:

Option 1: Standard LP SmartSide (painted)

• Installed cost: $7.50 / sq ft
• Repaint cost: about $2–$4 / sq ft every 8–10 years
• Repaints over 25 years: usually twice (around years 10 and 20)

Total repaint cost over 25 years: roughly $4–$8 / sq ft.
25-year total: about $11.50–$15.50 / sq ft.

Option 2: LP SmartSide with Diamond Kote

• Installed cost: $11.50 / sq ft
• Repaint cost: $0 over 25 years (no repainting for fade)
• Finish warranty: 25-year no-fade

25-year total: about $11.50 / sq ft.

Option 3: James Hardie (painted)

• Installed cost: $8.50 / sq ft
• Repaint cost: similar to LP SmartSide, about $4–$8 / sq ft over 25 years

25-year total: about $12.50–$16.50 / sq ft.

Even though Diamond Kote has the highest upfront price, it often ends up being the lowest total cost option over 25 years — and your siding looks freshly painted the entire time.

9. Quick comparison: LP SmartSide vs Diamond Kote vs James Hardie

10. Which siding makes the most sense for you?

LP SmartSide is a great fit if you want:

• Lower upfront cost than James Hardie
• Faster installation and less disruption
• Good impact resistance and strong performance in storms
• A clean, modern look with fewer visible seams

LP SmartSide with Diamond Kote is ideal if you want:

• The lowest long-term cost of ownership over 20–25 years
• 25-year no-fade color performance
• Very little exterior maintenance or repainting
• Top-tier curb appeal and resale value

James Hardie can still make sense if:

• You specifically prefer fiber cement for personal reasons
• You’re in a situation where a particular fire rating is important

For most residential projects we look at in Tulsa and the surrounding communities, though, LP SmartSide — especially with Diamond Kote — comes out ahead on performance, appearance, and cost.

FAQ: LP SmartSide vs James Hardie in the Tulsa area

Is LP SmartSide really better than James Hardie here?

In our experience, yes for most homes. LP SmartSide handles our temperature swings and storms better, installs faster, and tends to cost less over time, especially when you factor in repaint cycles and the Diamond Kote option.

How do I know which option is right for my house?

We like to look at your existing siding, how exposed your home is to weather, your budget, and how long you plan to stay in the home. From there, we can lay out clear pros and cons of standard LP SmartSide, Diamond Kote, and James Hardie so you can decide what’s best.

Can you show me examples of LP SmartSide projects?

Yes. You can browse our siding gallery to see before and after photos from projects around Tulsa, Owasso, Collinsville, Broken Arrow, Bixby, and more.

Want us to price out LP SmartSide or Diamond Kote for your home?

If you’re comparing siding options and want real numbers for your home, we can put together straightforward pricing and talk through which solution makes the most sense.