SIDING

Siding in Minnesota and Wisconsin

Siding here has to survive a hundred-degree temperature swing across the year, wind-driven rain, ice, and the same hail that takes out roofs. Most siding failures in this region are not the product giving up. They are water getting behind it, or a material that was never rated for this climate.

The four materials we install, and who each is for

LP SmartSide (engineered wood)

Treated engineered wood strand substrate with a resin-saturated overlay. It looks like real wood, takes paint properly, and holds a nail far better than fibre cement or vinyl, which matters in wind. It is also considerably more impact resistant than vinyl, which matters in hail. ExpertFinish comes prefinished from the factory in a range of colours. We hold LP SmartSide Preferred Contractor status.

James Hardie (fibre cement)

Cement, sand and cellulose. It will not burn, insects do not touch it, and the ColorPlus factory finish is genuinely durable. Hardie makes a specific product blend for northern climates designed for freeze-thaw and wet conditions — that HZ5 designation is the one you want here, and it is worth confirming that a quote specifies it. Heavy, brittle before it is fastened, and unforgiving of bad cuts, so installation quality shows.

Steel siding

The most impact-resistant option on this list. Steel does not crack, does not burn, does not fade quickly, and shrugs off hail that would hole vinyl. It dents under a big enough stone, which puts it in the same cosmetic-versus-functional conversation as a metal roof. For exposed sites and hail-prone neighbourhoods, it is underused here.

Vinyl siding

Inexpensive, low maintenance, and available in insulated versions that add real R-value. The honest limitation is cold: vinyl gets brittle at low temperature, and hail on a January-cold wall cracks it. Insulated vinyl handles impact considerably better than hollow-back panel.

What actually goes wrong with siding here

• No drainage plane. Siding is a rain screen, not a seal. Water gets behind every cladding. What keeps a wall sound is a properly lapped house wrap and a path for that water to get back out. Siding installed straight onto sheathing traps it.

• Flashing at penetrations. Windows, doors, decks and hose bibs are where walls rot. Head flashing above windows and correct integration with the wrap is the whole game, and it is invisible once the siding is on.

• Fastening. Vinyl has to hang loose so it can move; nailed tight, it buckles in July and pulls in January. Fibre cement has blind-nail and face-nail specifications that differ by product.

• Cut edges. Field-cut fibre cement and engineered wood have to be sealed. Unsealed cut ends wick water and swell.

Hail and siding claims

Siding damage is the part of a storm claim that most often gets missed, because everyone is looking at the roof. Hail cracks vinyl, dents steel and aluminium, and chips the finish on fibre cement. Wind-driven hail hits the elevation it came from, so damage is usually on one or two sides of the house — which is exactly why matching becomes the argument.

If a discontinued colour or profile cannot be matched, replacing one elevation leaves a visibly two-tone house. That is a documented, arguable position rather than an opinion, and it is worth making properly. We inspect all four elevations, not just the one that is obviously hit. See how roof and siding insurance claims work in Minnesota and Wisconsin and storm restoration.

Common questions about siding

Which siding is best for Minnesota and Wisconsin?

For most homes, engineered wood or fibre cement rated for northern climates. For maximum hail and impact resistance, steel. For the lowest cost, insulated vinyl rather than hollow-back.

Can new siding go over the old?

Sometimes, and we generally advise against it. Going over hides whatever is happening to the sheathing and the wrap underneath, and those are the parts that fail.

Will insurance cover siding damage from hail?

If it is functionally damaged, generally yes. Cosmetic-only damage depends on your policy, and some carriers exclude it for metal specifically. Matching is usually the deciding issue.

Do you do siding outside the Twin Cities?

Yes. Twin Cities · Madison and Dane County · Eau Claire.

Related: windows, gutters, custom sheet metal, painting, and roofing.Siding materials in detail

Each material has its own page with the warranty terms, how it behaves under hail, and how the claim is documented:

• LP SmartSide engineered wood — warranted against hail to 1.75 inches

• James Hardie fibre cement — HZ5 climate-engineered, noncombustible

• Steel siding — 50-year hail protection warranty, made in Hopkins, MN

• Vinyl siding — the budget option, and what to watch for