How-To Apply Siding to Your Tiny House (with LP SmartSide)

There are a number of different ways to side your tiny house. Perhaps the most “traditional” (if we can even use such a word when referring to tiny houses) is the cedar clapboard made popular by Tumbleweed Tiny Houses. But lately new materials have been popping up and making a beautiful showing including vinyl siding as seen on Austin Tiny House and the TruWood product seen on the Clothesline Tiny Homes primary design.

Very early on in our dreaming/designing stages we knew that weight was going to be a concern of ours. It should be a concern for every tiny house trailer builder. So we immediately began researching low weight solutions. We at first believe that we would have to have a layer of sheathing around our frame and then put on our siding choice. But as we continued to research things like pole barns, livestock barns, sheds, Amish constructs, etc. we realized this didn’t have to be the case. We landed upon a product for non-residential structures. The intent for a product like is that the product is most suited for small structures like sheds and micro-offices….not homes. But then again, most folks don’t choose to live in a home that is about the same square feet as a shed! And thus began our pursuit and eventual partnership with LP Building Products.

LP Building Products is a leading manufacturer of high quality building materials. Builders and homeowners use our products primarily in new construction, repair and remodeling, and manufactured housing. LP products are sold through distributors, dealers, professional lumberyards, and retail home centers. We were fortunate enough to work with a team in their Nashville headquarters.

Since our initial consultation with LP we felt LP SmartSide with Silvertech (7/16″ 8″ o.c. wood grain texture exterior 4′x8′ sheets) would be most suited for our home. We have not been disappointed. With its natural warmth and beauty of traditional wood as well as a deep cedar pattern and wood grain texture, the SmartSide has allowed us to have an old country/aged cottage look on our tiny house. We couldn’t be happier. For those wondering how SmartSide compares to other similar looking products such as Masonite or T1-11 I encourage you to revisit this post.

In terms of sustainability (which is hugely important to us and many in the tiny house community) I point you to LP’s own sustainability report which outlines the economic, social, and environmental actions made by LP.

And now I invite you to sit back and watch as I attempt to share with you just how to apply siding to your tiny house! You can also see photos of our siding application here.

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