Help with siding

[Mike Lamb]

Would you describe this siding as OSB? What is it called? Is there installation instructions? Year 1998. Thanks.

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[Jim Katen]

Looks like LP Inner Seal lap siding. Do you have any more pictures of it?

[Mike Lamb]

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[Mike Lamb]

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[Mike Lamb]

https://www.inspectorsjournal.com/forum ... IC_ID=9617

Thanks, Jim. It looks like alot of this has been hashed over before. I did not see any knots to ID it as LP Inner Seal so maybe it is Smart Lap. For the most part the siding was in good shape but this is just one townhome in a very large sub-division.

I Googled that there is an applicable lawsuit if this stuff is LP Inner Seal and was installed before Oct 22, 1997.

[Scottpat]

I thought the class actions suits were over with LP....

[Mike Lamb]

Scott, after more reading, I think you are right. It looks like you can no longer file suit after 2003.

Warranties may still apply.

[Mike Lamb]

Would "waferboard," be an accurate description of this siding?

[Robert Jones]

"Louisiana Pacific" or "LP" (Inner Seal) Siding is installed on the exterior of this home. Composite wood sidings are made from various combinations of wood veneers, fibers or flakes, bound together with glues, resins, and/or waxes. They come with different names, LP siding, T1-11, Plywood, oriented strand board (OSB), and hardboard are basic engineered wood siding materials.

[Robert Jones]

I see LP siding regularly around here. The LP lawsuit era was between 1989-1996 with final payouts in 2002. Do you have a hi res pic of the one from a distance? If you do, send it to me via e-mail and I might be able to give you a more positive ID. Either way, it's blown and will need to be replaced.

[Jim Katen]

https://www.inspectorsjournal.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=9617

Thanks, Jim. It looks like alot of this has been hashed over before. I did not see any knots to ID it as LP Inner Seal so maybe it is Smart Lap. For the most part the siding was in good shape but this is just one townhome in a very large sub-division.

I Googled that there is an applicable lawsuit if this stuff is LP Inner Seal and was installed before Oct 22, 1997.

It's definitely OSB siding, and most likely first generation LP Inner Seal. It is most certainly not Smart Lap - that product has a beveled lower edge.

Doesn't really matter though. The product has failed. It'll never get any better, only worse. The house should be resided and the budget should include a little bit extra for damage to the sheathing and framing that might not be visible right now.