Produced by Collins Products, LLC, TruWood Siding offers performance, character, and true curb appeal. Truwood is also marketed as a cost-effective way to provide your home the classic wooden look while giving it the protection offered by more modern materials.
To get started on your siding installation, contact your local siding pros for FREE ESTIMATES!
What Is TruWood Siding?
TruWood Siding is an engineered wood siding that’s designed to give your home a unique aesthetic. Installed on the outer walls, this siding is sustainable, attractive, and durable enough to deal with the elements.
Engineered wood is a composite product that combines several materials to create something more durable than standard wood.
In addition to sawdust and wood fibers, engineered wood can include wax, adhesives, and other chemicals designed to provide resistance to water and environmental toxins.
Did you know? Though TruWood Siding is a fairly recent product, Collins has been in business since 1855. Based in Oregon, the company focuses on providing quality sustainable products to customers.
With TruWood siding, you get a choice between several designs, including various types of lap and panel sidings. The company also offers cedar shake and shingle variants of its products, providing you with plenty of choices when it comes to home design.
See costs in your area
Start Here - Enter Your Zip Code
Types of TruWood Siding
Collins Products offers a wide range of siding styles under the TruWood brand. These include its Cottage Lap and Old Mill Panel siding, which are essentially the basic horizontal and vertical siding respectively.
The company also offers 0.5-inch self-aligning lap siding, along with the 0.5-inch Sure Lock siding, which locks together easily for DIY installations.
Its Channel Rustic siding provides a more weathered look, with the company’s Adobe panel siding offering an option for people who like the stucco aesthetic.
You can also go the premium route with its Old Mill panel siding, which comes closest to emulating the natural wood feel.
Collins’ Shingle and Cedar Shake sidings allow you to match your siding with your roof. Finally, the company also offers several types of designer sidings, though these land on the higher end of the price spectrum.
Top Features of TruWood Siding
TruWood Siding comes with several attractive features, including:
How Much Does TruWood Siding Cost?
See Costs in Your Area!
Start Here - Enter your zip
TruWood Siding varies in cost depending on the type you choose and the specific retailer you buy from. The product is currently available at Home Depot and Lowes, along with several other smaller sellers.
Generally speaking, you can expect to pay between $4.50 and $8.25 per square foot, including installation, for Truwood siding. For an average-sized home measuring 2,250 square feet, this amounts to between $10,125 and $18,652.50 for the material and installation.
This pricing compares favorably to standard wood siding.
With classic wood siding, you can expect your per square foot cost to increase by over 50%, with average prices, with installation, being between $7.50 and $13 per square foot.
As such, it’s possible that installing TruWood Sliding can cost half as much as installing traditional wood siding.
Stone siding costs even more.
You may pay up to $20 per square foot for the material. Add installation costs and installing stone siding may cost between $30 and $50 per square foot.
You can use our Siding Cost Calculator to estimate the cost of installing new siding.
The Pros of TruWood Siding
Several factors set TruWood Siding apart from its competitors in the engineered wood siding space.
Pro No. 1 – Extensive Warranty
Collins provides a 30-Year warranty for all of its TruWood Siding products. This warranty applies to the materials and factory workmanship, in addition to protecting buckling.
Collins defines buckling as anything more than a 0.25-inch deflection between studs that are installed at 16 inches on the center.
However, this warranty isn’t perfect.
It does not provide cover for any incidental or consequential damages arising from the installation of TruWood Siding.
As such, if your contractor damages another part of your home when fitting the siding, you can’t rely on the 30-Year warranty to cover the repair costs.
The warranty also does not cover damage caused by misuse, abuse, neglect, or any other user-related issues.
However, these are fairly standard terms for limited warranties, meaning you can expect to see them in warranties provided by other manufacturers.
Happily, you can also transfer this warranty to the new owner if you decide to sell your house. That means the warranty can act as a selling point.
Pro No. 2 – The Ecoguard System
With Ecoguard, Collins protects your TruWood Siding against many of the issues that could lead to its deterioration.
Ecoguard uses zinc borate in the siding manufacturing process, which protects the wood composite against rotting, mildew, and termite infestation.
Did you know? Zinc borate is a man-made chemical compound that is fire-resistant, non-toxic, and water-resistant. Made as a powder, it does not dissolve.
Zinc borate is used in several commercial applications, such as the creation of paint, adhesives, and polymers. Farmers may also use it to increase yields and protect their crops against pests.
Pro No. 3 – Relatively Low Cost
As mentioned, TruWood Siding provides a more cost-effective option for those who want the natural wood look without the large price tag. In many cases, the siding costs half as much as full wood siding.
It’s also far cheaper than many other materials, with only vinyl offering a less expensive option.
Importantly, these cost benefits don’t result in a weaker product. Even the basic TruWood range offers benefits when compared to standard wood.
Pro No. 4 – Tough Primer Protected by a Separate Warranty
In addition to the zinc borate that prevents rotting and mildew, all TruWood Siding comes factory-primed so it’s ready to resist the moisture and muck it’ll get exposed to outside your house.
You receive a choice of colors, meaning you’re not limited to a natural wood look.
The primer is also applied by Collins, allowing the company to ensure consistency in its finished product.
Most importantly, the primer is protected by a five-year warranty against factory defects. This warranty carries many of the same conditions as Collin’s standard 30-year warranty.
However, it provides additional protection if something goes wrong with the primer and the situation isn’t your fault.
Pro No. 5 – Straightforward Installation
If you have experience with woodworking, you may be able to install TruWood Siding yourself. The manufacturer states that you only need standard woodworking tools for the job, though this may not always be the case.
If you have to remove existing siding, you will likely require more tools and greater expertise. Still, the siding installs up to 40% faster than vinyl or cement siding.
The installation also does not produce any silica dust.
Silica dust is usually produced by cutting or manipulating materials that contain silica. Without proper protection, the particles can get trapped in your lungs, resulting in inflammation and tissue scarring.
At its worst, the dust can cause a condition called silicosis, which prevents your lungs from taking in as much oxygen as they should.
The condition leads to fatigue, coughing, chest pains, and shortness of breath. It also has no cure.
Thankfully, you don’t have to worry about Silica at all when installing TruWood Siding.
Pro No. 6 – Durability Combined With Sustainability
Collins uses an advanced formula that combines the zinc borate and wood products mentioned earlier with advanced waxes and binding materials.
The materials used have a Class C fire rating, meaning they’re capable of resisting light exposure to fire.
However, the engineered wood used for the siding is a flammable material that will ignite if exposed to moderate fire or higher.
Even so, TruWood Siding meets all requirements set out in the 2018 International Residential Code and 2018 International Building Code.
Collins achieves this durability while using sustainable materials. Engineered wood is made using the residual wood fibers that come from normal wood manufacturing.
The company can also use the product of wood recycling in its manufacturing process. The result is a product made using sustainable materials that carries certification from the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).
The Cons of TruWood Siding
A durable product made using sustainable materials, TruWood Siding is friendly to your bank account and creates an attractive look. However, it has some drawbacks to consider before you buy it.
Con No. 1 – Limited Availability
Unfortunately, TruWood Siding is not available throughout the entire United States. Instead, it’s only available in the following states:
Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wyoming.
These are predominantly western or central states, meaning those on the east coast don’t have easy access to TruWood Siding.
Con No. 2 – Longevity May Be an Issue
Engineered and composite wood siding are fairly new. As a result, it’s difficult to determine if they have the same longevity as wood, vinyl, or cement siding. Collins mitigates these concerns with its 30-year warranty.
However, it’s possible that you’ll face issues with fading, paint peeling, and cracks sooner than you would with other siding materials.
Did You Know? Several composite wood siding manufacturers faced class-action lawsuits recently for products installed during the 1980s and 1990s.
These lawsuits typically focused on moisture getting behind the paintwork, leading to the composite wood swelling and eventually crumbling away from the side of houses.
Many of these lawsuits were settled and engineered wood manufacturers typically take more care with their painting and protective measures today.
Con No. 3 – It’s Not a Natural Material
TruWood Siding does a good job of emulating the look and feel of natural wood.
However, it isn’t perfect.
It doesn’t offer the natural grain variation you get with wood, which some may believe leads to the siding having less character. Still, this drawback is a matter of personal taste.
While TruWood Siding provides a more uniform wooden look, that aesthetic may be appealing to those with prefer a little more structure to their house’s look. Unfortunately, those seeking a perfect copy of wood’s natural character may not find it here.
Con No. 4 – Binding Agents Aren’t Eco-Friendly
While the engineered wood is made using sustainable and eco-friendly materials, the binding agents used to bind the wood are not. They’re typically man-made chemicals, with the zinc borate mentioned earlier being an excellent example.
As such, engineered wood is not a perfectly sustainable product. While still more environmentally friendly than vinyl and similar man-made products, it still requires the use of chemicals that are not good for the environment.
Did you know? While vinyl is the least sustainable material from a production standpoint, it may be the most environmentally friendly when it comes to performance.
Vinyl is a better insulator than engineered wood, meaning it retains more of the heat in your home. It also requires less maintenance, with the best vinyl siding lasting for up to 50 years without any issues.
TruWood Siding vs LP SmartSide
TruWood Siding is far from the only engineered wood siding on the market. Some of its biggest competition comes from LP Corporation’s SmartSide product.
LP SmartSide stands out because of its vast array of color options. LP can offer so many colors because it ships its siding to pre-finishers, who apply colors based on the retailer’s preference.
While this isn’t perfect customizability, as you still need to find a retailer that offers the color you’re looking for, it does allow you to choose from more colors than TruWood’s more limited range.
Unfortunately for SmartSide, this finishing process also leads to inefficiencies. Furthermore, it gives retailers more control over the price they attach to the finished product, meaning SmartSide typically costs more money to buy and install than TruWood.
Expect to spend between $4.50 and $9.50 per square foot, creating a total cost of between $10,125 and $21,375 for a 2,250 square foot house.
LP makes up for this by offering a 50-year standard warranty, which is 20 years longer than the Collins warranty. However, this warranty operates on a sliding scale.
It covers 100% of any defects or damages for the first five years. After that, the percentage covered drops by 2.2% every year until the warranty’s end.
Beyond these issues, there’s little to choose between the two products. Both use wood materials, waxes, resins, and zinc borate to achieve a durable and moisture-resistant product.
Both also offer a wood-like finish for your home, though this comes without the natural grain you’d get from normal wood.
Ultimately, your choice hinges on whether you want a less expensive option or if you’re willing to pay more for the extra color options that LP SmartSide provides.
LP’s sliding scale warranty may also prove unattractive to those who are already wary about the longevity of engineered wood.
How Does TruWood Siding Compare to KWP Siding?
Cost is the main separating factor between TruWood Siding and KWP Siding. With KWP, you can expect per square foot prices to start from $8.50 per square foot and extend as high as $12 per square foot. This means a KWP installation may cost you twice as much as a TruWood installation.
Is it worth spending the extra money?
Possibly.
KWP Siding comes with a 50-year warranty against manufacturing defects, denting, cracking, and hail damage.
In addition to being longer than the TruWood warranty, KWP Siding’s warranty covers more potential issues. KWP also beats TruWood with its finish warranty, as the product comes with 25 years of cover instead of five.
However, KWP also operates a similar sliding scale to LP, meaning you only get 100% coverage for the first five years. After that, coverage declines by 2.22% each year.
Both products stand out on the sustainability front, though KDP may be the better choice because of its commitment to using 100% recycled wood products. They’re also both treated to resist rotting, cracking, and splitting.
Again, your choice may come down to the price. Though KDP offers a longer warranty, which also provides more coverage, it’s very similar to TruWood in terms of performance.
The extra protection may not be enough to justify spending several dollars more per square foot.
How Does the Lifespan of Engineered Wood Compare to Other Materials?
It’s a little too early to determine how well modern engineered wood stands the test of time. However, we can say that most other materials last at least as long as the warranties offered on the engineered wood.
Natural stone and brick veneer can last for about 100 years, with fiber cement siding having similar longevity.
Vinyl siding can last for 60 to 100 years, with aluminum having an approximate 30 to 40-year lifespan. Stucco also breaks the 50-year barrier, with some examples lasting for as long as 100 years.
Most of these options cost more than engineered wood siding. However, the questions surrounding the material’s longevity may cause you to seek other options if you’re looking for the most durable product.
How Much Does It Cost to Remove Siding?
The price for siding removal varies depending on the size of your home and the materials. Expect to pay between $0.20 and $1.00 per square foot for removal.
However, you may have to pay more if your siding contains asbestos. This dangerous material requires specific skills to remove safely.
Did you know? Asbestos fibers cause scarring of the lung tissue, which can lead to lung cancer and breathing conditions.
The material is also responsible for the development of mesothelioma, which is a cancer that affects the lung lining and the lower digestive tract. Mesothelioma is an exceptionally dangerous cancer with a mortality rate of nearly 93%.
You will likely have to pay these removal costs unless you’re building a brand-new home and can choose which siding to install without worrying about any existing siding.
Do I Need to Maintain TruWood Siding?
While TruWood Siding is a low-maintenance material, that does not mean it requires no maintenance at all.
You may have to reapply finishes and paints to ensure they don’t fade or begin cracking under exposure to the sun. It’s also worth using a pressure washer to get rid of dust and sediment build-up at least once per year.
You should also clean your gutters regularly to ensure they don’t overflow and cause moisture to fall onto your siding.
Is TruWood Siding the Right Choice for You?
When it comes to cost, TruWood Siding is ahead of many of its competitors in the engineered wood sector. It’s also more cost-effective than most other siding materials, with only vinyl and aluminum tending to cost less.
TruWood is durable, sustainable, and comes with a special coating to prevent many of the issues that impact traditional wood siding.
However, it’s not without its drawbacks. TruWood Siding has a shorter warranty than most of its competitors.
There are also question marks about engineered wood’s longevity that may lead to you seeking other options.
Still, if you’re willing to overlook these issues, TruWood Siding provides a strong and aesthetically pleasing addition to your home.
