Teton Valley isn’t gentle on materials. We see wild weather swings—summer highs regularly push into the 90s, while winter lows can drop to -40°F. Homes in Victor and Driggs sit at around 6,000 feet in elevation, where high-altitude sun exposure is intense, winds whip through at 40+ mph, and snow can linger on the ground for over half the year. That kind of abuse will destroy siding that isn’t built or installed right. Between the freeze-thaw cycles, high UV, and snowpack pressures, you need to know your material—and your installer.

That’s why we don’t just pick what’s popular. We weigh cost, design intent, exposure, and maintenance realities to guide clients to smart, site-specific choices. This isn’t about favorites—it’s about finding what works best for your home, and your goals.

So when we talk about siding, we’re not just picking materials off a shelf. We’re looking at what stands up to the real-world abuse a mountain home takes, and how each choice plays out long term in a place like Victor, Driggs, Tetonia, or Alta.

When you’re building in Teton Valley—whether it’s Victor, Driggs, Tetonia, or Alta—you don’t just choose siding based on style. You choose it based on survival. Long winters, snowdrifts, blazing sun, and massive freeze-thaw swings will chew up anything that isn’t built for it. So here’s how we think about siding at Timberhouse Construction, and what we actually install.

LP SmartSide: Cost-Effective and Reliable

LP SmartSide is probably what we install the most, and for good reason. It’s a cost-effective option that performs well when detailed correctly. It’s engineered wood—strong, paint-friendly, and surprisingly durable through our long winters. We like it because it delivers solid value without compromising on performance, especially for full-home applications.

The key is in the install. If flashing and spacing are dialed, it holds up great. But if it’s rushed or skipped over, it can run into moisture issues. This is true for almost any siding—LP is just less forgiving than some materials when installed poorly.—and there are a lot of corners we’ve seen cut. We do it right, or we don’t do it.

Best for: Clients who want a clean look, painted finish, and a cost-effective option that won’t fall apart if installed properly.

Wood Siding: Beautiful but Brutal in This Climate

Max will be the first to say it—wood siding is his favorite look. Real wood brings a warmth and timelessness that no other material can match. But not all wood is created equal.

A lot of the wood siding we see here—especially horizontal lap siding—just doesn’t last. Snow sits against it, the sun destroys stain faster than you think, and if it’s not maintained, it’ll start to fail in a few short seasons. We’ve replaced too much of it to recommend it casually.

Best for: Homeowners who are fully committed to regular maintenance, or small areas of accent siding where it won’t get hammered by snow or sun.

What we install: Only high-quality species like cedar or fir, detailed carefully with overhangs, flashing, and clearance from snow-prone areas.

Vertical Metal Board & Batten: Durable, Clean, and Built for the Long Haul

Vertical metal siding—especially board-and-batten style—is quickly becoming a go-to for us. It holds up extremely well to the elements, sheds snow, resists pests, and doesn’t rot. It’s clean, modern, and it lasts.

We like it best on homes that need to take a beating from the weather without looking like they’ve been through it. Metal also works well in mixed-material projects, paired with wood or stone for texture.

Best for: Modern mountain homes, homes at higher elevation or on exposed sites, or anyone who wants low-maintenance performance.

What to watch: Expansion and oil-canning. We float it correctly and fasten with the right hardware to avoid that ripple effect you see on cheap installs.

Mixing Materials for the Best Look + Function

Some of our favorite builds combine more than one material. A base of vertical metal siding with wood accents, or LP SmartSide with custom timber details, can give you both durability and warmth. If a client’s heart is set on wood, we may recommend keeping it higher up the wall or protected under a big overhang.

But mixing materials isn’t just about looks—it raises the bar on detailing. Transitions between LP and metal, for example, require careful flashing to keep water out and avoid movement issues between different expansion rates. The same goes for blending materials like stone, which can trap moisture at the base of a wall if not properly drained. If you’re wrapping the base of your home in a stone wainscot or using stone pillars on a porch, we have to plan water management and backing systems accordingly.

Mixing siding types also changes how we think about drainage, backing, and even framing alignment. We might recommend rainscreen assemblies behind certain walls and breathable barriers behind others—especially if one side of the house gets pounded by prevailing winds or holds snowpack for months.

It’s not just: “do you want metal or wood or stone?” It’s: “where should we use each, and what are the details that keep it from failing later?”

That’s the kind of detail work we bring to every job—not because it’s flashy, but because it’s the difference between siding that looks good for five years and siding that still holds strong after fifteen.

Good design isn’t just about the material—it’s about knowing where, how, and why to use it, and then detailing it to last in Teton Valley conditions.

Bottom Line: Performance First

We don’t have one favorite material—we have favorite outcomes. The right siding depends on your exposure, layout, roof overhangs, and how much maintenance you’re willing to take on. But we’ll always lean toward what lasts, and we’ll always install it the right way.

No shortcuts. No second-guessing. Just smart material selection and craftsmanship that shows up ten years down the line.