Crew member cutting siding beside a wall covered in house wrap during a siding install

LP SmartSide and vinyl

Siding Installation and Repair in Des Moines

Faded, cracked or hail-beaten siding lets water in and drags a house down. We install LP SmartSide and vinyl siding, repair damaged sections, and finish soffit, fascia and trim so the whole outside works together.

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Siding

Siding, Start to Finish

Siding is the raincoat on your house. When it cracks, warps, fades or takes a beating from hail, water starts getting behind it, into the sheathing and around the windows. The trouble spots tend to be the same on most Des Moines houses: the bottom courses near the ground, the walls that face the storms, the area under a gutter that has overflowed for years, and the trim around windows and doors. A small soft spot can hide a much bigger rot problem behind it.

Flow Right installs LP SmartSide engineered wood siding and trim, vinyl siding including Alside, cultured stone accents, and aluminum and vinyl soffit and fascia. On a full re-side, we strip the old siding, look at the sheathing, wrap the walls in house wrap, flash around openings and hang new siding with the right gaps for Iowa temperature swings. On a repair, we cut out the damaged area and blend in new pieces as closely as we can.

You end up with walls that shed water, trim that is tight around windows and doors, and a house that looks cared for. Because we also do gutters, we make sure the new siding works with the gutters, downspouts and fascia, which is where a lot of water damage starts. Luke walks the house with you, talks through materials and colors, and gives you a free written estimate.

Tall gable wall finished in new white vinyl siding under a clear sky

What you get

What our siding work includes

LP SmartSide lap siding and trim
Vinyl siding, including Alside
Old siding removal and sheathing check
House wrap and flashing tape at openings
Siding repair and storm damage patches
Soffit, fascia and cultured stone accents

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LP SmartSide vs. vinyl

Most siding jobs come down to these two. Vinyl is light, never needs paint, and comes in many colors and profiles. It moves with temperature, and Angi notes it can become brittle and crack in extreme cold, so installers leave wider gaps when hanging it below 40 degrees. LP SmartSide is engineered wood: a treated wood-strand board that cuts and nails much like wood, holds a deep shadow line on the lap and can be painted. It costs more than vinyl. Our LP SmartSide vs. vinyl guide compares them side by side.

Siding repair after hail and wind

Central Iowa sees a lot of hail. Spotter reports compiled by StormerSite list 2.25 inch hail in Ankeny and 1.75 inch hail in Bondurant on September 8, 2026. Hail can crack vinyl, dent and chip trim, and punch holes on the storm side of a house, while straight-line winds can peel panels right off. We can look at the damage and give you a written estimate you can use. You handle the insurance claim, since Iowa law keeps contractors out of that. Our hail damage guide covers what to check.

What goes behind the siding

The part you never see does most of the work. Under new siding we install house wrap over the sheathing, tape the seams, and use flashing tape around windows and doors so any water that gets past the siding drains out instead of into the wall. J-channel and trim are cut and lapped so they shed water downhill. As the old siding comes off, we look at the sheathing and replace soft or rotted spots. Small details at the bottom edge, along roof lines and behind gutters keep water out for the long haul.

Soffit, fascia and cultured stone

Siding is only part of the shell. Soffit covers the underside of the eaves, and vented aluminum or vinyl soffit lets the attic breathe while keeping birds and bugs out. The fascia board holds your gutters, so we replace or wrap it when it has gone soft. For a stronger base or an entry accent, cultured stone adds texture along a foundation wall or around porch columns. Doing soffit, fascia, siding and gutters in one project means one crew owns how water moves across the whole outside of your home.

On the job

Siding, Up Close

Real photos from Flow Right jobs. See more of our work.

Tall sage green sided wall with white trim and a ladder against it — Green lap siding, white trim

Close view of straight gray vinyl siding laps — Straight, even laps

White vented soffit and fascia running along a roof edge under a blue sky — Vented soffit and fascia

Questions

Siding Questions

Not seeing yours? Call or text (515) 901-3646 and ask Luke.

Guides

Luke and Jaxx of Flow Right Construction with Larry the shop dog in Jaxx's arms

Who shows up

Luke, Jaxx & Larry

A family business, third generation. Luke runs every estimate himself and Jaxx works the jobs with him. Larry, the shop dog, mostly supervises.

Meet the family

Is LP SmartSide or vinyl siding a better fit for Iowa weather?

Both are used on plenty of Iowa homes. Vinyl never needs paint and costs less, but it moves with temperature and can get brittle in extreme cold. LP SmartSide is engineered wood that cuts like wood, can be painted and has a deeper lap profile, at a higher cost. Luke will talk through looks, upkeep and budget for your house.

Can you repair a few damaged siding panels instead of re-siding the house?

Often, yes. If the damage is limited to one wall or a few panels, we cut out the bad pieces and blend in new ones. The catch is matching: older siding profiles and colors may be discontinued, and sun-faded siding will not match new panels exactly. Luke will tell you how close a match is likely before you decide.

Do I need a permit to replace siding in Des Moines?

Check with the city before work starts. The City of Des Moines minor repair policy lists re-siding as exempt only under certain conditions, such as no work on wall sheathing or framing, and the work still has to meet code. Suburbs set their own rules. Luke can talk through what we know about your city at the estimate.

Why is my siding rotting or stained under the gutters?

Overflowing or leaking gutters are a common moisture source for siding. When water spills over the front or runs behind the gutter, it soaks the fascia and runs down the wall, and wood trim and siding below can rot. We look at the gutters and the siding together, so the fix stops the water and not just the stain.

Who are the siding contractors near me in Des Moines?

Flow Right is a family-owned exterior contractor based in Mitchellville, working across Des Moines and Central Iowa on siding, gutters, windows and doors. Luke runs every estimate himself. See our page on siding in Des Moines, or call or text (515) 901-3646 to set up a free estimate.

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