Dark LP SmartSide Colors: ExpertFinish Options vs. Field-Painting a Custom Shade
Dark siding is no longer limited to charcoal gray. Minnesota homeowners are asking for black exteriors, deep slate tones, and custom colors such as dark forest green, and one of the first questions is whether LP SmartSide already offers the color or whether primed siding has to be painted after installation.
With LP SmartSide, both approaches are possible. LP offers several dark factory-finished options through its ExpertFinish lineup: three dark solid colors and two dark tones in the Naturals Collection. LP also sells primed SmartSide siding specifically for homeowners who want a color outside the factory palette. The better option depends on how exact your color target is, how much you value a factory-applied finish, and how you want future maintenance handled.
Northern Exteriors installs LP SmartSide throughout Cottage Grove, Woodbury and the Twin Cities and is an LP Remodelers Edge member. If you are still narrowing the whole palette, start with our guide to all 22 LP SmartSide ExpertFinish colors for 2026. This post is for homeowners who already know they want dark.
Which dark LP ExpertFinish colors are available now?
LP’s current ExpertFinish core collection includes Cavern Steel, Midnight Shadow and Abyss Black. Its Naturals Collection adds Smoky Slate and Bonsai Black. These five give homeowners a useful range before moving into a fully custom field-painted color.
| LP color | Collection | General appearance | Trim direction to consider |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abyss Black | ExpertFinish core | True near-black, high contrast | Crisp white, warm off-white, light stone |
| Midnight Shadow | ExpertFinish core | Deep charcoal, softer than pure black | White, warm beige, muted gray |
| Cavern Steel | ExpertFinish core | Dark steel-gray with cool undertones | White, black, or a warmer neutral |
| Smoky Slate | ExpertFinish Naturals | Weathered dark gray with a natural, wood-like character | Black, soft white, or wood-toned accents |
| Bonsai Black | ExpertFinish Naturals | Very dark, stained-wood-inspired appearance | Warm neutral, black, or restrained white trim |
The trim pairings are our design suggestions, not LP-required combinations. Color appearance changes significantly with roof color, stone, brick, windows and sunlight, and exact availability can vary by profile, texture and distributor, so confirm the color for your specific order. If you are considering a dark exterior in Woodbury, see our Woodbury siding page.
Abyss Black
The strongest choice if the goal is an unmistakably black exterior. It works particularly well when the architecture already has clean lines and limited competing colors: white trim creates a sharp contrast; warm stone and natural wood soften it. Against Minnesota snow, black siding creates a dramatic seasonal contrast. That can look excellent, but black also makes dust, dried water marks and pollen easier to notice than many mid-tone colors.
Midnight Shadow
Much of the depth of black without reading quite as starkly. For homes with black windows, dark roofs or mixed masonry, that slight separation keeps the exterior from blending into one flat dark mass. It is a common landing spot for homeowners who start by asking for “black siding” and decide, after seeing a rendering, that a dark charcoal works better on the whole house.
Cavern Steel
Closer to a deep steel gray. It bridges the gap between contemporary black siding and the lighter gray exteriors common throughout the Twin Cities. On a home with substantial white trim, it provides contrast without going completely black.
Smoky Slate and Bonsai Black
LP’s Naturals Collection is designed to create a stained-wood appearance rather than a flat solid color. That matters when comparing samples: a homeowner who likes Bonsai Black online may be responding to its tonal character, not simply how dark it is. Always evaluate a physical sample and, ideally, a rendering of the entire house.
What if you want dark forest green?
This is where primed LP SmartSide becomes useful. LP’s current palette includes Garden Sage, but it does not list a dark forest green among the ExpertFinish or Naturals colors, and LP presents primed SmartSide as the option when the factory palette does not contain the desired color. A homeowner wanting a very specific dark green, blue-black, deep brown or historic color does not have to abandon LP SmartSide; the siding is ordered primed and finished with an exterior paint system.
LP’s application instructions call for a high-quality 100% acrylic exterior paint formulated for wood and engineered-wood substrates, applied according to its instructions. So a “custom LP SmartSide color” usually means:
- Install primed LP SmartSide.
- Select the exact exterior paint color.
- Prepare and finish the siding according to LP and paint-manufacturer requirements.
- Maintain that field-applied coating over the life of the siding.
It is not the same finish system as ExpertFinish.
ExpertFinish vs. field-painted LP SmartSide
The biggest practical difference is not color selection. It is where and how the coating is applied. ExpertFinish arrives with LP’s factory-applied finish and carries LP’s separate limited finish warranty. Field-painted LP SmartSide starts with LP’s primed substrate, but the final color coating is applied on site.
| Factor | ExpertFinish | Primed + field paint |
|---|---|---|
| Color choice | Limited to LP’s current palette | Much broader custom-color choice |
| Finish location | Factory applied | Applied after installation |
| Color consistency | Factory controlled | Depends on paint, prep and application |
| Exact custom forest green | Only if LP adds a matching color | Yes, with an appropriate coating |
| LP finish warranty | 15-year limited finish warranty | No factory-finish coverage; paint manufacturer’s terms apply |
| Future repainting | Based on the condition of the factory finish | Based on the condition of the field-applied paint |
What happens to the warranty if LP SmartSide is field-painted?
LP’s ExpertFinish limited warranty provides a 15-year limited warranty on the factory finish, subject to its terms and exclusions. The substrate carries separate, longer-term coverage. LP’s technical guidance also answers the follow-up question: if ExpertFinish siding is later repainted, the substrate limited warranty can remain in effect, but the 15-year finish warranty no longer applies after repainting.
Primed LP SmartSide is different. LP publishes a prorated substrate limited warranty for qualifying SmartSide products, provided they are installed, finished and maintained to LP’s requirements. The field-applied paint itself is evaluated under the coating manufacturer’s requirements and warranty, not LP’s factory-finish warranty. That does not make field painting a bad option; it means factory finish and custom field paint are two different finishing systems, and you should know which one you are buying.
Do dark colors fade faster in Minnesota?
Sun exposure matters more than the fact that the siding is in Minnesota. Paint manufacturers note that exterior coatings gradually lose color integrity and that fading is most noticeable on intense, sunny exposures, and that some blue and green pigments fade more readily than brown and yellow-oxide colors. That is especially relevant if the dream color is a saturated dark forest green: a premium exterior acrylic with strong UV and color-retention properties matters more on that custom finish than on a muted neutral.
South- and west-facing elevations take more solar load than shaded north walls. The same dark color can look cooler, flatter or slightly darker on a north elevation because it is seen in indirect light. That is one reason we recommend seeing your actual home in the color rather than choosing from a small screen swatch. For more on how finish and exposure affect maintenance, see how often LP SmartSide needs repainting in Minnesota.
Factory dark color or custom field paint: which makes more sense?
Choose ExpertFinish when one of LP’s existing dark colors already fits the house, factory color consistency matters to you, you want LP’s factory-finish warranty, or you would rather not add a field-paint operation just to reach a slightly different shade.
Choose primed LP SmartSide with field paint when you have a very specific architectural color in mind, you want a dark forest green or another shade outside LP’s palette, matching an existing element matters more than staying in the factory palette, or you are comfortable maintaining a premium exterior paint system over time.
For homeowners who already like Abyss Black, Midnight Shadow or Cavern Steel, moving to custom field paint adds complexity without much visual benefit. For someone who has spent months looking for one particular forest green, forcing a factory gray onto the house just to avoid field painting makes even less sense. If budget is part of the decision, see our siding financing options, or compare products on our Twin Cities siding page.
FAQs about dark LP SmartSide colors
Does LP SmartSide come in black?
Yes. LP currently lists Abyss Black in its core ExpertFinish palette and Bonsai Black in its Naturals Collection. Midnight Shadow is the near-black charcoal option.
Does LP make a dark forest green ExpertFinish color?
LP’s current published palette does not show a dark forest green (Garden Sage is the green option). Primed LP SmartSide can be finished in a custom exterior paint color when the factory palette does not provide the shade you want.
Can you repaint ExpertFinish siding later?
Yes. LP publishes repainting guidance for ExpertFinish. Repainting does not automatically end the substrate limited warranty, but LP’s separate 15-year factory-finish warranty no longer applies after the product is repainted.
Is field-painted LP SmartSide covered by the same finish warranty?
No. The ExpertFinish finish warranty applies only to LP’s factory finish. Primed SmartSide has its own substrate warranty requirements, and the field-applied coating is covered under the paint manufacturer’s terms.
Should I choose a dark siding color from a computer screen?
No. Online colors help narrow the list, but exterior color changes with sunlight, shade, roof color, masonry and landscaping. Use physical samples and a rendering of the complete house before making the final decision.
See the dark colors on your own home
Northern Exteriors is a Cottage Grove siding contractor and LP Remodelers Edge member serving homeowners across the Twin Cities. We offer a free color consultation and a free 3D rendering of your actual house, so you can compare ExpertFinish dark colors with a custom field-painted option before ordering siding. Call or text 651-230-5103 or request a free siding estimate.
