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Guarantees and Indemnifications | 6 Months Ended
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Jun. 30, 2011
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] |
Guarantees and Indemnifications | GUARANTEES AND INDEMNIFICATIONS LP is a party to contracts in which LP agrees to indemnify third parties for certain liabilities that arise out of or relate to the subject matter of the contract. In some cases, this indemnity extends to liabilities arising out of the negligence of the indemnified parties, but usually excludes any liabilities caused by gross negligence or willful misconduct of the indemnified parties. LP cannot estimate the potential amount of future payments under these agreements until events arise that would trigger the liability. See Note 21 of the Notes to the financial statements included in LP’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010 for further discussion of LP’s guarantees and indemnifications. During the first quarter of 2011, LP provided a guarantee on behalf of one of its joint ventures to the joint venture bank lender of $1.5 million. Additionally, LP provides warranties on the sale of most of its products and records an accrual for estimated future claims. Such accruals are based upon historical experience and management’s estimate of the level of future claims. The activity in warranty reserves for the second quarter and first six months of 2011 and 2010 are summarized in the following table:
| Quarter Ended June 30, |  | Six Months Ended June 30,
Dollar amounts in millions | 2011 |  | 2010 |  | 2011 |  | 2010
Beginning balance | $ | 28.3 |  |  | $ | 31.9 |  |  | $ | 29.5 |  |  | $ | 32.9 |
Accrued to expense | 3.8 |  |  | 2.0 |  |  | 4.9 |  |  | 3.1 |
Payments made | (1.5 | ) |  | (3.3 | ) |  | (3.8 | ) |  | (5.4 | )
Total warranty reserves | 30.6 |  |  | 30.6 |  |  | 30.6 |  |  | 30.6 |
Current portion of warranty reserves | (10.0 | ) |  | (10.0 | ) |  | (10.0 | ) |  | (10.0 | )
Long-term portion of warranty reserves | $ | 20.6 |  |  | $ | 20.6 |  |  | $ | 20.6 |  |  | $ | 20.6 |
During the second quarter of 2011, LP increased the warranty reserves related to discontinued composite decking products by $3.8 million. The additional reserves reflect revised estimates of future claim payments based upon an increase in decking warranty claims related to a specific operation and specific time period. LP continues to monitor warranty and other claims associated with these products and believes as of June 30, 2011 that the reserves associated with these matters are adequate. The current portion of the warranty reserve is included in the caption “Accounts payable and accrued liabilities” and the long-term portion is included in the caption “Other long-term liabilities” on LP’s Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.

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