Exterior cladding can often be a trade-off scenario. You get looks, or you get durability. Speed, or precision. A smooth installation, or a more premium finish. But for remodelers and contractors balancing homeowner expectations, labor shortages and tight schedules, trade-offs aren’t the ideal baseline.
Which is why composite cladding—done right—is gaining traction not just as an alternative to traditional siding materials, but as a smarter path forward.
Why Composite Cladding?
Let’s start by talking basics. Composite cladding typically combines polymer-based materials to create a weather-resistant, visually appealing exterior siding product. It’s designed to resist moisture, impact and UV damage, and many products on the market today do that well enough.
But what separates the good from the great often comes down to something far more practical: how it installs, how it performs once it’s up, and how it helps crews finish faster without compromising the result.
That’s where ASCEND® Composite Cladding from Associated Materials Innovations (AMI) stands out, and not just because of its technical specs. This is a system that was built with jobsite reality in mind.
Light, But Not on Substance
One of the first things installers notice about ASCEND is the weight—or rather, the lack of it. Compared to similar fiber cement or engineered wood cladding, ASCEND’s glass-reinforced polymer and graphite-infused polystyrene construction makes it simpler to handle, cut and lock planks into place in most cases. No specialty tools or respirator requirements.
That matters in a lot of ways. Less physical strain for crews. Faster setup. Easier training for newer installers. In a labor market that’s asking more of fewer people, those margins add up fast.
And once the product is in place, it stays there. ASCEND’s interlocking design resists water intrusion and wind uplift, while the material makeup helps guard against color fade, expansion and delamination issues that can plague some alternative materials.
Profiles That Actually Match the Vision
Aesthetics matter too, and composite cladding can be where good design goes to stall out. Too flat, too shiny or “not wood” enough. But that’s changed.
ASCEND’s 7″ Plank and 12″ Board & Batten profiles offer clean, authentic lines with low-gloss woodgrain texture and a color range that gives both designers and homeowners plenty to work with, from deep modern hues like Charcoal Smoke and Laguna Blue to warm classics like Monterey Sand and Ageless Slate.
The look is elevated, but it’s also practical. These planks are engineered to stay consistent over time by resisting the uneven weathering that can undermine a project’s long-term curb appeal.
Edge It. Trim It. Elevate Every Detail.
If planks are the showpiece, accessories are where the finish earns its stripes or falls short. That’s why AMI’s latest expansion of the ASCEND system is so important. ASCEND now includes a full line of color-matched accessories—5.5″ H-Trim, 3/4″ J-Channel, 3.5″ Outside Corner Post and 3.5″ and 5.5″ Lineal Trim—engineered with the same material platform and attention to jobsite efficiency.
There is no painting, caulking, sealing, or extra trips to the store. With extended lengths and fewer seams, these accessories stage and install cleanly. And they’re available in all 21 ASCEND colors, giving contractors and remodelers the flexibility to match exactly without jerry-rigging combinations from different sources.
Designed to Keep Crews Moving
Most cladding systems look great in a showroom. Fewer hold up in real-world installs where timelines shift, subs are stretched and not every project has picture-perfect conditions. The ASCEND system helps keep things moving because it was designed with finish-first efficiency in mind.
- No specialty tools required
- No multistep prep process
- Lightweight, easy-to-cut planks
- One-person-friendly handling for smaller jobs
A System That Sells
Of course, the sale doesn’t end when the contract’s signed. It ends when the customer sees the finished result, and even then, it’s really just the beginning. Because reviews and referrals hinge on how that exterior holds up in the months and years that follow.
That’s where composite cladding earns its keep. Less maintenance and more consistent performance across seasons and exposures. And when done right, like ASCEND’s approach, those benefits become visible in cleaner installs, better color retention and reduced risk of failure at seams or joints.
It also means contractors can position the system with confidence: not just as a short-term visual upgrade, but as a long-term solution that holds its value. And for extra peace of mind, ASCEND is backed by a limited lifetime warranty that’s also transferable.
Meeting the Moment
We’re in a moment where homeowners want it all: timeless design, modern durability, low upkeep and something that feels “finished.” Composite cladding, especially when paired with matching accessories, checks those boxes.
From a contractor’s perspective, the value proposition is equally strong: a full-system product line that installs clean, performs reliably, and doesn’t slow you down. Because every installer knows the pain of misaligned materials, weather delays, short staffing and last-minute changes. The best systems don’t eliminate those challenges, but they do make them easier to work through.