Can You Use ASCEND as an Accent Instead of Siding the Entire House?

Yes.

ASCEND® Composite Cladding does not have to cover every wall of a home to make an impact.

In many projects, using ASCEND Composite Cladding selectively on architectural features can create a premium exterior while allowing the homeowner to use another siding product across the rest of the house.

ASCEND is specifically designed around profiles, colors and accessories that give contractors flexibility to combine cladding elements rather than approach every project as one uniform wall system. The manufacturer currently offers horizontal plank and 12" Board & Batten profiles, along with compatible trim and accessories for integrated exterior design.

At Suburban Wholesale & Supply, we encourage contractors to think about ASCEND accents strategically. The question should not simply be, "Can we put ASCEND here?" The better question is, "Where will ASCEND make the biggest visual difference?"

ASCEND Does Not Have to Be an All-or-Nothing Decision

Some homeowners love the appearance of ASCEND but may not want to use a premium cladding system across the entire house.

That does not automatically remove ASCEND from the project.

Instead, ask whether the product could be used in a smaller area where it creates a strong architectural impact.

That may include:

• Front-facing gables
• Entry areas
• Garage projections
• Dormers
• Porch walls
• Second-story sections
• Bump-outs
• Other prominent architectural features

A concentrated premium accent can sometimes provide more visual value than spreading another design element across the entire exterior.

Start With the Front Elevation

If the homeowner is considering an ASCEND accent, begin with the part of the house they and their visitors see most often.

In many cases, that is the front elevation.

Look for one or two areas where changing the cladding profile could immediately change the architecture.

The goal is not to put ASCEND everywhere. The goal is to place it where the eye naturally goes.

ASCEND Board & Batten Makes a Strong Gable Accent

One of the most natural accent applications is ASCEND 12" Board & Batten in a front-facing gable.

The vertical lines complement the shape of the roof peak and create a clear contrast with horizontal siding below.

A simple homeowner presentation could be:

"We can keep your primary siding across the main walls and use ASCEND Board & Batten in this gable to give the front of the house more architectural character."

Then show the homeowner a visualization rather than asking them to imagine the result.

Use ASCEND Around the Entry

The entry is another high-value location for a premium accent.

Homeowners already tend to focus design attention on the front door, lighting, columns and porch area.

Adding ASCEND to that section can help make the entrance feel more deliberate.

Consider combining it with:

• A contrasting entry door
• Wide exterior trim
• Stone or masonry
• Decorative lighting
• Columns
• Porch details

Now the ASCEND accent becomes part of a complete entry design rather than a random material change.

Consider the Garage

On many homes, the garage occupies a significant portion of the front elevation.

If the garage projects forward from the rest of the house, it may already function as a separate architectural mass.

Using ASCEND on the garage section can visually separate it from the primary structure while still creating a coordinated exterior.

This can be especially effective when the garage has its own roofline or gable.

ASCEND Plank Can Be an Accent Too

Contractors often think of Board & Batten first when discussing accents.

But ASCEND horizontal plank can also be used to distinguish a section of the home.

For example, a homeowner may use another primary siding material across most of the house and introduce ASCEND 7" Plank on:

• A porch wall
• A prominent front section
• A garage
• An entry projection
• A second-story feature

The wider plank scale and premium appearance can help visually distinguish that portion of the exterior.

Accent Areas Should Follow the Architecture

This is the most important design rule.

Do not stop one cladding product and start another in the middle of a wall simply because you want to add ASCEND.

Look for natural architectural boundaries such as:

• Inside or outside corners
• Rooflines
• Gable transitions
• Porch roofs
• Wall projections
• Second-story breaks
• Trim bands

When the material change follows the architecture, the accent feels intentional.

Use the Same Color for a Subtle Accent

An accent does not always need a contrasting color.

One of the cleanest approaches is to change the profile while maintaining a similar or matching color.

For example:

• Horizontal siding on the primary walls
• ASCEND Board & Batten in the gable
• A coordinated color across both sections

The profile change creates the visual interest without introducing another competing color.

Use Contrasting Color for a Stronger Accent

If the homeowner wants more drama, change both profile and color.

ASCEND currently offers 21 colors, giving contractors a wide range of light, medium, dark and saturated exterior choices.

A contrasting ASCEND accent can emphasize:

• A gable peak
• The front entrance
• A garage
• A dormer
• A second-story projection

The manufacturer also recommends making final color decisions with actual samples because lighting, viewing angle and profile orientation can affect how colors appear.

Put the Samples Together Outside

This is especially important when ASCEND is being combined with another siding or cladding product.

Place the products side by side.

View them outside in natural light.

Compare:

• Color undertones
• Texture
• Profile depth
• Sheen
• Shadow lines
• Trim compatibility

A combination that looks good on a computer screen may look different when actual materials are placed beside one another on the house.

Visualization Becomes Even More Important

Accent applications can be difficult for homeowners to visualize from a small sample.

ASCEND offers a visualizer that can help contractors and homeowners explore product and color combinations before the installation begins.

Create several options:

1. No ASCEND accent.
2. ASCEND Board & Batten in one front gable.
3. ASCEND around the entry.
4. ASCEND on the garage projection.
5. ASCEND in the same color as the primary siding.
6. ASCEND in a contrasting color.

Let the homeowner see how much visual impact can come from a relatively focused area of the exterior.

Accent Use Can Make ASCEND More Accessible

Some homeowners may love ASCEND but hesitate at the investment required to use it across the entire house.

That creates a useful sales conversation.

Instead of removing ASCEND completely, price a targeted accent.

"If you love the ASCEND look but do not want to use it on the entire home, let's see what it would cost to use it only in the areas where it creates the most visual impact."

You have now created another option instead of turning the decision into yes-or-no.

Price the Accent as an Upgrade

Once the homeowner sees a design they like, explain the incremental investment.

For example:

"Your primary siding package completes the entire house. This option adds ASCEND Board & Batten to the two front gables, which creates the design you preferred."

Now the homeowner understands what the additional money is buying visually.

Do Not Create Tiny Accent Areas Just to Say You Used ASCEND

Premium accents need enough visual scale to make sense.

A very small patch of cladding in an unimportant location may add cost without improving the design.

Ask:

"Will someone standing at the street understand why this material changes here?"

If the answer is no, reconsider the placement.

One strong accent is often better than several weak accents.

Plan the Transition Before Ordering Materials

Mixing cladding systems requires planning.

ASCEND offers color-matched accessories including H-trim, corner posts, lineals and other components designed to help contractors complete ASCEND installations cleanly.

Before ordering, determine:

• Where ASCEND begins and ends
• How the transition to the adjoining material will be handled
• Which trim profile is required
• How windows and doors will be finished
• How outside and inside corners will be treated
• How water management and flashing details will be maintained

Follow the current manufacturer's installation instructions for the ASCEND portion of the project and coordinate the transition with the requirements of the adjoining exterior material.

Don't Improvise the Water-Management Details

A mixed-material exterior still has to function as a complete wall system.

Flashing, water-resistive barriers, clearances and trim details must be planned correctly.

ASCEND's installation guide provides specific instructions for cladding, starter strips, corners, accessories and clearances.

The accent may be decorative from the homeowner's perspective, but the installation still needs to follow professional exterior water-management practices.

Three Ways to Present an ASCEND Accent

Giving homeowners levels of accent use can make the design process much easier than simply asking whether they want ASCEND or not.

Ask Which Accent Creates the Most Value

Once you have several visualizations, ask:

"Which of these ASCEND accent designs changes the house enough that you feel the upgrade is worthwhile?"

That is a better question than automatically assuming more ASCEND is always better.

Find the point where the design improvement and additional investment make sense to the homeowner.

An Accent Can Become a Gateway to a Larger ASCEND Project

There is another important sales lesson here.

Once homeowners see ASCEND on the house visualization, they may decide they like it enough to expand the scope.

They may begin with one gable and then ask:

• What would it look like on both gables?
• What about the garage?
• Could we use it around the entry?
• What would the entire front elevation look like?
• What would the whole house look like in ASCEND?

Let visualization and homeowner preference drive that expansion rather than pressure.

Build ASCEND Accent Options Into Your Good-Better-Best Presentation

ASCEND accent packages can fit naturally into a good-better-best siding presentation.

For example:

1. Good: Complete primary siding package.
2. Better: Primary siding plus one ASCEND architectural accent.
3. Best: Primary siding plus a larger ASCEND design package or complete ASCEND exterior.

The homeowner now has multiple ways to incorporate a premium product instead of being forced into an all-or-nothing decision.

Sell the Accent as Architecture, Not Square Footage

Avoid saying:

"We can put 300 square feet of ASCEND up there."

Instead say:

"We can use ASCEND Board & Batten in this front gable to emphasize the roof peak and give the entire front elevation more architectural depth."

One statement sells material quantity. The other explains design value.

Build Your ASCEND Accent Presentation With Suburban Wholesale & Supply

Contractors can sell premium accents more effectively when they have the right samples, colors, product knowledge and design tools.

Suburban Wholesale & Supply supports professional contractors throughout Davenport, Bettendorf, Moline, Rock Island, the Quad Cities, Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois with siding products, ASCEND samples, literature, contractor education, material ordering assistance and jobsite delivery.

Learn more about ASCEND Composite Cladding, explore additional siding and exterior products available through Suburban Wholesale & Supply, or visit our Davenport showroom to compare siding profiles, colors and exterior accent options.

ASCEND does not have to cover the entire house to create value. Sometimes the strongest premium upgrade is the one placed exactly where the architecture needs it.

Sources & Additional Resources

• ASCEND Composite Cladding — official Profiles resources covering horizontal plank, 12" Board & Batten and mixed-profile design possibilities.
• ASCEND Composite Cladding — official Color & Design resources, including current colors, visualizer tools and sample-viewing recommendations.
• ASCEND Composite Cladding — Professional Resources, including product literature, technical summaries and trim and accessory information.
• ASCEND Composite Cladding — official Installation Resources and Installation Guide.
• Associated Materials Innovations — ASCEND trim and accessory system information.
• Suburban Wholesale & Supply — ASCEND products, samples, contractor education and local distribution support throughout the Quad Cities, Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois.