This isn’t your father’s cladding.
“For years, home owners couldn’t get a high-end look with taller, wood-like profiles and have it be maintenance free, too. They had to make a choice,” said Shawn Hardy, senior vice president, Alside. “They were relegated to maybe a vinyl offering, or aluminum, or steel. But now with our product, you can get both the high-end look, and have it be maintenance free and backed by a lifetime limited warranty.”
The Best of IBSx judging panel — which featured several industry veterans and media representatives — agreed with Hardy and named Alside’s ASCEND Composite Cladding System the Most Innovative Building Material.
With a tall 7-inch exposure and the deeply grained look of real wood, ASCEND is available in 20 fade-resistant, virtually maintenance-free colors. The design of the plank enables quicker and easier installation than fiber cement, engineered wood and other composite panels because it’s installed in fewer steps, doesn’t require specialized equipment and can be installed with less laborers.
“No sealing, touch-up paint, joint flashing or caulking is required — meaning less mess, waste and time on the job,” according to one of the company’s press releases.
Here’s what one Best of IBSx judge had to say about this superior composite cladding system:
“An intelligently engineered step-up from insulated vinyl siding, designed to compete with premium cladding products,” said Best of IBSx judge Rick Schumacher, executive editor and publisher of LBM Journal.
During the company’s presentation to the Best of IBSx panel earlier this month, Hardy explained one of Alside’s specific breakthroughs in simple terms.
“The composition of the polymer with a glass in there is really what gives it the strength to be able to have a 7- inch exposure and keep it thin,” he said.
The award-winning product also boasts a key design element in its integration of glass fibers, which adds strength and dimensional stability to the tall plank. With patented (GP)2 Technology — glass-reinforced polymer and graphite-infused polystyrene — it provides a Class A Fire Rating for both flame spread and smoke developed, strong wind load performance and impressive impact, and R-2 thermal resistance.
Congratulations to Alside on winning Most Innovative Building Material. To view all of the Best of IBSx winners, visit BuildersShow.com/BestofIBSx.