One of the easiest mistakes in a good-better-best siding presentation is assuming the premium product should win every time.

That is not good selling.

It is product pushing.

Gentek currently offers both SteelSide® Steel Siding and SteelTek Supreme® Steel Siding.

Both give contractors a residential steel siding option.

But the customer fit is different.

SteelSide currently centers on three PVC-finished horizontal profiles—D4, D5 and 8"—while SteelTek Supreme uses Kynar® PVDF coating technology and expands the design offering to four profiles, including 12" Board & Batten. Those differences should drive the sales conversation.

Start With the Core Difference

The easiest way to understand the customer fit is to first understand what changes between the two systems.

Gentek's current SteelSide specifications identify PVC-finished D4, D5 and 8" profiles, while current SteelTek Supreme specifications identify Kynar-finished D4, D5, 8" and 12" Board & Batten profiles.

Those are real differences. Now match them to real customers.

Customer #1: “I Want Steel, but I Still Have a Budget.”

This customer might say:

"I definitely want steel. I just don't need every premium upgrade."

Do not fight that customer.

SteelSide may be an excellent fit.

Show them the product.

Show them the profiles.

Show them the colors.

Then price Supreme separately so they can decide whether the additional differences matter.

"SteelSide gives you the steel construction you're asking for. I'll also show you SteelTek Supreme so you can decide whether the Kynar finish and additional design options are worth the upgrade."

That is good-better selling without pressure.

Customer #2: “We Want a Traditional D5 Steel Siding.”

This customer does not automatically need SteelTek Supreme.

Both SteelSide and SteelTek Supreme currently offer a D5 Clapboard profile.

The profile preference alone does not settle this comparison.

Now ask:

"Since both products can give you the five-inch exposure you like, let's compare the finish, texture, colors and installed price."

That is a legitimate product comparison.

Customer #3: “I Really Want Board & Batten.”

Gentek's current SteelTek Supreme Board & Batten uses:

• 12" exposure
• 2" batten width
• 5/8" batten height
• 10' panel length
• Kynar PVDF finish
• Medium woodgrain texture

A contractor can say:

"Since Board & Batten is important to your design, SteelTek Supreme becomes the more natural Gentek steel choice because that vertical profile is part of the Supreme lineup."

Notice the recommendation is based on something the homeowner wants—not merely the product's premium label.

Customer #4: “I Care About the Exterior Finish.”

Gentek identifies SteelSide with a PVC finish.

SteelTek Supreme uses Kynar PVDF coating technology.

Gentek describes the Supreme coating as highly weatherable, low gloss and resistant to fading, scratching, staining and airborne pollutants.

More current coating information is available through Gentek's SteelTek Supreme product resource.

"If the exterior coating technology itself matters to you, this is one of the biggest differences. SteelSide uses a PVC finish. SteelTek Supreme moves into Kynar PVDF."

That is a measurable reason to discuss the premium.

Customer #5: “I Just Want Good Steel Siding.”

Ask:

"Would you like me to show you the premium SteelTek Supreme option too, or do you feel this already gives you what you're looking for?"

Sometimes respecting a customer's stated priorities is the best sales technique available.

Customer #6: “We Want the House to Look Different.”

Supreme currently offers:

The ability to combine horizontal and vertical design directions can make Supreme particularly relevant for homeowners who want:

• Board & Batten gables
• A vertical front accent
• A different garage treatment
• Wider horizontal courses
• More profile choices within one steel family

"If the objective is to significantly change the architecture, Supreme gives us more profile tools to work with."

Customer #7: “I Like a Traditional Woodgrain Look.”

Do not assume that customer belongs automatically in SteelTek Supreme.

SteelSide currently uses a woodgrain texture on its D4, D5 and 8" profiles.

SteelTek Supreme uses roughsawn textures on its horizontal D4, D5 and 8" profiles.

Put both samples into the homeowner's hands.

"These surfaces are intentionally different. Which texture looks more appropriate for the exterior you're trying to create?"

Let appearance help decide product fit.

Customer #8: “Color Is Everything.”

SteelTek Supreme currently offers twelve classic colors.

SteelSide currently offers nine.

But do not sell twelve versus nine.

The homeowner needs one correct color.

"Let's take the colors that actually work with your roof, windows, brick and stone and see which product gives us the best combination."

Gentek recommends making final color selections with actual samples and viewing them outdoors in natural light. Current SteelSide guidance specifically notes that lighting, viewing angle, exposure and even profile orientation can affect perceived appearance.

Use physical samples—not the number of colors on a webpage—to make the final decision.

Customer #9: “We Had Hail Damage. Which One Is Better?”

Be careful.

Do not automatically turn hail into a Supreme upsell.

Gentek currently markets both SteelSide and SteelTek Supreme with:

Current warranty resources can be reviewed through the Gentek Warranty Center.

"Both products currently carry Gentek's 50-year limited hail-protection headline. So hail by itself does not automatically tell me you need Supreme. Let's look at the complete product differences."

That is much more accurate than using fear of storms to force the premium option.

The Customer Who Clearly Fits SteelSide

"Everything you've told me points toward SteelSide. You're getting the steel system you want, the profile you like and the color that fits the house without paying for Supreme features you haven't told me you value."

The Customer Who Clearly Fits SteelTek Supreme

"Based on what you've told me, Supreme isn't simply the more expensive choice. You're actually selecting features that only become available when we move into this product."

The Customer Who Could Fit Either Product

This may be the most common situation.

Suppose the customer wants:

• D5 steel siding
• A neutral color available in both families
• A quality steel exterior
• No Board & Batten

Both products remain in play.

Now the real comparison becomes:

"You can accomplish the general design with either system. Let's decide whether the Kynar finish and Supreme details create enough additional value for you to justify the difference."

SteelSide vs. SteelTek Supreme at a Glance

Do Not Sell Supreme by Attacking SteelSide

This is critical.

Do not say:

"SteelSide is just the cheap version."

That creates two problems.

First, it unnecessarily weakens a product you may still want to sell.

Second, it makes the homeowner wonder why your company carries a product you apparently do not respect.

Instead say:

"SteelSide is a legitimate Gentek steel siding system. SteelTek Supreme adds specific premium differences. Let's determine whether those differences matter to you."

That creates two good choices instead of one product you supposedly want and another you are embarrassed to sell.

Do Not Sell SteelSide by Pretending Supreme Is Unnecessary

The reverse mistake also happens.

"They're both steel, so there's really no reason to spend more."

That is also inaccurate.

Supreme has real differences:

• Kynar PVDF instead of PVC
• 12" Board & Batten
• Roughsawn horizontal textures
• A broader current color palette
• Additional exterior-design flexibility

Whether those differences are worth paying for is the homeowner's decision.

Ask These Five Questions Before Recommending Either Product

Then Isolate the Upgrade Cost

"You already know both options give you a Gentek steel exterior. The additional $_____ moves you into the Kynar PVDF finish and the additional Supreme design features we just reviewed. Are those differences worth the upgrade to you?"

Then stop talking and let the homeowner answer.

A Simple Customer-Fit Scorecard

The 30-Second SteelSide vs. SteelTek Supreme Presentation

What Should a Salesperson Never Say?

The Real Sales Skill Is Knowing When NOT to Upgrade

Assume the customer likes:

• SteelSide D5
• A SteelSide color
• The woodgrain texture
• The installed price

They do not care about Board & Batten.

They do not care about Kynar.

They do not prefer Supreme's roughsawn texture.

Why are you still pushing Supreme?

A better recommendation might be:

"I can absolutely price SteelTek Supreme, but based on everything you've selected, I think SteelSide is already giving you what you want."

That may create more trust than another five minutes of premium selling.

And Know When Supreme Clearly Makes Sense

Now consider the homeowner who says:

• "We want Board & Batten on the front."
• "We really like this Supreme color."
• "The Kynar coating matters to us."
• "We want the premium option."

That customer is telling you why Supreme matters.

"Everything you've told me is pointing toward SteelTek Supreme. You're actually selecting the features that distinguish the Supreme product, so I think the premium option deserves the recommendation here."

That recommendation has a reason behind it.

Compare Steel Siding With Suburban Wholesale & Supply

Contractors make better steel siding recommendations when they can compare actual products instead of relying only on brochures and product names.

Suburban Wholesale & Supply supports professional siding contractors throughout Davenport, Bettendorf, Moline, Rock Island, East Moline, the Quad Cities, Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois with steel siding, vinyl siding, aluminum siding, product samples, literature, accessories, material quotes and jobsite delivery.

Contractors can use the Suburban Wholesale showroom to compare siding profiles, finishes, colors and good-better-best product positions before taking the presentation to the homeowner's kitchen table.

Explore siding and exterior products available through Suburban Wholesale & Supply or contact our team to confirm current material availability, colors, accessories and delivery options for your next siding project.

The best contractor is not the one who sells SteelTek Supreme every time. It is the one who can explain exactly why SteelSide is enough for one customer—and exactly why Supreme deserves the upgrade for another.

Sources & Contractor Resources