Fiberglass Doors Not Maintenance Free
Related Articles: staining fiberglass doors, painting fiberglass doors, fiberglass paint stripper
DEAR TIM: I plan to install a new front door for my home. The fiberglass doors have my attention. They seem to have the look and feel of wood doors but not some of the problems. Some sales people tell me that the doors are basically maintenance free. Is that true? Can you really stain the doors to make them look like wood? What happens if the finish fails? Tony D., Leesville, LA
DEAR TONY: You are on the right track when you choose to use a fiberglass exterior door. They have captured all of the positive qualities of different doors and packaged them into one product. Wood doors appeal to most people because they are so beautiful. Unfortunately wood combined with water usually produces warpage, rot, and premature finish failure. Anyone who owns a fiberglass boat will tell you that you can soak your new door for days and have no problems whatsoever.
The stains and clear coat finishes that are supplied with just about every fiberglass door are similar to regular oil stains and clear urethanes that are used on wood doors. Sunlight, rain and exposure to the atmosphere eventually degrade clear finishes on any surface. The fiberglass door manufacturers are continuing to work hard to produce clear water based top coats that offer excellent protection. Some are now available with 5 year finish warranties.
To extend the finish on your gorgeous fiberglass door, you need to carefully follow the instructions with regard to finishing the door. As with any coating, you must apply the stain to a clean surface. Use the cleaner provided in your specific finishing kit or an approved off the shelf cleaner. Do not use any other soap or cleaner. You may leave behind chemical components that could be incompatible with the stain and/or clear finish!
Pay attention to the air temperature. Most door manufacturers want their finish products applied when the temperature is between 50 and 90 F. Work in the shade if possible or erect a temporary sun screen so that you are not working in direct sunlight. The stain and clear coat products will be easier to work with. Try to avoid working on windy days. The components may dry too quickly or you will find it is hard to maintain a wet edge.
Be careful to follow the staining instructions to the letter. Some kits require that you wait different prescribed times for light and dark colored stains. Failure to do this can result in a blotched appearance. Usually the stain must dry for several days before you apply the final thin layers of clear coat.
Some manufacturers supply you with a cool fiberglass sample that you clear coat as well. Store this inside your house in a safe area where you can find it. Use it each spring to see how the gloss of the door's clear coat has succumbed to the elements. You need to apply a fresh coat of clear coat once the door feels rough or the gloss begins to dull. If you allow the clear finish to fail, you will be stuck with a massive restoration project.
If restoration becomes necessary, you need to remove the old finish with paint and stain removers. Most manufacturers tell you in the original door installation instructions which strippers are safe. You need to be careful as some parts of the door have special primers that can be softened by more than several minutes exposure to common paint strippers. If you allow this to happen, your visions of maintenance free products will evaporate into thin air.
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Comments:Welcome! I, Tim
Carter, don't answer questions
here. If you post a question here in the Comments Area,
perhaps another visitor will help you. You need to go to the Ask
Tim page if you want a question answered. Once there, look
closely at how many weeks behind we are. Please be patient as you use
this free service. If you have an emergency and need to talk to me,
there is an option there for you.
WENDELL SMITH 06 Dec 2007, 09:24
TIM; I HAVE AN OPENING IN THE BASEMENT OF A ROOM I BUILT THAT IS AND ODD
SIZE 51' X 71" THANKS TO THE CONCRETE MEN NOT LISTENING TO WHAT I TOLD
THEM. IS THERE ANY PLACE I CAN BUY A PICE OF FIBERGLASS THAT SIZE AN INCH
OR MORE THICK AND WOULD IT HOLD UP AS AN EXTERIOR DOOR? THANKS W SMITH
AsktheBuilder 06 Dec 2007, 09:39
Wendell,
Why not just suck it up and call in a concrete sawing company that will make the opening taller? Then hire a mason or a carpenter to shrink the width. You then can install a proper door with a fantastic weatherseal.
Mike Doc 27 Mar 2008, 18:58
Tim, have you ever heard of fiberglass doors having the glass drop out of
them due to excessive heat from sunlight and a full face storm door?
AsktheBuilder 29 Mar 2008, 12:31
Mike,
No, but it doesn't surprise me. You can't have storm doors in front of things made from synthetic materials.
Steve 24 Jun 2008, 18:50
Tim, I have a Stanley fiberglass door with a glass oval and unfortunately
the trim around the oval has cracked due to heat trapped by a storm door.
Do you know if I can buy a replacement piece of trim and if so, where?
George 01 Jul 2008, 20:10
Tim - We want to remove the latex paint on our fiberglass door. What is the
best way to go about this? Do we need to strip it as you suggest with a
stained door?
Also, was latex the right/wrong choice of paint for a fiberglass door? What's best?
Sally 20 Aug 2008, 19:45
HI- I have some garage doors that are fiberglass. They are about 30 years
old and have never been had clear coat reapplied to them. They are looking
pretty dirty and unfinished. How can I clean them and get them back to
white before clear coating? Thank You..
Rob Kruse 08 Sep 2008, 21:49
Hello. My vinyl siding has faded and blotched to the extent that it is
unsightly. What could be the cause of this? What are my options? It is
more pronounced on the side of the house that receives the most sun. No
other houses in my area are experiencing this issue, even though many of
them have vinyl siding from other manufacturers. What manufacturer defects
could cause this? HELP!!
Helen 06 Oct 2008, 18:51
I read somewhere that installing a storm door over a fiberglass exterior
door, could void the warrenty. I have not been able to find that article
again, do you have anything on this. Do most manufactures adhear to this
although they don't put it in their warrenty
charline moreault 06 Apr 2009, 21:35
hello.just but afiberglass door and it is bronw would like to have it white
what to do?
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