Staining A Fiberglass Door

Traditions

I'm staining a fiberglass door for the homeowner. The manufacturer recommends a gel stain. My sherwin williams quit carrying it. Lowes only had one brand. THe owner wants a pretty dark stain. I bought one from lowes and tried a little area. After wiping it looks as if i barely did anything and the color is not correct. Can anyone recommend a good product. Do i apply it just like normal stain? THanks

Humble Abode

You need a gel stain. Call around to all your local mom and pop hardware stores. Someone has to have it.

I have heard that you can use a wiping stain on fiberglass doors but I don't think that you could get as good a result with it.

I use Old Masters and i love it. Try to find a dealer near you on their website.

I find it incredibly strange that SW doesn't carry a gel stain...

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Just because some of us can read and write and do a little math, that doesn't mean we deserve to conquer the Universe. Kurt Vonnegut, (1922 - 2007) from the Novel 'Hocus Pocus'
The NAPP
Milwaukee Painting Contractor

Traditions

i agree with you about SW. I couldn't believe it either. Lowes does have gel stains. HOwever, they just don't seem to be very dark. When i put it on and wiped it off it didn't look much different than before.

Brushslingers

Technique, you have to let it almost dry before wiping it down to get a good color.

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Benn

Traditions

How long should i let it dry. If it dries too much will I still be able to get excess stain off? I have 0 experience with fiberglass doors. Do i then poly over the top?

Brushslingers

Depends on the heat, etc... apply the stain and let it sit till it starts to get hard.. not toooo hard but enough to pull. Re-apply if you need darker. Minwax recommends spar varnish over the top, I wouldn't use anything else unless the stain manu suggests it. It takes a little practice to use Gelstain on a fiberglass door, and patience. Do one half at a time until you get it down.

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Benn

Double-A

You might want to practice on the edge of the door where the hinges will/are attached or the top or bottom edge of the door. No one will care if those come out really dark or splotchy.

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"My clients’ wishes are the center of my attention." -- David Guido, a contractor in Woodstock, N.Y.
New York Times, July 20, 2006

Traditions

should i put it on with brush, or rag?

Brushslingers

I normally use lambswool pads, you can get them at SW or craft stores, some people use cheesecloth. I've seen a few use a brush but, it's personal preference. I use a normal rag to wipe.

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Benn

Brushslingers

Oh, and pick up a bottle of go-jo at the local carparts place, will take the stain off your hands with little effort.

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Benn

Traditions

This is a very intricate door. Lots of grooves and detail. It is really worrying me. Lowes only had like 3 colors to choose from. I put a small amount on the door and the homeowner thoght it looked like crap. He claims a friend of his has the same door and it is really dark and looks just like wood. The spot i did looks like someone added a little color to a fiberglass door.

Brushslingers

Look up smaller stores, call around until you find someone that carries minwax, btw - wallyworld carries it.

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Benn

jeffkaprelian

Most fiberglass door manufacturers have a finishing kit that is available for their doors. If not, use minwax. They have 6 colors i think and it's available at Home Depot. I know for a fact that Feather River uses minwax on their doors. frdoors .com is their website. The techniques described by the other are correct. You must have to remember that gel stains are surface stains, not penetration stains. The best way to describe how to use it is kind of like a cross between painting and staining if you understand what that means. I hope that helps. also check out therma-tru door's website. They have a finishing kit for their doors and i'm sure you can get directions on how to use the stains from their site. And you MUST use a spar poly over it. two coats, three or more if the door faces south or west. and let the HO know that the poly needs to be reapplied every other year.

Brushslingers

The other.... I'm not sure if I should laugh or be offended.

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Benn

Traditions

FInally got the door stained. Looks real good. I do have one area that I allowed to set up too much. Hopefully I can come back and sand it down a little then apply second coat to whole door. WHoever said it was like a mix between painting and staining I completely understand now. You almost have to let it completely set up then lightly wipe it down. What is the best procedure for applying poly? There are tons of contours on this door.

Brushslingers

Should be able to use a little spirits to thin the excess... course by now it may take alot of elbow grease to get it off. When you poly, start with the details first, then run the larger areas while you look at it sideways to make sure you don't miss a spot.

On another note, you now know basics on pickling too!

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Benn

Traditions

Thanks for the advice. I did use a little thinner last night. Worked well. The door looks amazing. Going to poly tonight. Thanks for the help

Brushslingers

BTW, normally... here anyhow, it's about 200 more than staining for a gel coat on a fiberglass set. I'm sure you see why now.

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Benn

Traditions

is there a certain type of poly to use for a fiberglass door. I am doing poly this weekend.

Brushslingers

See above, minwax suggests Spar varnish only... I wouldn't use what the manu did not suggest.

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Benn