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Gel staining fiberglass doors send help soon

14K views 14 replies 6 participants last post by  jatweedy  
#1 ·
the door suppliers have showrooms with fiberglass door slabs that have been gel stained ,no glass inserts or primmed wood jamb /casing which a typical prehung has when its gets to the job, prep the door after install and the painter is stuck with trying to make it all look like an expensive oak or mahogany stained unit (door/frame/sidelights).Really having trouble taking these doors and the prior mentioned variables and meeting the expectations of the showroom doors,which I think are factory finished, but not according to the supp-liar ! Not luvvin this part of painting anybody got any pointers
 
#2 · (Edited)
We do these doors all the time. The only thing that works good for these doors are a stain kit that they should have at the supplier. They are a kit called, Therma-Tru Finishing System. They come complete with a enough stain to do both sides of the door and the sidelights, top coat sealer, mineral spirits in a 4oz bottle, a cheap 3" china bristle brush, a couple of rags, stir sticks, ect ect. We get them for 40 bucks at the door store. Hope this helps, regular gel stain will make the door look like crap. This stuff actually make a nice looking fiberglass door.
www.thermatru.com
Edit: we often paint the side lights white and paint the jamb white as well. Yet there is just enough material to do what you need.
 
#4 ·
Therma tru is usually what I use , but needed to match the int trim pak this time used a couple of minwax gels to get desired color . Some of the french style doors with full lites do not change grain above and below the lite which makes it tuff to work the stain as even as the sides, throw in the white lite frame and I usually have a cloudy mess on top and below the light.Have had success with jamb and casings by painting them first with a primmer matching the unstained fiberglass. Wish I knew a spray and wipe and spray again technique ,any sense, or am Ijust a wacko short on patience?
 
#12 ·
I guess ICI is carrying it now, i usually just get my caulk from there but i was in there getting some exterior semi-gloss and saw it.
I use old master, I will paint the metal door with a base coat then use old masters gel and a grainer and that's it. It takes practice and patience.
That is a nice finish on a metal door.:thumbsup:
We only stain the fiberglass front doors.