How to Refinish a Fiberglass Door
Fiberglass doors are very durable, but the top coat finish usually wears down after a few years. This is especially true of exterior doors, which are exposed to the elements. This can leave the door looking old and worn. Fortunately, all you usually need to do to make the door look like new again is apply a new clear-coat finish. This job is fairly easy for the average homeowner, but you will need to allow at least a few hours so you don't rush through it (much longer if you decide to repaint or re-stain the door first). Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Screwdriver
- Masking tape or painter's tape
- Plastic sheeting or paper
- Drop cloth
- Liquid dish soap
- Water
- Bucket
- Sponges
- Cloths
- Safety glasses
- Painter's mask
- Paintbrushes
- Primer
- Paint or stain
- Topcoat (also called clear coat; choose one that is compatible with your old finish)
Instructions
-
-
1
Take off the doorknob or handle---you'll most likely be able to do this with a simple hand-held screwdriver. If you have a power screwdriver, however, it will be easier.
-
2
Cover the hinges with masking tape. Tape paper or plastic over any windows on the door. Put a drop cloth down on the floor to protect your flooring from accidental paint, topcoat or water drips.
-
-
3
Pour warm water and a dash of dish soap into a bucket. Wet a sponge in the soapy water and scrub the door down. Wet a towel under a faucet and wipe it over the door to rinse off all of the soap residue. Dry it off with a clean towel.
-
4
Make sure windows in the house are open so that you'll have good ventilation. Put on your safety glasses and mask. If you are repainting or re-staining the fiberglass door as well as adding a new topcoat, this is the time to do it. Note that you must wait 24 to 48 hours (at the very least) to allow sufficient time for the paint or stain to dry before applying the topcoat.
-
5
Unseal the container of clear coat. Dip a paint brush brush into the container, no more than an inch down---do not saturate the brush.
-
6
Apply a thin layer of topcoat, starting at the top of the door and working your way down, going with the grain. Use long even movements, not short brushstrokes. Once this coat dries, apply the second coat. Three or four thin coats of the finish should be enough.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Applying top-coat finishes to fiberglass doors is a bit like applying a top-coat to nail polish. You don't want to use a thick layer or it may clump up in places and look bad. If you accidentally get some of the product on a surface other than the door, wipe it off immediately before it has time to settle.
Make sure others know not to touch the door until the finish has fully dried.
