You can apply exterior acrylics over gel stain; however, you must prime the surface first. Use a roller to apply at least two coats of exterior acrylic primer to the door. Use a natural-bristle brush to apply the acrylic paint over the primer. One note: Dark colors will absorb more heat, which could cause warping.
Use acrylic, polyester, polyurethane, or epoxy resin paint on your fiberglass door. Try to pick a paint that matches the type of fiberglass for the best results. Do not use oil-based paints because these can damage the door. Fiberglass-friendly paints are often available in matte, neutral, and gloss finishes.
Painting a fiberglass entry door is much like painting a wood door, without a need for sanding before paint is applied. Rinse the door by wiping it down with a damp sponge, then allow the door to dry completely.
Fiberglass front doors exposed to strong sunlight should be finished with paint, not stain. Textured front fiberglass doors look better when stained, however, either finish can be used. If your preference is a look of wood rather than fiberglass, staining can be used to accomplish this.
Acrylic Latex
Acrylic paint adheres well to fiberglass, overcoming one of the main challenges to painting this material. Acrylic paint is less likely to crack and blister, and will hold up well to cleaning. This water-based paint is easy to apply, and contains fewer chemicals, so is more environmentally friendly.
Bonding Primer
Look for a bonding primer and make sure it's specified for exterior use unless your fiberglass door is inside. Bonding primers come in several formulas. They can be oil-, shellac- or water-based. Oil-based primer tends to be slower to dry.
Fiberglass make really quality doors because they don't shrink or swell with the elements or rot or split like a solid wood door can. They are also fairly easy to paint!
Unlike wood, fiberglass surfaces are nonporous, making them unsuitable for spray paint adhesion. Before you can spray paint any type of fiberglass surface, you will need to employ specific preparation techniques to condition the fiberglass to accept paint, or the finish will peel soon after application.
Fibreglass can be tough to paint over as it needs to be suitably prepared and primed for topcoats to properly adhere and stick to the surface. Zinsser's Bulls Eye 1-2-3 is ideal for priming fibreglass as it provides a perfect key for topcoats.
Answer: Yes, you can, but the process is complicated and will vary depending on the brand and quality of the door. Some fiberglass doors cannot be re-stained because their wood-grain finish will be damaged by the stripping or sanding that you have to do first.
Carefully make a cut through the paint and all the way to the substrate, If the substrate is shiny and metallic then it is clearly not a plastic (fiberglass). If the door is made of steel it will be magnetic. Therefore, if a kitchen magnet stays put on the door, you know that the substrate is steel.
Rust-Oleum Oil-Based Door Paint is designed to bring great color retention and durable protection for your exterior and interior doors. Ideal for metal, wood and fiberglass doors.
“Painting a front door is best done with a brush. This is because most front doors have wood and/or glass panels and a roller would not be able to paint in the panels the same way that a brush would to give full coverage.”
What Color Should I Paint My Door Edges? Lock edges are painted the same shade as the opening side of the door, if the door is painted in a different colour. Make sure that you paint both the left side of the door hinge edge and the adjacent, visible door face in shades that resemble the other side.
A fiberglass-friendly paint can be matte, neutral, or gloss.
You should not use oil-based or melamine paints when choosing fiberglass paint; instead, acrylic (100%), polyurethane, polyester, and epoxy paints should be used. It is recommended not to mix primer and paint from different companies, according to many manufacturers and painters.
So, to start with the main think you need to know is that you have to use a gel based stain on fiberglass, not regular wood stain. This gel stain is amazing and won't chip or scratch like a wood door wood. After you gather your materials, you'll want to make sure your door is crystal clean.
A solid wood door's surface will remain smooth due to sanding, while a fiberglass door may have an imprinted texture you can feel. Next, check out the bottom and sides of your door. If your door is made of wood, then boards had to be cut to fit together and make up your door.
If a stained wood appearance is desired on wood-grain fiberglass door panels, sidelights and glass frames, apply gel stain and clear finish according to the stain manufacturer's directions. For best results, always apply stain in the direction of the grain. Be sure to finish door edges. Stir stain well.