If you have a drab fiberglass door in your living room, give it a quick, inexpensive facelift. Clean the door to remove grease and dirt. Apply a base coat using either paint or stain. Then use a quality gel stain and a wood-graining tool to create faux wood grain in the door.
Use a high quality, heavily pigmented, oil-based stain (recommended). Gel stains can also be used. Before starting, and occasionally throughout the project, stir the stain until the texture is creamy.
How do I stain my fiberglass entry 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.
Things You'll Need
Available in a wide range of styles, paints and stains, fiberglass can be repainted or stained by do-it-yourselfers in a method similar to painting natural wood. Good surface preparation is the key to any successful paint job, and this applies to fiberglass doors.
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.
Once you've removed the layers, sand the door a bit with 120-grit paper. Clean the entire surface with a rag soaked in denatured alcohol. Apply a gel stain. Once it dries and you're happy with the color, apply at least two layers of fiberglass topcoat, waiting for it to dry between applications.
Remember, fiberglass doesn't absorb stain like wood, so you need to leave a coat, like paint, on the door. Work on the same area you just stained, using a clean, soft paintbrush to gently feather out any streaks or lap marks.
Old Masters Gel Stain is a highly pigmented, oil-based stain designed to achieve intense colors on interior and exterior wood, fiberglass, primed metal, and composition surfaces.
What's the best way to apply Minwax® Gel Stain to a fiberglass door? Fiberglass is non-porous and won't absorb the stain the way a wood surface does. So, it's best to apply Gel Stain with a bristle brush. Excess stain should be evened out with the brush - not wiped away with a rag.
Gel stains are thick stain that you apply to a wood surface. Unlike traditional stains that soak into the wood creating a new color, gel stains are applied to the surface of wood and can be built up similar to a paint. Unlike paint, gel stains still allow you to feel the underlying texture of the wood.
Gel stain should be applied in the direction of the grain using a brush or with a piece of clean cloth. After waiting for about 3 minutes remove the excess gel stain off the surface using mineral spirits and 3/0 steel wool. And let the surface dry for about 10-12 hours.
Although gel stains work well for fiberglass doors, the drying time is critical. You will need to wait for at least 8 to 12 hours before the stain dries completely. The way you apply the gel stain and other conditions like temperature, humidity, and airflow, affect the drying time.
If you kick a fiberglass door, it won't dent or ding. Plus, unlike a steel door it looks exactly like wood, and you can stain it (although it's a little more complex than staining a wood door). Even though fiberglass is a bit more expensive, it was actually more affordable than a new wood door with a storm door added.
Why DIYers Choose Gel Stain
The primary difference between gel and a traditional stain is that gel stain sits on top of the wood while a traditional stain sinks in; as a result, it lets some of the wood's unique markings and texture shine through while delivering a crisp, consistent finish not dissimilar to paint.
Olympic Gel Stain is ideal for use on unfinished interior or exterior wood surfaces. This rich, thick gel stain applies with ease, without drips making it perfect for staining vertical surfaces. This gel stain may also be used on composite*, fiberglass and primed steel doors.
Bring out the natural beauty of the wood, with lightning-fast Retique It Indoor / Outdoor Water-based Gel Stain. This high-performance pigments stain features Nano, Which color, clarity and intensify woodgrain highlights, delivering the perfect shade in just one coat .
The first option would be using a penetrating finish, such as Watco exterior stains. (Exterior, semitransparent, penetrating, oil-based house stains that contain mildewcide and are water repellent would also work well.)
Wood Grain Series
Plastpro Wood Grain doors have a rich oak grain pattern that resembles the look, feel, and texture of real wood without any of the problems associated with wood. Maintain the original look and feel of your home, but with all of the benefits of fiberglass.
PrismaGuard™ by Therma-Tru® is a finish for fiberglass doors that combines durability with the natural look of real wood. It is the most authentic looking finish available for fiberglass doors and cannot be duplicated in the field.
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.
Kohltech recommends you use a high quality, UV stabilized, clear exterior polyurethane coating (satin or low gloss) used for exterior fiberglass applications. It is important that you apply sealant once a year to ensure maximum protection.