Painting fiberglass door

[Rick Potter]

I just got two fiberglass doors for the exterior doors of a room addition. How should I paint them. I am using Glidden Top Hide Oil/Latex int/ext semigloss, the stuff that replaces the old oil base paint.

Do I sand the fiberglass to get good adhesion, then prime with Kilz?

It looks like the fiberglass has color all through, but I don't see any primer on it.

Previously, I brushed Rustoleum paint onto a steel door in a garden shed, and it didn't stick. I don't want that problem again.

Thanks,

Rick Potter

[phil harold]

I thought fiberglass doors were to be stained with a wiping gel stain and then exterior poly to simulate a solid wood door

[Jason Roehl]

That's just one option, Phil.

Paint away, I've never had any problem with paint sticking to fiberglass. I wouldn't sand it, though, unless it's totally smooth. If it has a wood grain texture (most that I've seen do), it's easy to ruin that texture, and it will show. Just clean it well before you paint and let it dry (ammonia, alcohol, dish soap, doesn't matter, just don't leave a residue).

Of course, if you're in doubt, you can always call the manufacturer and talk to a tech. They can be extremely helpful. The paint store lackeys don't necessarily know what they're talking about--managers often do, and sometimes there's an associate or two that have been around a while, but most are usually just clock-punchers.

[Rick Potter]

These doors (I have four) have a smooth finish, no grain. The door info says to use a high quality oil based paint or 100% acrylic water based finish.

The only oil base finish HD sells is Rustoleum, which they won't tint, and that's the one I had trouble with on my steel door. The Glidden Ultra Hide oil/alkyd paint I bought is water cleanup, so I don't know if that is "high quality oil based" or not.

The doors are all 'Feather River" by Masonite, and there are three slightly different instructions. Aaaaaargh.

Rick Potter

[Roger Savatteri]

.

Anytime I have made sculptural objects from fiberglass and want to apply a painted surface (both laid up with fiberglass cloth & resin or cast resin) I sprayed a primer coat with a lacquer base sanding primer, sanded again down to 340 - 400 grit to fix any imperfections, sprayed again and then cover with whatever I wanted - another lacquer based color or acrylic or water base paint. Lacquer primer usually comes in grey, brick red, white or black. Spray the primer close to what your finish color will be.
Urethane primers are also good and it is what the auto repair industry uses on fiberglass repairs on automobiles................... a surface that usually gets beat up by the weather.

.

[Rick Potter]

Well, I even called the help line, and they were no help at all. Neither was the website.

Thanks for the info Roger, but the one thing the info does say is to keep laquer products away.

Rick

[Brad Sperr]

I just painted a new fiberglass door with an exterior water-based paint and seem to be having some adhesion problems (I didn't prime or sand the door first), so I would recommend priming first.