Great instructions and video - I was able to strip and restain my fiberglass front door over 4 days. Here are my observations and experience. 1) Gently run the tack cloth to prevent possibility of transmitting the tack (beeswax) to your door which can make it difficult to apply stain (wax repels it). 2) Allow sufficient time between coats of stain and poly to dry per manufacturer instructions. I used fans to speed the drying process 3) Plan your approach before applying stain - I opted to apply coats to interior panels first and work in sections at a time 3) Work fast especially when staining otherwise you risk drying occurs causing dark “lap” marks to appear. 4) The Minwax Helmsman exterior clear "Satin" polyurethane finishes like a high gloss. This was disappointing and hope it degrades to a satin finish over time. 5) The orange citristrip worked fine on my fiberglass door. I applied, waited 5-10 minutes then stripped with the plastic scraper. 6) Finally, I took the door down every morning and rehung it every evening and covered the front entryway outside the door frame with clear plastic sheeting and blue painters tape to hold in place and keep bugs out until project completed. Again great video. I would not have attempted the project otherwise!
Citristrip QCSG801 Paint & Varnish Stripping Gel this is what i bought on Amazon. I have a metal door im going to use it on. For now, I have to finish sanding the door since the part i sanded is now smooth and the rest has the grain.. thank you for your tips. great video
You did a superb job Bob, you possess particularly impressive communication skills considering that I absolutely hate the thought of taking this on but now only detest it! In all seriousness, you have a knack for instructional videos for sure. Thank you and good luck.
Good job. I need to refinish my fiberglass door because I want to sell my home. It looks exactly like the one in the video. There is one problem. It would take me at least 3 days to do this and during this time there would be no front door on my home. I guess whoever buys my home can deal with an unsightly front door.
+James R Davis I used a tarp to cover the doorway while the door was drying and put it back on during the night. You can also take out the weather stripping around the door until the door is completely dry just to keep it for ruining your finish. Thanks for watching
This is exactly what I was looking for, Bob. How to refinish a fiberglass door. I am concerned that I don't get stripper dripping on the hinge side edge of the door. Perhaps blue tape will protect that edge. Helmsman is ideal topcoat with their UV protection.
Nice job, getting ready to do my fiberglass door. Been putting it off because I think the person that did it originally didn’t do a good job, due to the fact it needs to be done again so soon. Hope to do it myself, and it last. I hate to paint, but once I get started I’m ok with it.
I followed your instructions, which were fine, except I used Minwax Gel Stain and I had an awful time with it: it dried too quickly, I could not keep a wet edge and the door looks blotchy and uneven. I got some gummy lap marks where I tried to "blend" fresh stain into areas stained just a few minutes previously. The door looks like crap and my only option now is to strip the door and start over.
There is a trick to keeping the stain smooth. A lot of times if the temperature is too hot it will make it harder to do without it drying on you. Thanks for watching.
My door has like a white buildup...what can i use to clean my fiber glass door...dont want to paint it...briwn color is good but it has like a white scaly ...wgen i use a steel wool some falls off...any suggestions
it appears that this is very time consuming job to do it right. Not a problem, but what do you do for a door while you are working on this one. I am afraid if I hire someone to repair this door they will try to refinish it on the hinges. Help PLEASE!! Bob, you have the best HOW TO I HAVE SEEN!!!
It says on the Bottle of Citristrip NOT to use on Fiberglass doors. So why are you showing us that product? Pleas answer asap. I hope I can see your comment.
Hey Bob, first time staining door and have a few Qs. I have a Pella fiberglass entry door w/ glass 2/3rd and glass sidelights. It is stained dark mahgony, not that red crap. My overwhelming issue is the sun beats down on it and I live in the South. 1) I need the very best Gel Stain. Pella had to replace the door once already due to the fading of the stain. 2) I'm unable to take door down. Any advice for keeping it upright? Besides basic painting issues, I worry about bugs attaching to wet paint. 3) do you use sponge brush on all coats or just on 1st coat, and used a bristle brush on 2nd, 3rd coats? If so, what kind and size of bristle brush did you use? 4) is tack cloth moistened from the pack? 5) why water-based coats? What is different, better or worse than the Helmsman Clear coat? Thanks for your time, Lisa
Aside from dry time(which will depend on temperature and other conditions) it took the better part of a day to complete. I did hang the door while the poly was drying. Hope this helps, thanks for watching.
@@funbro1 look on the back of that organic orange stripper.... Instructions warn to not use on fingerless. I guess I'm just looking for confirmation it worked for you. Can I disregard the "do not use on fiberglass" warning?
I don't remember the brand of door we have. We bought them at Home Depot years ago. Honestly, the fading was so bad that my spouse used a power washer to remove the almost any varnish that was left. Your instructions seem easy enough, but (forgive me for being stupid) - with the drying/curing time between layers, how do you protect your home overnight? Can we complete a few steps, rehang the doors and take them back down to continue?
When you put the spar varnish on,, how long does it last and when you recoat it do you have to strip all the old varnish off or just sand it enough to allow for the new varnish to stick?
The time that the varnish lasts will vary depending on many factors such as sun exposure, thickness of varnish, how well it was applied, and if it gets scuffed up at all but this one has been looking good for years now with a good amount of sun/weather exposure. To reapply I would lightly sand the surface with a fine sandpaper or steel wool till it gets hazy then apply another coat. Thanks for watching.
I have a Thermatru fiberglass door that I have done a terrible job of applying the stain. I need to remove it and refinish it. I have not yet applied the polyurethane sealant. I looked at the CitriStrip stripper and it specifically states not to use this product on fiberglass doors. Obviously you have done so without any apparent harm. Is it simply a matter of contact time? Sadly the Thermatru website video uses a dichloromethane product and has not updated their website to use a less hazardous product.
After reading through all of your comments it appears you have answered the CitriStrip question ad nauseum. Thank you for such a well done instructive video.
I watched the stripper and when it reacted with the old finish that's when I started scraping. So in short yes I believe it is the contact time. Thanks for watching.
Great video. I have a fiberglass door with two sidelights and a transom. How do you recommend I get the wood frame around all of it to match the fiberglass? Same stripping process or something different?
Strip it the same but you may want to use a wood conditioner. Test in a small area to make sure you get an acceptable match first. Hope this helps, Thanks for watching.
I stripped my sidelines and washed the fiberglass with dawn and hot water. Should I use mineral spirits before I apply the gel stain?? Or are the mineral spirits not necessary? Thank you
Bob, I need some help! I watched your video on stripping and refinishing a fiberglass door. I was able to strip the door with no problem. Then I put a layer of Jeld Stain on it. I thought that I had the correct color of stain picked out. After the coat of stain had dried there were several areas of white or bleached out spots. I thought to stain more, so I did this and the door color became darker, so the door now has a much darker look to it than what we wanted. I put one layer of the clear coat on it to see what it would look like. It looks good, but it looks like a painted door. It does not look like the wood door that we had. I need to re-do the door. Can I start over and strip the door and begin again? Will I have issues with the wood grain look? Any help would be greatly appreciated!! My wife would appreciate your suggestions and I would like to get out of the dog house!!
It sounds like you may need to start over. I know it is not what you would like to hear but to get the best results you may want to thin the stain down so that it does not dry too quickly. This will allow you time to work the stain untill it looks the way you want it to before it dries. Good thing is you can leave a little of the old stain on the door, such as in the grain. It will give it a more authentic wood look. I wish you the best, Thanks for watching.
so, i started sanding the door and took the grain off it. its now smooth. I wanted to paint it white, so I dont mind the grain is gone. do I need to prime it first, prior to painting a white sherman williams??
I'm about to stain a double entry fiberglass door set. I made the mistake of leaving the doors unprotected and "raw" while the renovation crew went about their business for a couple of months. They got several substances that I can't identify on the doors and I used denatured alcohol, then mineral spirits to try to remove the foreign bodies stuck on the surface. I finally resorted to 00 steel wool and mineral spirits to "polish" the stuff away. It finally came off but now those areas look different than the rest of the door surface and I'm wondering if anyone knows if these polished (sanded) areas will accept the stain uniformly with the rest of the surfaces? These are REALLY expensive doors...HELP!
I stained & put polyurethane on my door exterior fiberglass door. I want to paint it. Do I have to use a stripper to remove the prior finish or sand it? I'm afraid it I sand the door it will remove the wood appearance. Will it be alright if I use an oil based primer & then paint?
I would rough it up a little bit with a fine steel wool then clean it real good then apply the paint. Sanding it too much could result in removing the wood appearance so use caution. Thanks for watching.
Do you have to use a water base stain, otherwise wouldn't an oil base stain prevent the polyurethane from adhering to basically a plastic surface. What brand of stain did you use?
Heman Lee I belive it was Minwax, and I used an oil base because it would hold up better and adhere better. Make sure to look for one with UV protection if it is going to be used outside. This will make it last longer. Good questions, thanks for watching.
I would strip it just to be safe. you would not want to get done and have the new finish fail because the old finish. That being said if you are going much darker then you may not need to remove all of the old finish. You might want to do a small section to test it first. Hope this helps, Thanks for watching.
Great video and instructions, I would give you 5 STAR review except you are not revealing the name of the stripper. I bought an almost identical bottle that does not recommend using it on fiberglass now I am left wondering if I should not use it; is the hardest and most important part. You well deserve 5 STARS for sharing your technique and making the video. Great work. REPLY to REPLY CUTISTRIP. By no means I meant to disrespect your video. I highly appreciate and admire your work. Please accept my apologies.
You can get a thin piece of plywood and cover the door or use some thick plastic sheeting to cover while working on the door. Hope this help, Thanks for watching.
Beautiful job! Do you use water base or oil base spar urethane varnish. The door will have sun beating on it. Is it better to start out using foam brush for varnish or can i do whole coat with a brush. Please advise brush type..brand or quality etc. Sorry for so many questions :). Thanks!!
I use oil base, that has some type of UV protection in it. Without the UV protection the sun will ear it down rather quickly.You can use a brush but make sure it is one that is recommended for varnish. As for the brand that is a personal preference, some prefer Purdy and some prefer Wooster, as long as it's a good quality brush there should be no problems. Thanks for watching.
Great video! If I wanted to mix a little bit of water-based paint in the gel stain would it stick to the fiberglass door just as well? Trying to gel stain my front door:)
funbro1 thank you so much! I appreciate your reply and I noticed that you take your time to respond to all the comments. Thumbs up to you and subscribed!
Dear Bob watch your video .It was great but the problem it has white spots on the fiber glass door will it be okay when i gel stain my fiberglass door.
There is really no defined set time, I just left it on long enough for it to work. This time will vary upon the type of material that is being removed, thickness of the material being used, and the type of stripper being used. It's alway best to use the instructions as a guide. Hope this helps, Thanks for watching.
It really depends on what shape the door is in. If it’s not that bad you may be able to get away without re-staining it. Hope this helps, Thanks for watching.
To achieve the color desired different colors can be layered. Glazing can be used but just make sure it has UV protectant in it to help it last longer. Thanks for watching.
lastcall170 True, very true. What I did was cover the doorway with plastic and reinstalled it after each coat. The process could be done with the door still hanging but that would be a little more difficult. Thanks for watching.
Yep it's wood. This is a real nice door, it was worth the time to do it right. I have used many different products and I'm not sure if I have used old masters stain. I'll have to pick some up for the next project, Thanks for the tip, and Thanks for watching.
You mean, "Yep, it's fiberglass"...? I've stained several Plaspro fiberglass doors with Old Masters gel stain. It's a great stain and I use Master-clear Supreme water based clear coat. It's what Disney World uses on their whole park.
try it in a small inconspicuous area before using. It worked well for me but if you prefer use something that specifically say it is for fiberglass doors.
The citristrip paint and varnish stripping gel I found at the home center looks very similar to yours yet the label says "Do not use on fiberglass, plastic or vinyl."
When I put the hinge pins in I had just had a manicure but when I did the knob I had just finished putting in hinge pins...I think it may have ruined my manicure. Thanks for watching.
The good thing is that you are entitled to that opinion. The finished product is still holding up and looks very good to date. As for my opinion, I find your comment 2nd rate and poorly written. Thanks for checking in.
You said "poly urethane" 20+ times... it's CLEARLY marked on the can as "SPAR Urethane". Poly urethane is made for indoor applications only. Suggestion... edit & redo your instruction, because you are misleading people to apply the wrong clear coat to seal the door. Saying this is Meant to be helpful, not nasty or mean. Please consider revising
I'm glad you were able to figure that out, however either poly or SPAR urethane can be used. When using Poly make sure that it is intended for outdoor use as some are only meant for inside use. I choose to use SPAR because I feel it holds up a little better for outdoor use. A revision of this video has been considered and was voted down 1 to 0. Hope this helps. Thanks for watching.
Hey Bob, first time staining door and have a few Qs. I have a Pella fiberglass entry door w/ glass 2/3rd and glass sidelights. It is stained dark mahgony, not that red crap. My overwhelming issue is the sun beats down on it and I live in the South. 1) I need the very best Gel Stain. Pella had to replace the door once already due to the fading of the stain. 2) I'm unable to take door down. Any advice for keeping it upright? Besides basic painting issues, I worry about bugs attaching to wet paint. 3) do you use sponge brush on all coats or just on 1st coat, and used a bristle brush on 2nd, 3rd coats? If so, what kind and size of bristle brush did you use? 4) is tack cloth moistened from the pack? 5) why water-based coats? What is different, better or worse than the Helmsman Clear coat? Thanks for your time, Lisa
I would recommend a good quality stain (brand is for the most part a personal preference) but most important is the poly after the stain has dried. A marine poly with UV protectant is recommend. Next would be to apply several coats, even if it is days apart to allow for the correct dry time between coats. (following the manufacturers directions). I will even apply another coat periodically during the year just to keep the door protected. If there is any way to cover the area with plastic until it drys that would be advised to help keep bugs away from the finish. Any type of brush can be used, make sure that the brush is recommended for the type of stain/poly that you are using...either a foam applicator or a brush can be used, whichever yields the best results. Tack cloth is basically cheese cloth coated with bees wax. The wax coating attracts the dust and removes it from the surface, but with that being said you do not want to rub hard at all with a tack cloth. Doing so will cause the wax to get on the surface and keep your stain/poly from adhering. Water based just makes for easier clean up, many people believe that one ids better than the other but you could get into a long debate on the topic, so the best bet is to get a good quality, marine, UV protectant stain/poly. Hope this answers your questions, thanks for watching.,
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Great instructions and video - I was able to strip and restain my fiberglass front door over 4 days. Here are my observations and experience. 1) Gently run the tack cloth to prevent possibility of transmitting the tack (beeswax) to your door which can make it difficult to apply stain (wax repels it). 2) Allow sufficient time between coats of stain and poly to dry per manufacturer instructions. I used fans to speed the drying process 3) Plan your approach before applying stain - I opted to apply coats to interior panels first and work in sections at a time 3) Work fast especially when staining otherwise you risk drying occurs causing dark “lap” marks to appear. 4) The Minwax Helmsman exterior clear "Satin" polyurethane finishes like a high gloss. This was disappointing and hope it degrades to a satin finish over time. 5) The orange citristrip worked fine on my fiberglass door. I applied, waited 5-10 minutes then stripped with the plastic scraper. 6) Finally, I took the door down every morning and rehung it every evening and covered the front entryway outside the door frame with clear plastic sheeting and blue painters tape to hold in place and keep bugs out until project completed. Again great video. I would not have attempted the project otherwise!
Thanks for additions? Glad the video was a help to you. Thanks for watching.
I stained our new doors 19 years ago. I'm about to do it again and wondered about stripping them. Thanks for your info and work on the video.
Hope you had success 6 years ago. MAX Strip worked well for me (in case anyone else is looking for a fiberglass safe stripper).
Bob, you answered all of my questions - great video, and thanks for all of your effort!
Glad you liked it, Thanks for watching.
This video was easy to understand, to the point and very helpful. Will be doing this project this weekend!
Scott Stick Thanks
Excellent instructions. Thanks so much for posting.
Thanks for watching.
Citristrip QCSG801 Paint & Varnish Stripping Gel this is what i bought on Amazon. I have a metal door im going to use it on. For now, I have to finish sanding the door since the part i sanded is now smooth and the rest has the grain.. thank you for your tips. great video
Thanks for watching.
You did a superb job Bob, you possess particularly impressive communication skills considering that I absolutely hate the thought of taking this on but now only detest it! In all seriousness, you have a knack for instructional videos for sure. Thank you and good luck.
Thanks for the kind words
Good job. I need to refinish my fiberglass door because I want to sell my home. It looks exactly like the one in the video. There is one problem. It would take me at least 3 days to do this and during this time there would be no front door on my home. I guess whoever buys my home can deal with an unsightly front door.
+James R Davis I used a tarp to cover the doorway while the door was drying and put it back on during the night. You can also take out the weather stripping around the door until the door is completely dry just to keep it for ruining your finish.
Thanks for watching
Wow! Great Video.
Thanks for watching.
This is exactly what I was looking for, Bob. How to refinish a fiberglass door. I am concerned that I don't get stripper dripping on the hinge side edge of the door. Perhaps blue tape will protect that edge. Helmsman is ideal topcoat with their UV protection.
Yes, tape will help. Helmsman is a good product to use, I always make sure there is UV protection for an exterior door. Thanks for watching.
Thanks for the great tips including using a citrus stripper.
Thanks for watching.
Nice job, getting ready to do my fiberglass door. Been putting it off because I think the person that did it originally didn’t do a good job, due to the fact it needs to be done again so soon. Hope to do it myself, and it last. I hate to paint, but once I get started I’m ok with it.
You got this, Thanks for watching.
Great job, and video! I got several good tips from your presentation.
Hope it helped. Thanks for watching.
Whew -- labor intensive. Maybe I'll paint it.
That is an option. Thanks for watching.
Thanks for the tips. I've got to tackle this same project. I wonder why the two jerks gave you a dislike?
Not sure who or why someone would dislike, I'm just trying to help. Thanks for watching.
I followed your instructions, which were fine, except I used Minwax Gel Stain and I had an awful time with it: it dried too quickly, I could not keep a wet edge and the door looks blotchy and uneven. I got some gummy lap marks where I tried to "blend" fresh stain into areas stained just a few minutes previously. The door looks like crap and my only option now is to strip the door and start over.
There is a trick to keeping the stain smooth. A lot of times if the temperature is too hot it will make it harder to do without it drying on you. Thanks for watching.
Thank You for very informative video.
Thanks for watching
My door has like a white buildup...what can i use to clean my fiber glass door...dont want to paint it...briwn color is good but it has like a white scaly ...wgen i use a steel wool some falls off...any suggestions
Thanks Bob
Thanks for watching.
Beautiful work,great video,but it takes 2 days looks like between all steps required,what can I use to block the door overnight ?
You could use a sheet of OSB to cover it temporarily. Thanks for watching.
@@funbro1 sorry, but what is OBS
it appears that this is very time consuming job to do it right. Not a problem, but what do you do for a door while you are working on this one. I am afraid if I hire someone to repair this door they will try to refinish it on the hinges. Help PLEASE!! Bob, you have the best HOW TO I HAVE SEEN!!!
You could put a tarp up temporarily or if it’s going to be a few days till you get it all done a piece of plywood works good. Thanks for watching.
I built a temporary box around mine with OSB and 2x4s
It says on the Bottle of Citristrip NOT to use on Fiberglass doors. So why are you showing us that product? Pleas answer asap. I hope I can see your comment.
I got back ASAP. I used the product that Home Depot recommended and it appears to have worked?Thanks for watching.
May I ask what color did you use? I think mine is golden oak.
Hey Bob, first time staining door and have a few Qs. I have a Pella fiberglass entry door w/ glass 2/3rd and glass sidelights. It is stained dark mahgony, not that red crap. My overwhelming issue is the sun beats down on it and I live in the South.
1) I need the very best Gel Stain. Pella had to replace the door once already due to the fading of the stain.
2) I'm unable to take door down. Any advice for keeping it upright? Besides basic painting issues, I worry about bugs attaching to wet paint.
3) do you use sponge brush on all coats or just on 1st coat, and used a bristle brush on 2nd, 3rd coats? If so, what kind and size of bristle brush did you use?
4) is tack cloth moistened from the pack?
5) why water-based coats? What is different, better or worse than the Helmsman Clear coat?
Thanks for your time, Lisa
Great job! How long did the whole thing take? Thanks, -Rob
It took a good part of the day. Thanks for watching.
Couple quick questions
1. How much time did the entire job take?
2. Did you rehang the door between steps?
Aside from dry time(which will depend on temperature and other conditions) it took the better part of a day to complete. I did hang the door while the poly was drying. Hope this helps, thanks for watching.
On that orange stripper it says don't use on fiberglass. Is it safe? Your door looks exactly like mine.
The stripper I used worked well for my fiberglass door. Thanks for the question and thanks for watching.
@@funbro1 look on the back of that organic orange stripper.... Instructions warn to not use on fingerless. I guess I'm just looking for confirmation it worked for you. Can I disregard the "do not use on fiberglass" warning?
I don't remember the brand of door we have. We bought them at Home Depot years ago. Honestly, the fading was so bad that my spouse used a power washer to remove the almost any varnish that was left. Your instructions seem easy enough, but (forgive me for being stupid) - with the drying/curing time between layers, how do you protect your home overnight? Can we complete a few steps, rehang the doors and take them back down to continue?
I started a coat early then put it back up later in the day.
Thanks for watching.
When you put the spar varnish on,, how long does it last and when you recoat it do you have to strip all the old varnish off or just sand it enough to allow for the new varnish to stick?
The time that the varnish lasts will vary depending on many factors such as sun exposure, thickness of varnish, how well it was applied, and if it gets scuffed up at all but this one has been looking good for years now with a good amount of sun/weather exposure. To reapply I would lightly sand the surface with a fine sandpaper or steel wool till it gets hazy then apply another coat.
Thanks for watching.
What was the wood kote color that you used?
Teak gel coating stain.
Thanks for watching.
I have a Thermatru fiberglass door that I have done a terrible job of applying the stain. I need to remove it and refinish it. I have not yet applied the polyurethane sealant. I looked at the CitriStrip stripper and it specifically states not to use this product on fiberglass doors. Obviously you have done so without any apparent harm. Is it simply a matter of contact time? Sadly the Thermatru website video uses a dichloromethane product and has not updated their website to use a less hazardous product.
After reading through all of your comments it appears you have answered the CitriStrip question ad nauseum. Thank you for such a well done instructive video.
I watched the stripper and when it reacted with the old finish that's when I started scraping. So in short yes I believe it is the contact time. Thanks for watching.
Great video. I have a fiberglass door with two sidelights and a transom. How do you recommend I get the wood frame around all of it to match the fiberglass? Same stripping process or something different?
Strip it the same but you may want to use a wood conditioner. Test in a small area to make sure you get an acceptable match first. Hope this helps, Thanks for watching.
I stripped my sidelines and washed the fiberglass with dawn and hot water. Should I use mineral spirits before I apply the gel stain?? Or are the mineral spirits not necessary? Thank you
I would go ahead and use the mineral spirits, wouldn't hurt and it should help more than not. Thanks for watching.
Bob, I need some help! I watched your video on stripping and refinishing a fiberglass door. I was able to strip the door with no problem. Then I put a layer of Jeld Stain on it. I thought that I had the correct color of stain picked out. After the coat of stain had dried there were several areas of white or bleached out spots. I thought to stain more, so I did this and the door color became darker, so the door now has a much darker look to it than what we wanted. I put one layer of the clear coat on it to see what it would look like. It looks good, but it looks like a painted door. It does not look like the wood door that we had. I need to re-do the door. Can I start over and strip the door and begin again? Will I have issues with the wood grain look? Any help would be greatly appreciated!! My wife would appreciate your suggestions and I would like to get out of the dog house!!
It sounds like you may need to start over. I know it is not what you would like to hear but to get the best results you may want to thin the stain down so that it does not dry too quickly. This will allow you time to work the stain untill it looks the way you want it to before it dries. Good thing is you can leave a little of the old stain on the door, such as in the grain. It will give it a more authentic wood look. I wish you the best, Thanks for watching.
what about if you dont want to restain, but paint white?? any certain type of white paint for a fiberglass front door?
I would use a high quality exterior paint. Any good paint store should be able to recommend the correct paint for your job.
Thanks for watching.
Can I just add a coat of stain on top of an old door that has been stained couple of years ago?
It may not look too good depending on how it looks prior to staining.
Thanks for watching
so, i started sanding the door and took the grain off it. its now smooth. I wanted to paint it white, so I dont mind the grain is gone. do I need to prime it first, prior to painting a white sherman williams??
I would start with a primer. The paint store should be able to recommend the correct product.
I'm about to stain a double entry fiberglass door set. I made the mistake of leaving the doors unprotected and "raw" while the renovation crew went about their business for a couple of months. They got several substances that I can't identify on the doors and I used denatured alcohol, then mineral spirits to try to remove the foreign bodies stuck on the surface. I finally resorted to 00 steel wool and mineral spirits to "polish" the stuff away. It finally came off but now those areas look different than the rest of the door surface and I'm wondering if anyone knows if these polished (sanded) areas will accept the stain uniformly with the rest of the surfaces? These are REALLY expensive doors...HELP!
You will probably need to scuff the entire door to get a uniform finish. Best of luck. Thanks for watching
I stained & put polyurethane on my door exterior fiberglass door. I want to paint it. Do I have to use a stripper to remove the prior finish or sand it? I'm afraid it I sand the door it will remove the wood appearance. Will it be alright if I use an oil based primer & then paint?
I would rough it up a little bit with a fine steel wool then clean it real good then apply the paint. Sanding it too much could result in removing the wood appearance so use caution. Thanks for watching.
Do you have to use a water base stain, otherwise wouldn't an oil base stain prevent the polyurethane from adhering to basically a plastic surface. What brand of stain did you use?
Heman Lee I belive it was Minwax, and I used an oil base because it would hold up better and adhere better. Make sure to look for one with UV protection if it is going to be used outside. This will make it last longer. Good questions, thanks for watching.
Thanks!! Do we have to strip the door if we are staining it a darker color or will a light sand do?
I would strip it just to be safe. you would not want to get done and have the new finish fail because the old finish. That being said if you are going much darker then you may not need to remove all of the old finish. You might want to do a small section to test it first. Hope this helps, Thanks for watching.
@@funbro1 Thank you!
Great video and instructions, I would give you 5 STAR review except you are not revealing the name of the stripper. I bought an almost identical bottle that does not recommend using it on fiberglass now I am left wondering if I should not use it; is the hardest and most important part. You well deserve 5 STARS for sharing your technique and making the video. Great work.
REPLY to REPLY
CUTISTRIP. By no means I meant to disrespect your video.
I highly appreciate and admire your work. Please accept my apologies.
The ironic part is you didn’t mention what stripper you bought either. So much for 5 stars.
Thanks for watching.
one question, how do you keep the outside out of your house while you are reworking the door itself ??
You can get a thin piece of plywood and cover the door or use some thick plastic sheeting to cover while working on the door. Hope this help, Thanks for watching.
Beautiful job! Do you use water base or oil base spar urethane varnish. The door will have sun beating on it. Is it better to start out using foam brush for varnish or can i do whole coat with a brush. Please advise brush type..brand or quality etc. Sorry for so many questions :). Thanks!!
I use oil base, that has some type of UV protection in it. Without the UV protection the sun will ear it down rather quickly.You can use a brush but make sure it is one that is recommended for varnish. As for the brand that is a personal preference, some prefer Purdy and some prefer Wooster, as long as it's a good quality brush there should be no problems. Thanks for watching.
funbro1 Thank you so much for your quick response. Much appreciated!
Great video! If I wanted to mix a little bit of water-based paint in the gel stain would it stick to the fiberglass door just as well? Trying to gel stain my front door:)
I would only recommend following the stain manufacturers instructions. Thanks for watching.
funbro1 thank you so much! I appreciate your reply and I noticed that you take your time to respond to all the comments. Thumbs up to you and subscribed!
Thank you for the video.. I have this very task ahead of me this spring. Have you ever tried soda blasting the old finish off instead of stripper?
I have done sand blasting but not on fiberglass. I will have to try soda on the door next time. Thanks for watching.
How are you guys not getting robbed as you just remove your front door for days at a time?
Why did you blank out the Citrustrip? Ha! I use those laminate samples for all kinds of stuff :D
I was in no way compensated by any product used in this video.
Thanks for watching.
Any reason why you didn't use primer before stain application?
No reason, If the stain recommends primer then definitely use primer. Thanks for watching.
Dear Bob watch your video .It was great but the problem it has white spots on the fiber glass door will it be okay when i gel stain my fiberglass door.
You could rest a small spot to see how it turns out. Thanks for watching.
Thanks for the tutorial. How long did you leave the stripper on each time before scraping?
There is really no defined set time, I just left it on long enough for it to work. This time will vary upon the type of material that is being removed, thickness of the material being used, and the type of stripper being used. It's alway best to use the instructions as a guide. Hope this helps, Thanks for watching.
My door is about 5 year old and edges start to fade. I want to restain it. Do I have to strip first?
It really depends on what shape the door is in. If it’s not that bad you may be able to get away without re-staining it. Hope this helps, Thanks for watching.
Why not paint it? The problem with stain is that it's not even. :(
I wanted the wood look. Thanks for the question.
Hi, do you think this process can be done in 1 day? Excellent video
It might be tough to get it all completed in a day...with dry time.
After stripping the door clean, why not rub it with Acetone to get the final spots cleaned? Acetone should not attack the fiberglass.
Worried about acetone attacking the fiberglass I guess. Thanks for watching.
Would you recommend cleaning the door with denatured alcohol after you are finished using the Citristrip and scraping off all the old stain/varnish?
Scott Stick It wouldn't hurt and it would also help clean and remove any oils that may be on the door. Good question, thanks for watching.
Great job. Thanks. What do you think a painter would charge to do this.
Wow I'm not sure because I do all my own paint work. Thanks for watching.
Just curious did you ask any painters and what did they say?
Anybody else hear the kitten mewling around 8:00?
Nope, But I did hear a bird outside the garage. Thanks for watching.
Hey Bob.. I have a fiberglass door that was stained then painted over. Can i strip this the same way to get it back to be able to stain again? Thanks
I would try a small area first just to make sure that it does not damage the door but in short, yeah I would try it. Thanks for watching.
How long does it take to strip and restain a fiberglass door. in your case how long did it take you to refinish this ?
+altin velaj With all the steps and dry time in between it will take a few days and that depends on the temperature, humidity and type of finish.
would the gel stain work on veneer after light sanding it first?
Check the manufacturer to make sure it is compatible with fiberglass, but it should work fine. Thanks for watching.
What do you do when the door is off the hinges? Do you have a spare door?
I did this while the weather was good so I put a sheet of plastic over the opening.
Great video. Can this all be done in one day?
+Christine Carrion-Alfano To do it correctly it will take multiple days...dry time takes too long. Thanks for watching.
So you have no front door for several days?
Nope, not until it dries.
Thanks for watching.
What brand door was this? Thank you.
Probably a Peachtree if I was to guess but not really sure. Thanks for watching.
do you ever layer different colors or use glazing?
To achieve the color desired different colors can be layered. Glazing can be used but just make sure it has UV protectant in it to help it last longer. Thanks for watching.
Great job but, going so many hours without a front door is the real problem.
lastcall170 True, very true. What I did was cover the doorway with plastic and reinstalled it after each coat.
The process could be done with the door still hanging but that would be a little more difficult. Thanks for watching.
Thanks. I do have a locking storm door I suppose I can use
How long should I leave the Citristrip on ? Also at this moment, all I care is to do a good stripping job, what is polyurethane for ?
I was able to take it off just in 10 minutes because my door is brand new with 1 coat only
Polyurethane is to protect the stain from UV and fading. Thanks for watching.
That's fiberglass? Looks like wood.......but anyway ever use old masters stain? I used a lot of products over the years found that to be the best.....
Yep it's wood. This is a real nice door, it was worth the time to do it right. I have used many different products and I'm not sure if I have used old masters stain. I'll have to pick some up for the next project, Thanks for the tip, and Thanks for watching.
You mean, "Yep, it's fiberglass"...? I've stained several Plaspro fiberglass doors with Old Masters gel stain. It's a great stain and I use Master-clear Supreme water based clear coat. It's what Disney World uses on their whole park.
Yeah your correct. I mean Yeah it is Fiberglass. Sorry.
Thanks, just checkin and, thanks for the video.
The manufacturer of Citristrip used in your video claims it should not be used on a fiberglass door. Thoughts?
try it in a small inconspicuous area before using. It worked well for me but if you prefer use something that specifically say it is for fiberglass doors.
I used Citristrip as the other products indicated "may cause cancer" on the label. It worked just fine.
Dave Frattaroli The rep for Citristrip warned me that a chemical in their product would ruin fiberglass. Glad to hear that you had no trouble.
The citristrip paint and varnish stripping gel I found at the home center looks very similar to yours yet the label says "Do not use on fiberglass, plastic or vinyl."
wehn you put the hinge pins in I noticed you had pretty fingernails - but not so much when you put the knob on. :)
When I put the hinge pins in I had just had a manicure but when I did the knob I had just finished putting in hinge pins...I think it may have ruined my manicure. Thanks for watching.
i thought maybe male put on knobs, female put in hinge pins.
I find your stain job is 2nd rate, your process is correct but door is splotchy from poor stain job
The good thing is that you are entitled to that opinion. The finished product is still holding up and looks very good to date. As for my opinion, I find your comment 2nd rate and poorly written.
Thanks for checking in.
why not use a door nail puller much more efficient
+Karac Davis For what purpose?
Who's gonna tell him?
Not sure, probably no one.
You said "poly urethane" 20+ times... it's CLEARLY marked on the can as "SPAR Urethane". Poly urethane is made for indoor applications only. Suggestion... edit & redo your instruction, because you are misleading people to apply the wrong clear coat to seal the door. Saying this is Meant to be helpful, not nasty or mean. Please consider revising
I'm glad you were able to figure that out, however either poly or SPAR urethane can be used. When using Poly make sure that it is intended for outdoor use as some are only meant for inside use. I choose to use SPAR because I feel it holds up a little better for outdoor use. A revision of this video has been considered and was voted down 1 to 0. Hope this helps.
Thanks for watching.
can you not sand it?
You can but lightly as not to remove the texture. Thanks for watching
No tiene idea de lo q hace
And it still looks good. Sorry you don't know how to do this maybe try watching it again, Thanks for the view.
@@funbro1 Está bien amigo cada uno hace lo q puede ...
That brand (Citristrip)says DO NOT USE ON FIBERGLASS!!!
I would recommend that you use a stripper that is compatible with fiberglass. Thanks for checking in.
Hey Bob, first time staining door and have a few Qs. I have a Pella fiberglass entry door w/ glass 2/3rd and glass sidelights. It is stained dark mahgony, not that red crap. My overwhelming issue is the sun beats down on it and I live in the South.
1) I need the very best Gel Stain. Pella had to replace the door once already due to the fading of the stain.
2) I'm unable to take door down. Any advice for keeping it upright? Besides basic painting issues, I worry about bugs attaching to wet paint.
3) do you use sponge brush on all coats or just on 1st coat, and used a bristle brush on 2nd, 3rd coats? If so, what kind and size of bristle brush did you use?
4) is tack cloth moistened from the pack?
5) why water-based coats? What is different, better or worse than the Helmsman Clear coat?
Thanks for your time, Lisa
I would recommend a good quality stain (brand is for the most part a personal preference) but most important is the poly after the stain has dried. A marine poly with UV protectant is recommend. Next would be to apply several coats, even if it is days apart to allow for the correct dry time between coats. (following the manufacturers directions). I will even apply another coat periodically during the year just to keep the door protected.
If there is any way to cover the area with plastic until it drys that would be advised to help keep bugs away from the finish.
Any type of brush can be used, make sure that the brush is recommended for the type of stain/poly that you are using...either a foam applicator or a brush can be used, whichever yields the best results.
Tack cloth is basically cheese cloth coated with bees wax. The wax coating attracts the dust and removes it from the surface, but with that being said you do not want to rub hard at all with a tack cloth. Doing so will cause the wax to get on the surface and keep your stain/poly from adhering.
Water based just makes for easier clean up, many people believe that one ids better than the other but you could get into a long debate on the topic, so the best bet is to get a good quality, marine, UV protectant stain/poly.
Hope this answers your questions, thanks for watching.,