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Windows Exterior Home Repair

Help with fiberglass door and stain

last year

We are in the process of replacing our exterior doors. We really love the wood door look but our budget doesn't allow for it. We're looking at Therma Tru smooth fiberglass doors (no wood grain as quotes are coming in over 3k per door). I can purchase a smooth fiberglass door at my local store for a fraction of the cost. Same brand. My question is, has anyone stained smooth fiberglass doors? Obviously, we won't have a wood grain look but the color will hopefully match our wood accents. I'd love to hear if anyone has done this and how the door came out with any tips!

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Comments (5)

PRO
Windows on Washington Ltd
last year
Yes. They stain pretty close to wood with regards to application.
Stephanie C
Original Author
last year
Great! I'm hoping someone has photos to share. I'm looking to stain a smooth craftsman a light oak color.

I'd love any tips and tricks. I've worked with gel stain before so I'm confident there just never stained a non-wood, smooth door before!
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The directions for Therma Tru say that the doors should not be sanded, but I believe this refers to sanding the raw fiberglass skin, not really the finished door. If you sand the raw fiberglass you can either reduce the profile of the grain pattern or you can scratch the fiberglass, both of which may show up when you stain the door. You would need to sand pretty hard to do this though. Lightly sanding and sanding the finish that is already on the door should be fine and this is something you need to do for sure if you are painting over a stained finish.
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Chiming in here, as we're in the thick of a remodel and I am feeling desperate for help with 3 fiberglass doors we have inside our home that lead to outside. We're replacing all other interior doors with white shaker doors, however these 3 have me stumped. They are wood grain, stained doors, 1 is our front door with 2 side panels with windows, 1 is a French patio door, and the final has a window panel middle. Is it possible to just gel stain them? Do I have to strip them bare? If I don't stain, is there a painting process? We have just finished the awful sanding and stripping process of our entire staircase and it was a miserably filthy dusty ordeal. I am so dreading any additional stripping, but I also know we want to do things correct the first time. Help please!
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We have what we believe is a textured fiberglass wood door that was initially stained when our home was built. After 3 years the door was very weathered (due to the sun and humidity). We don’t believe the door was ever sealed or a top coat applied when it was stained. We ended up using Restore-a-Finish to try & re stain it. It seemed to work temporarily but it’s now just like before. We’d like to paint our door instead of re-staining it again but have no idea where or how to start. Any help would be appreciated!
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Those are great doors, a lot nicer style than your old ones! I would stain the outside, even if it's a little more maintenance, because it would look so much better. It's typical for doors to be painted white on the inside, and I don't think it would look cheap, especially if youl are careful to use the same color and sheen as the rest of your woodwork.
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PRO
HomeSealed Exteriors, LLC
last year
last modified: last year
I don't want to assume, but I'm not sure if @Windows on Washington Ltd caught the details of what you are trying to do.

Textured fiberglass stains BEAUTIFULLY when professionally done. Most folks can't even tell its not wood without a very close examination. A talented and educated DIY'er could probably produce a decent looking finished product as well, albeit without the warranty or durability of the top coat that most door manufacturers use.

That said, a smooth fiberglass door is not a good candidate for staining at all. If you have to go smooth, using a matching paint color will be your best bet. Nobody will mistake it for a stained unit, but it will maintain your color scheme.
kculbers
last year
I had a new Therma Tru triple locking smooth fiberglass entry door installed last year. It came primed in white. Our experienced and licensed carpenter ordered it directly from a Therma Tru dealer, so I could pick out the exact door i wanted. I plan to paint it a sage green when our heat wave in NJ ends. I love this door!! I think if you want to stain the door, then choose one with the fiberglass wood texture; and not the. smooth. The smooth is meant for “paint”.
millworkman
last year
Yeah from what I know the Smooth Fiberglass does not accept even Gel Stain well.

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