A tutorial from rachael of lovely crafted home gave me major hope when she successfully gel stained her fiberglass front door to make it look like a legit wood door.
Can i use gel stain on a fiberglass door.
Use minwax gel stain to add color to metal or fiberglass doors applying it in thin even strokes using the tip of a quality natural bristle brush.
If your fiberglass door s stain coat is flaking chipping or peeling off unevenly you ll have to remove the layer before applying a fresh stain coat.
Starting with any raised areas apply the product evenly to the fiberglass door with a natural bristle paintbrush.
I agree with the gel stain suggestion.
It looks like your door has a wood grain texture so when you add the gel stain and lightly wipe it should leave the wood grain look.
However they do need staining or painting every three to five years.
These instructions are also helpful for other simulated wood surfaces.
This is because the stain will not drip and run like liquid stains.
Fiberglass doors are attractive.
Open a can of gel stain and mix it thoroughly with a stir stick.
Gel stains are very fickle and require great care to apply to fiberglass doors.
Most gel stain manufacturers recommended using a total of no more than 2 or 3 coats.
Staining a fiberglass door using the brush method is easy.
And while i did have some evidence that this hack could serve my own needs i was still a bit concerned that it may not have the same effect on an aged not.
For the most consistent finish stain the entire door and apply follow up coats as needed rather than concentrating on a single section at a time.
Then one day an answer came to me from the heavens i mean pinterest.
The main trick to applying a gel stain is to follow the instructions precisely that are on the can.
Gel stain is a thicker stain that is commonly used to stain vertical surfaces such as doors and walls.
The directions for gel stain application can vary depending on the manufacturer so do not assume all gel stains are the same.
Your biggest chore will be completely removing any old finish that is on the door but not destroy the wood grain texture.
A penetrating stain can t penetrate fiberglass.
The best part about staining a fiberglass door is that any screw ups can be removed with mineral spirits and a rag before the oil based stain dries.
How to wood finishing tips techniques and advice.
When staining fiberglass with gel stain the stain will not soak into the fiberglass like stain does with wood.
Apply stain with the foam brush and use the 2 bristle brush to soften and blend stain to match the door and trim.
So you can practice on a flat area before committing yourself to staining the entire door.