Refinishing plastic door...

[DrDan]

I made a mistake. I suckered out for a real nice "Peach Tree" exterior door. I have had to refinish it twice in 5 years. The finish just peels off taking the stain righ along with it. Does anyone know how and what mateials to use to put a good finish on one of these fiberglass doors. I was told they were the greatest since sliced bread, but now that I paid $600 for it, I really wonder if I should have gotten good old wood!

DrDan

 

[dummy]

Are you using a spar marine varnish for the top (finish) coat? Regular polyurethane finishes don't hold up to the outdoor elements very well. Other than good prep work, sanding, sanding, sanding. That should be all the trick you need.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Sounds like a problem with the wax coat used to release the door from the mold is causing a lack of stick.
You can try using a automotive wax remover, and see if that promotes adhesion, or you can start with an adhesion coating product.
Sanding alone won't get rid of the mold release, it will just spread it around.

 

[DrDan]

Thanks

Yes I just sprayed a plastic paint adherant product on a bunch of polyethylene barrels and then sprayed on a black topcoat and it worked well... Never thought of using it on the door.

I had 80 - 33 gallon barrels that I sprayed flat black on one side. We have them in our greenhouse filled with water. Trying to store the daytime heat of the sun to supplement and use less gas at night. We have a 30' X 48' greenhouse with the inflated poly covering and this is our first winter with it. Scared...

DrDan