There would always be a time when you become tired of the usual and standard design on your door. And during such times, whenever homeowners decide to revamp the exterior of their houses, they tend to restrain their fiberglass doors and even start refining the exterior wooden doors.
Restaining a fiberglass door is much more than changing the visuals of a house’s exterior. It can also be an effective method in amending the simple wear and tear seen on the door’s surface. With such advantages, no wonder this method is quite popular nowadays. Curious about how fiberglass doors are restrained? Check out the steps in its processes below:
Preparation
In terms of restaining fiberglass doors, preparation is very crucial. Here, the materials and equipment to be used aren’t the only things that should be properly prepared. It also involves the proper setup and choice of location where the restaining process is going to be done.
Specifically, the following should be performed during the preparation phase:
A dust-free environment with proper lighting and ventilation should be chosen as the default location of the restaining process.
The door to be restained should already be detached from the frame.
Prepare the surface of the fiberglass door by covering any glass/windows or any weather stripping.
Read and understand the instructions on the stain kit before moving on to the next step.
Stripping the Door
Once the preparation has been completed, it is now time to move on to the next step which is to strip the door. Here are steps to be done during the door stripping.
Remove the finish present on the door with a thin and even layer of non-methylene chloride stripper.
Set aside. Usually, most strippers are set aside for more than one hour however, make sure to cross-check the indicated time on the stripper you have used.
Once the stains start loosening, start scraping them off the surface.
After this removal, sand off the surface of the door for a smooth finish.
Lastly, neutralize the stripper by wiping the surface with a rag saturated with denatured alcohol.
Check and follow the instructions on the Stain Kit
It is now time to start the staining process on the fiberglass door. There are different ways in which these stain kits are used and applied. But for your basis, here are the standard steps performed during the staining process.
Delicately stir the stain to avoid the formation of any bubbles.
Apply the stain carefully on each door section then let it dry for about 10 – 15 minutes.
Once the door has been fully stained, check for any drips or excess and remove them immediately while the stain is still wet.
Allow the coats to dry fully before applying the finish.
Make sure to apply three coats of finish with a 3-hour interval between each application.
