Staining a Fiberglass Door

Lorraine asked 10 years ago

A first coat of stain was applied and the door looked beautiful. Stain appeared to be applied very carefully.

Did not wish for a second coat to be applied, but they said that it was in the warranty. Second coat was not applied as carefully as the first one, and now there are darker spots in the crevasses. How can this be fixed and is it easy to do?

I just read the warranty and it does not say how many coats of stain is required.

First coat was done in sections, looked beautiful, and second coat as I left I saw that the entire door was covered in stain, with the individual on the phone while trying to complete the door. I think there was not enough time to work on the door before it all dried.

1 Answers
JT Creations, LLC answered.

First I will say you are correct in your assessment of someone not paying proper attention to the finish job. Staining fiberglass doors is a "don't bother me till I finish" type job.

Second, I do not understand why the door needed a second coat of stain for any sort of warranty. Two coats of finish absolutely, one coat of stain is sufficient.

Now, for the bad news. In my experience the only way to "fix" this situation is to get off all the offending stain as well as removing the first coat of stain. This might be done using mineral spirits and time. Liberally wet a rag with mineral spirits and rub for several minutes in one area to determine if this method will work. If this does not you will need a stronger solvent. Caution must be used when using solvents such as Lacquer thinner or xylene as they have a flash point slightly higher than gasoline and can be ignited by a spark.

I am curious if you paid for this door to be finished why you are not contacting the contractor to make it right. My customers are usually adept at calling me with concerns.