# Painting fiberglass door



## jerryh3 (Dec 10, 2007)

I just installed a new Feather River fiberglass door and need to paint it. The instructions recommend an oil based paint. I purchased SW Proclassic waterbourne for my interior trim and doors. My question is, can I use the same paint to paint the door(inside and out) and the exterior trim boards(wood jambs and never-rot casings)? And, what paint is recommended?


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## joenusz (Apr 26, 2009)

SW ProClassic is not recommended for outdoor applications, but it will work. The main concern is that either the colorant Interior Yellow or Interior (New) Red is used to formulate the color (check the color tag they put on the can - if you don't see these colors, or there is no tag at all, then it's fine for outdoor use). These colorants are interior-only because they fade quickly in sunlight.

Getting paint to stick to fiberglass is another challenge. The best system would be to sand the door with 100-120 grit sandpaper to get profile (a rough surface paint can "stick" to), apply 1 coat of SW Bonding Primer (~$15 per quart), and apply 2 coats of SW ProClassic which you already have.

Bonding primer is a last-ditch effort - if you can't stick it with Bonding Primer, you can't stick it.


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## jerryh3 (Dec 10, 2007)

joenusz said:


> SW ProClassic is not recommended for outdoor applications, but it will work. The main concern is that either the colorant Interior Yellow or Interior (New) Red is used to formulate the color (check the color tag they put on the can - if you don't see these colors, or there is no tag at all, then it's fine for outdoor use). These colorants are interior-only because they fade quickly in sunlight.
> 
> Getting paint to stick to fiberglass is another challenge. The best system would be to sand the door with 100-120 grit sandpaper to get profile (a rough surface paint can "stick" to), apply 1 coat of SW Bonding Primer (~$15 per quart), and apply 2 coats of SW ProClassic which you already have.
> 
> Bonding primer is a last-ditch effort - if you can't stick it with Bonding Primer, you can't stick it.


Thanks for the info. I don't think I was clear with my question. I am going to buy an oil based paint for the door slab(interior and exterior are both going to be white). I was just wondering if there is any downside to using an exterior paint for the inside part of the door? Is the bonding primer suitable under oil based?


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## joenusz (Apr 26, 2009)

OK - got it now. It is never recommended to use exterior paints inside, unless they are explicitly for indoor and outdoor. Pure outdoor paints contain fungicides and mildewcides, nasty chemicals that can trigger allergies and such.

SW ProClassic only comes in an explicitly indoor formula, but it will work just fine on an exterior door surface as long as the two colorants I mentioned are not in the formula (fading is the only risk). A packaged white can of ProClassic is just fine for your door.

ProClassic comes in two varieties, waterborne and alkyd (oil-based). I personally have used both formulas, and I'd use waterborne hands down for the ease of use. It really does mimic the smoothness of ProClassic alkyd, and IMHO is just as durable. Plus, it doesn't take  forever to dry like oil-based. Just put a foam roller to work, or spray it if you can, and you can get very smooth results.

Bonding Primer is a latex product, but I don't believe it will interfere with oil topcoats - check with the label or SW to be sure. If it won't, you can try SW ProBlock Alkyd (Oil-based). Of course, if you go with ProClassic waterborne, I know there will be no conflict with the Bonding Primer.


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## jerryh3 (Dec 10, 2007)

joenusz said:


> OK - got it now. It is never recommended to use exterior paints inside, unless they are explicitly for indoor and outdoor. Pure outdoor paints contain fungicides and mildewcides, nasty chemicals that can trigger allergies and such.
> 
> SW ProClassic only comes in an explicitly indoor formula, but it will work just fine on an exterior door surface as long as the two colorants I mentioned are not in the formula (fading is the only risk). A packaged white can of ProClassic is just fine for your door.
> 
> ...


Thanks. Yes, it is can of uncolored white. I have a lot of outside trim to paint so I might end up having to buy a gallon of exterior paint anyway. So it might be oil based exterior(SW All surface enamel or Exterior gloss oll?) for the outside trim and door slab and the Proclassic waterborne with the bonding primer for inside trim and door slab.


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## joenusz (Apr 26, 2009)

Before you get going, pick up a latex alternative for the exterior, and not an enamel (ProClassic). Using ProClassic to match color over a small exterior surface to the interior won't hurt, but if you're buying a gallon of paint for lots of exterior trim anyway get a gallon of A-100 exterior latex primer (if the trim is not fiberglass/plastic - if it is get bonding primer) and a gallon of A-100 exterior latex paint in package white. 

Latex paints are much more flexible after curing than enamels (that includes ProClassic waterborne enamel). Therefore, latexes are better on exterior surfaces which shrink and swell with temperature changes. If you're doing just a small area around a door (which is normally shaded), then it would be fine. But if you are doing a large area, latex is better (and cheaper).

For the indoor, just get a quart of Bonding Primer and ProClassic each if that will take care of the amount of door and trim. Both are expensive, and both are wasted on non-fiberglass (Bonding Primer) and exterior trim (ProClassic).

Sorry for the bad information earlier - didn't realize you were talking about a large amount of exterior work.


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## jerryh3 (Dec 10, 2007)

This is why I hate painting. Too many options. For the interior I have 2 interior doors with jambs,1 large window with casing and jambs, and about 70lf of 5.25 base. On the exterior I have the fiberglass door slab with wood jambs, about 30lf of 1x5 Veranda trim boards, and a good sized pediment.


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## joenusz (Apr 26, 2009)

Yeah, the easiest route will be just getting Bonding Primer for the whole shebang - interior and exterior. The door surface area is so large in both interior and exterior that bonding primer is the best route. I can't remember the coverage on bonding primer - take your dimensions into SW and they can add it up for you.

Looks like you be buying paints in the gallons instead of quarts. Never hurts to get gallons - when you do touch up five years from now before selling your home you'll be glad you have it in the garage. I'd get the needed number of gallons of ProClassic interior waterborne to put on all interior & exterior door, interior & exterior jamb, and interior only trim surfaces, then I'd get the needed number of gallons of A-100 exterior latex to put on everything exterior except the door and jamb. Bonding primer everything before painting, and sand (100-120 grit) all fiberglass surfaces before priming.

The color is where things can get screwy. If you ask for package white in ProClassic, they'll hand you Extra White, and if you ask for package white in A-100, they'll hand you Super White. They aren't the same, and next to each other you'll see the difference. When they try to sell you Super White in A-100, tell them you want Extra White. When they give you a funny look and say they aren't supposed to, tell them the colors need to match and you want Extra White. Don't think you can get away with matching colors by putting A-100 on the exterior door surface either, you won't be happy.

Another fun fact - ProClassic has a different sheen than A-100. So, when you put ProClassic satin on the door and A-100 satin on the exterior trim, you'll see the difference. I'd recommend you get A-100 satin for the exterior trim, and ProClassic semi-gloss for the door and interior. ProClassic sheens are less than you would expect, so a semi-gloss in that particular paint isn't blinding like most.

I hope you don't go running after wading in this mess!* If all else fails, take this to SW:*

*I want all exterior/interior surfaces to be coated with: Bonding Primer
All exterior surfaces except the door to be coated with: A-100 Extra White Satin
All door, jamb, and interior surfaces to be coated with: ProClassic Waterborne Semi-gloss Extra White*

Give them that and your dimensions and they should give you what you want.


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