madducks

My attorney, who has done favors for me, just purchased a new front door from Lowe's. It's supposedly a fiberglass door - a Jeld-Wen Reliabilt that was milled by ABS. He wants me to paint it.

It is not like any of the Thermatru Smooth Star doors that I'm used to painting. It's very glossy, shiny and smooth. It doesn't even look like fiberglass, but rather like a plastic or a vinyl.

I went to Lowe's to find out about it from them. They didn't know anything and could not help me at all. Experts.

Has anyone ever encountered one of these doors before?

Normally I lightly sand and then paint with BM's Metal Wood Enamel. But this door is scarry looking being so shiny and this is my attorney...

Thanks.

TooledUp

What you're describing sounds like an aluminium door which is overcoated with upvc. Or it could just be a upvc door and the guy is mistaken about what he has been sold..?

chrisn

Consult the manufacturer, the only way to CYA

ParagonVA

sounds like a maintenance-free door, and not meant for painting? Is the customer trying to match the other trim? I'm sure BIN will stick to it

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shut the F up Donnie

madducks

I'm trying to consult the manufacturer, but getting no where.... I guess since Jeld-Wen makes it for Lowe's, Jeld-Wen doesn't support it??? I find nothing on the website and I'm now trying to get a phone number to call on Monday.

Thanks

madducks

Mistaken might be the prevailing word here considering the guy I spoke with at Lowes. When he couldn't find any information on the door, he told me to wipe it down with paint thinner and then paint it with an exterior latex....

So, if it is a upvc coating or laminate, can you paint that and if so with what?

I sort of just want to tell my attorney to take the door back and let me get him a good Therma-Tru Smooth Star door....

timhag

Tell him to hire someone who knows what they're doing. I think that your best bet.

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Bring it!

madducks

I'm not familiar with acronyms here (or how to spell it even). What is BIN?

timhag

Like I said, tell him to hire someone who knows what they re doing!

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Bring it!

madducks

Thank you. I usually do most of our interior trim work and have for years. I have another quality, experienced painter that I use when we have too many projects goings at once for the trim, windows and doors.

He came and looked at the door and has never seen one like it either. Then we started calling around to other local painters and nobody has ever had to paint such a door.

I think that neither of us have ever seen such a door because it is not at all what we usually use. It's from Lowe's and a "cheap" version of something. My guess is that the spec builders might use them and don't paint them.

Since your advice to hire someone who knows what they are doing and nothing else. I am also assuming that you proably don't have a clue either how to prep and paint this door. So, maybe you would fall into the category of NOT knowing what you are doing.

Thanks for being so helpful.

timhag

Okay Mr. builder! Hi! my name is madducks I am builder but have been in the coating business for 99 years and don't know what BIN is! Kiss my ass, i wouldn't help you if you were the last of the Mohicans.

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Bring it!

madducks

Thanks again for being so friendly and helpful. And I finally realized that BIN is the Zinsser product. I'm sorry my brain was being so dense.

Workaholic

You need a faster internet connection 30 minutes to google BIN lol

Go with manufacture specs

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Not sure if I am paranoid or not, but it feels like a staff thread was just started about me.
Sean

MissChaos

This post is pretty old - and I'm not sure if you've figured your problem out or not... BUT... I work for Jeld-Wen... The fiberglass doors do look kind of odd and they are very smooth and glossy... NOW - Jeld-Wen requires that you pain the door or the door will not be covered by it's warrenty.. BUT my general manager currently went to Canada and discovered that most of our customers DO NOT paint there doors... I would recommend it though.

robert hosey

i would scuff it good then use XIM 400