Two more questions

TENdriver

New User
TENdriver
Okay, HOA list of work is nearing completion.

Unfortunately, my personal “to do” list has expanded exponentially, but that’s a whole different list.



In the meantime, I need to paint my builder’s grade fiberglass/composite front door. It’s on a southern exposure with no shade.

My first thought was to pull the hinge pins and rattle can it. My wife would like me to roll or brush it in place.


What’s the best type/brand of paint for this plastic door?



A second issue is the door handle. The lower screw is stripped out. Any long-term solutions for fixing that screw.

186643
 

Gofor

Mark
Corporate Member
For paint, I would use two coats of semi- or full gloss exterior acrylic latex.

For the hole, jam some toothpicks or bamboo skewers into the hole and trim them off at the surface. Then run the screw back in. If that doesn't work, (if the wood core is split the filler may not tighten the hole) you probably will have to remove the handle, drill a hole with a forstner or brad point bit about 3/4 through the door thickness, and then glue in a dowel, sizing the diameter of the dowel to replace any damage in the wood.
 

TENdriver

New User
TENdriver
Mark,
Since this is a front door, I really need to do a permanent fix on that screw hole.

The environmental conditions of intense sun and moisture as well as the mechanical stresses of pulling the handle are all factors that need to be accounted for.

I don’t know what the core is on these plastic doors. It didn’t seem to be wooden, but I can’t really tell.
 

Raymond

Raymond
Staff member
Corporate Member
Tendriver, those fiberglass doors were not really built to last for decades. If it is vitally important to keep that particular door then drill all the way through and use an epoxy to insert a dowel that will be covered with by door handle (if you are keeping that as well.

Other than that, I would suggest upgrading your front door. Either way you go, I would install an exterior storm door to help protect the investment you just made.
 

Dave Richards

Dave
Senior User
I mostly agree with Raymond. Instead of adding a dowel, though, I would drill a hole about 1/2 in. in diameter through the door just to the inside face of the inner skin. Then fill the hole with epoxy thickened with fumed silica. After it has cured, drill and tap the epoxy for a machine screw to replace the old screw. The filled epoxy will be stronger than the dowel. Probably stronger than the door. And the machine screw will have more holding power.
 

JimD

Jim
Senior User
I like Fred's idea but will add a twist on the dowel idea. Can you drill a hole from the edge of the door across where the screw goes? You probably need at least a 1/2 dowel and 3/4 would be better. Strength depends on what you are gluing to. It is probably some particle board - which is what caused the issue. If so, the through bolt is probably the best.

I am close to a door repair myself and am thinking of paint. My issue with the normal latex paint is that it dries so slowly. You can touch it in an hour or so but it is really still drying for a month. Days to weeks at a minimum. So my experience is that when you close a painted door within a few hours of painting it, the weatherstripping damages the freshly painted door. Rattle cans is an idea. Can you get water borne paint? It dries really fast too. I think Highland Hardware also has an article about mixing Resisthane, a water borne clear finish, with latex to increase durability. It would probably make it dry harder and faster too.
 

Jeff

New User
Jeff
That door looks like its seen better days and it may be a hollow core too. I'd replace it with a new fiberglass or steel door and remount the hardware.
 

Henry W

Henry
Corporate Member
I am close to a door repair myself and am thinking of paint. My issue with the normal latex paint is that it dries so slowly. You can touch it in an hour or so but it is really still drying for a month. Days to weeks at a minimum. So my experience is that when you close a painted door within a few hours of painting it, the weatherstripping damages the freshly painted door. ...
Jim
Switch over from normal latex exterior paint to an enamel paint (still available as latex, although I am not certain about availability of exterior latex enamels). Enamel paints dry and cure harder and have much less issue with block (dried paints sticking to other surfaces). Normal wall paint is great for ...get this, walls. Trim, doors, shelving, etc should all have separate paint - generally enamel. Ask for recommendations at a quality paint retailer, after telling them exactly what your project is - Sherwin WIlliams is my choice, but other have good products too I'm sure.
 
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