Delaminating Exterior Fiberglass Door

The upper center portion of our fiberglass door has a bulge - the fiberglass skin has separated from the core. This is most visible when the door has sun on it, and it retracts in the cold. The door is a 6-panel Pease installed in 2001. The door and frame are otherwise in fine shape. We recently repainted the door with a Behr Ultra exterior paint. Can this be repaired? I've seen some videos for repairing RV fiberglass delamination, and I wondered if a similar process would work. My other thought is to use some sex bolts through the door to hold the skin in place. Thoughts? Ideas?

 

Have never heard of these!

Best I recall the fiberglass door uses a molded sheet, basically replacing the piece of stamped metal which is attached to a wood frame and filled with foam.

If the fiberglass panel itself is de-laminating it's going to be difficult to repair.

You're going to have to grind away the offending material and basically re lay down some fiberglass mat with resin. Problem is then your going to have to sand and possibly use some bondo type material to make the patch area match the finish of the rest of the door!

Doable, probably, a PITA, yes!

 

Depends what the core of the door is made of. Sex bolts would work but are quite unattractive (they are commonly used on door closers when you have a hollow door).

Let us know what the core seems to be made of. You will have to look beyond the solid edge of the door which will be the first few inches of the door perimeter.

 

I've had good luck gluing a door back together when there is wood inside to glue to. I've used Power Grab and regular construction adhesive. If you can't fit the caulk tube in to where you need to apply the glue I squirt a blob out and then apply with a long dowel or metal rod. Then lay the door flat and put weights on it to hold everything together while the glue dries.

If your door has a cardboard honeycomb it can be tedious and difficult to apply the glue but it still can be done. I've used a slow setting epoxy. The glue is expensive but it allows more time to apply the glue before it begins to harden.

If the door has a foam core I would use something like Gorilla Glue. Spread the glue in a thin even layer. Properly weighting or clamping is more important with Gorilla glue as it foams when it hardens so you need to put enough weight on it to hold the outer panel flat while the glue cures. If any glue comes out the seams you can wipe it off with alcohol while it's still liquid or just let it harden then cut it off.

 

To add to Pilot Dane's comment, the aisle where anchor epoxy is sold will usually also have long skinny nozzles that can be helpful if you need to inject an epoxy or an adhesive.

 

Thanks everyone for the great tips! I'm not sure of the core material. All of the edges of the door are secure. I suppose I would have to drill a small hole to know. I would have to open some holes to use an adhesive. I understand the issue of appearance using the bolts, but I'm wondering if I might find something decorative that, used in a pattern, might still be attractive. The door is red with black hardware.

 

Hmmm...maybe something like faux clavos or decorative bolt covers.