Gel Stain

Painting with gel stain is like painting with cold gravy.

The good news is that the 2nd coat goes on much easier than the first. I am staining a fiberglass/composite door and ya know, it's kind of like plastic. So the first coat didn't have much to stick to. The second coat does.

A nice guy at Tanner Paint told me that it's a good idea to wipe the door first with vinegar. He, and all the folks at Tanner, are really nice and helpful. They tell you what you need whether or not they actually carry the brand they are recommending. They care. And it shows, because they've been around for 75 years and have a loyal following. It's nice to just chat with those folks, pet the beagle, etc. I'm glad to do business with them.

Contrast this with Tampa Door, also a family owned company. It had been recommended to us a few times. We chose a door on Sept. 18, paid them in full on Sept. 19, and waited the 4 weeks they told us it would take for our door to be ordered, sized, pre-hung, etc. We called at 4 weeks. We called at 6 weeks. We called at 8 weeks. ETCETERA. At no time did Kieth or Antoine call US to tell us of the delay or explain the holdup.

Eventually, I lost it with Antoine over the phone. He finally delivered it to us on Dec. 6 -- that's ELEVEN weeks after we ordered it. At the time he dropped off the door, Antoine told me he would get the staining instructions to me right away. He'd drop them off on his way home from work. He'd come by on Monday. I called a couple of times. No, he doesn't want to simply fax them to me. He'll drop them off, he'll bring us some cut pieces from other fiberglass doors so we can test our stain first. He'll be right over..... and here it is, Jan. 8, and he's still a no-show.

Thanks Tanner! You've got my business.

No thanks Tampa Door. Never again.