One of the most popular reasons customers use Polytrol colour restoring oil, is to revive their composite front door.
We have heard some people being quoted hundreds of pounds for a new door, only to give Polytrol a go and be completely impressed and shocked by the results – not to mention relieved that they saved tones of cash!
So, how do you revive a composite front door with Polytrol? Follow our 3 step guide below and your door could be looking as good as new in less than half an hour!
Step 1. Prepare the surface
As we always, say, “fail to prepare, then prepare to fail.” Before applying Polytrol you must remove any dirt, grease, grime or mildew from it.
Simple dirt can be removed with warm, soapy water then rinsing thoroughly. If there is any mildew or mould, this can easily be treated with a 50:50 bleach and water solution. Just scrub the mixture on to the door, leave it to work for 10-15 minutes and then rinse it off.
If there is any wax or polish on the door, you will also need to remove this first. This is because Polytrol works by penetrating deep into the surface to restore the dried out pigments. If there is any wax, polish etc on the surface, this will create a barrier and the Polytrol will not be able to get through to the pigments. This will result in nothing happening at best and being patchy at worst.
After cleaning, leave the door to dry for 24 hours. This make take longer depending on the weather and humidity levels, so please make sure that your door is completely dry before moving on to the next step.
Step 2. Apply the Polytrol
Once your door is dry, liberally apply Polytrol with a brush or lint-free cloth (or spray onto the door if you are using our spray can version) and then leave it to work for 10-20 minutes at most.
Before it starts to become tacky, wipe off any excess with a clean, lint-free cloth. If you would like to achieve a shiny finish, buff the surface with a lint-free polishing cloth.
In some cases, the surface may be so dry that it requires more Polytrol. If this is the case, you can repeat the procedure, again leaving the Polytrol to work for a maximum time of 20 mins. Remember to remove the excess after this time too.
Then, simply leave to dry.
Note: If you are applying Polytrol to a surface that will take you longer than 20 mins to complete, you will need to work in areas that can be completed within this time-frame.
Step 3. Clean up
After finishing, clean the brush with white spirits.
Gallery
Important info
- Make sure the treated surface is clean and dry before you begin.
- Do not use Polytrol on white surfaces, it will not work as Polytrol is designed to restore pigments which white lacks.
- Do not leave Polytrol on the treated surface for any longer than 20 mins.
- Do not apply in direct sunlight or on to hot surfaces.
- Do not allow the excess to dry and create a film – always remove the excess Polytrol whilst it is still wet.
Further Reading
Polytrol is also great for a wide range of other uses, including brightening faded car bumpers and even reviving the gelcoat on your boat! For further information on Polytrol, as well as other projects it has been used on, take a look at some other Polytrol related blog posts below:
- Polytrol FAQ’s
- Polytrol Used To Revive a 1996 Ifor Williams Horsebox
- Narrowboat revived with Polytrol
- Faded car bumper restored with Polytrol
We hope you found this post on how to revive a composite front door helpful. If you have any other advice or top tips, please feel free to leave them in the comments below. We love hearing from you!
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About Owatrol Team
Our team are ready and willing to support you with your requirements whether it is protecting your newly laid deck or renovating a luxury yacht, whatever the application Owatrol has the solution you are looking for.
Advice requested: I’m feeling a bit gloomy as I’ve made a silly mistake in trying to clean some spots of alien paint from the inside of my front door. Some little bits were stubborn so I removed them with white spirit. An hour later, I realise the door now looks patchy where I did this. The surface of the door feels different as well – it is clear that I’ve managed to remove the surface by with the white spirit. Is there a way to recover the situation? I believe the front door is a composite one, and it has a dark brown wood finish.
Many thanks, Lewis
Hi Lewis,
You could try a sample pot of Polytrol to see if it will recover the surface of the door. We’d recommend trying it first in a small area to see if it will recover the surface.
Please let me know if you need any further assistance,
The Owatrol Team
We have used Polytrol on our brown composite front door, which had faded in patches, caused by the sun, rain and dirt from passing traffic, it now looks like it did when we had it fitted. The company were prepared to fit a new one under warranty, but we realised that it would probably just happen again and we are really happy with it, especially now thanks to Polytrol.
Hi
I have used this product on my black composite door, but i still have faded patches within the grain. Can I do it again or will that make no difference now?
Hi,
Thank you for your query regarding the use of Polytrol.
Your problem could be the result of a few things;
1) The surface wasn’t completely clean prior to application (For the best possible result using Polytrol, the surface must be clean, dry and free of dirt, grease, grime and mildew. All waxes, polishes, silicone etc should be completely and thoroughly removed).
2) The Polytrol may not have been left to work for long enough before being wiped off.
3) If the surface has absorbed the Polytrol unevenly it can create matte and shiny patches. If this happens, you should then move surplus oil from the shiny areas to the matte areas, remembering to wipe off excess Polytrol with a clean lint free cloth before it becomes tacky.
I hope this is of some help to you.
If you still have any queries regarding the use of Polytrol, please call us on 01582 592707 and we will gladly assist you.
All the best,
The Owatrol Team
Hi ive noticed on my composite door it looks like its flaking is there anything i can do thanks
Hi Mark,
Thank you for your query.
Unfortunately the way to remove flaking from composite doors is by sanding – However you must be careful as sometimes coatings on composite doors are what prevents moisture ingress.
If you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.
All the best,
The Owatrol Team
Hello
Regarding the above query “I have used this product on my black composite door, but I still have faded patches within the grain. Can I do it again or will that make no difference now?”
I have the same issue but you have only stated why this may have happened, so my question also is;
Can I apply a second coating over the now very dry first coat?
Best Regards
Paul
Hi Paul,
Thank you for your query.
If the first application of Polytrol was not successful and the surface has remained dry and discoloured, then you can re-apply a further coating of Polytrol.
Just remember that the surface must be clean, dry and free of dirt, grease, grime and mildew.
All waxes, polishes, silicone etc should be completely and thoroughly removed as this will hinder the penetration of Polytrol.
I hope this was helpful, please feel free to contact us at sales@owatroluk.com or 01582 585266 if you require any further assistance.
All the best,
The Owatrol Team
Hi. I have a navy blue composite door but there have been red dots appearing all over it. I have tried cleaning it but they do not come off. The people that fitted the door have no idea what may have caused it. Would your product help in this case?
Hi Jo,
This is a hard one to answer as we have never heard of this happening before.
If you wanted to try and see if Polytrol would work, we suggest purchasing a 100ml sample pot and giving it a go. You can find the product page here: https://www.owatroldirect.co.uk/product/polytrol/
Failing that, we can only recommend you speak with the people who fitted the door again and ask them to look into it further as there may be a manufacturing problem.
I hope this answer was helpful and I hope this gets resolved for you.
If you have any further queries please do not hesitate to ask.
All the best,
The Owatrol Team
Hi there,
Will this work on a red composite door which has faded?
Hi Laura,
Thank you for your query.
Polytrol is perfectly suitable for use on a red composite door. As with all surfaces, we would recommend purchasing a sample size pot and testing it in a small area first.
I hope this was helpful.
All the best,
The Owatrol Team
Hi, will this work on composite door that has been painted over many times?
Hello,
So long as the door isn’t white and has been painted the same colour each time, then Polytrol will work just fine.
If, however, there are other colours underneath the top layer, there is a chance this will come to the surface.
We recommend purchasing a sample pot and testing in a small area just to be sure.
All the best,
The Owatrol Team
I need your help please!
Some years ago Anglia fitted a composite exterior composite door (red). I would like to restore its colour which at the moment looks faded and patchy. I have been advised to use a Primer and then painted it but I have read that Composite doors should not be painted.
I really do not what to do and my painter and decorator does not know either.
As I have said the paint has faded, the colour looks sad and the grain is showing white lines along the grain. Please advice and let me know where I can get the Polytrol colour restorer.
Do I need another product to clean the door before the restorer is applied, how can I clean it before using the product. How often does the door needs to be restored?Many thanks for your advice and help.
Hi Maria,
Polytrol will be suitable for reviving the colour and shine of your composite door.
Before application, you would need to clean the surface thoroughly with warm soapy water or Net-Trol (https://www.owatroldirect.co.uk/product/net-trol/).
Then be sure to rinse thoroughly and allow to dry a minimum of 24 hours.
Polytrol usually can last for 24 months+ before re-application is necessary. It depends on the sunlight, rain and pollution in which it is subjected to (i.e living near to the sea may mean an earlier re-application of Polytrol is necessary as it is subjected to a harsher environment).
We have a product information sheet that goes into further detail which you can find here: https://www.owatroldirect.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Polytrol-Product-Information-1.pdf
I hope this was helpful and answers your questions – please feel free to contact us again should you require any further assistance.
All the best,
The Owatrol Team
Hi I have just purchased a house with a black composite front door. The previous owners have painted it black but the paint job is terrible, it is patchy, flaking, has large brush marks and runs. Could I clean this up with wire wool and then use polytrol to restore it? Would the fine wire wool leave scratches that may spoil the appearance of the door?
Hi Sharon,
Thank you for your query.
As you have suspected, using a wire brush will indeed leave scratch marks and Polytrol will not cover these. In fact they will probably accentuate them.
What you could do is remove the paint that has been applied with Dilunett: https://www.owatroldirect.co.uk/product/dilunett-gel/
Then, as long as the original colour is not too faded, you could use Polytrol to restore the colour: https://www.owatroldirect.co.uk/product/polytrol/
Both of these products are available in a 100ml sample pot – we would recommend purchasing these and testing them out in a small area first.
Polytrol will restore the colour of the over coated paint, but unfortunately will not hide any brush marks, patchiness or any other blemishes present.
I hope this was helpful – please feel free to contact us again should you require any further assistance.
All the best,
The Owatrol Team