Need a new interior door skin

[ken95lt1]

The interior door skin on my 37 foot class a cracked from heat. The shop says it was due to cheap material. Has anyone done the work??? Looking for suggestions on material. The local shop wants a fortune so I want to do it myself.

[ken95lt1]

thanks so much

[tarnold]

Just did mine. The product you want is FRP, fiberglass reinforced plastis. About $25 for 4x8 sheet. A little brittle to cut so put painters tape down first and cut thru tape, helps keep the splinters in place. HD or Lowes both carry it.

[lonfu]

I had to re do the bathroom door in my in laws moho. I was able to carefuly slice the skin from the door. then I re-glued it back on the frame after I sanded it.

On exterior doors(inside surface) you can buy a luan panel at the local HD or buy an oak panel at a local lumber yard, make sure the center is masonite(MSD) not plywood. If you take one of your drawers down to the local paint store they can match the color of the stain or as I like to do paint.

I use primer. Be sure to thin both the primer and paint. You will need a flat surface to work on with a blanket to protect the exterior paint. Just take your time and it will look just fine. What I like to do is 1 thin coat of primer, sand and then paint 3 thin coats of flat paint and then use a 3 coats of waterbase clear coat over it. Be sure to tackle rag between coats.

[Gjac]

My inner door skin is Al and is 19 years old and hasn't cracked yet. I would get 032 Al as rgatijnet1 suggested. Use the old skin as a template to cut the new one. As an alternate material you can use a sheet of reinforced FG and epoxy. .030-.050 would work. It is much stronger than unreinforced plastic(pure resin). Unreinforced plastics expand much more in the heat than FG laminates and may be expanding with no where to go being trapped by the return flange. When installing the new inner door allow for some clearance for expansion, maybe 1/16 of an in.

[ken95lt1]

Good point. Mine is only 4 years old but here is florida the heat is brutal. Maybe some kind of acrylic might be better?

[rgatijnet1]

The plastic is designed for use in a home that experiences a normal swing in temperatures. Plastic also tends to get brittle as it ages so the new plastic will last probably as long as your old door skin.
You could also use .032 aluminum skin that is available at most sign fabrication shops. This is more expensive but it would also be a permanent fix.

[ken95lt1]

Will that plastic stand up to heat or will it crack like the original plastic did?? Thanks for the reply

[rgatijnet1]

I am guessing that it is the plastic material used for tub surrounds, etc. Try Home Depot or Lowes. They both stock it in 4x8 sheets. It is probably glued to a foam core.