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Perhaps you could sand it down and then use a gel coat from a marine supply store, like you would use to paint a fiberglass boat or sea kayak? Would give you a bright, shiny finish.

My father did the above mentioned idea from DistrictDarling to a fiberglass surfboard and it turned out really well. very glossy and smooth! Not sure about the chairs specifically, but if you're up for a good project, its not too bad.

Ii posed a similar question months ago on an NY open thread, and I was advised that sanding fiberglass is a nasty proposition and produces al kinds of icky things you don't want to breathe. District darling, do you know more about this? I'd love to make my fiberglass chairs look nicer as well, but the fear of fiberglass dust is daunting.

i found a great solution from another AT-er when were were comparing Cure photos on flickr:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7651329@N08/1468942027/

check out our comments under that photo, MSATT gives a great how-to including names of the cleaning/refinishing chemicals used...best of luck!

heres what MSATT said:

"Its actually pretty simple.
You clean them off with water and a really mild soap.

Lightly sand any damaged areas - I had some water damage on mine so i sanded them with a really light grit paper. They also had some paint on the seat that I got off with goo-off.

Then you get this stuff called Penetrol (i got it at home depot in the paint department) and its made to do a bunch of stuff, including fiberglass conditioner and sealant.

Rub a coat on with a clean dry cloth. Wait 5 minutes and rub off the excess. Then do that like 3 or 5 times depending on how shiny you want it. Let it dry over night and see if you need another coat. It will condition the fiberglass and seal it. The color and shine come back. It was awesome.

I wish I had before pics - cause the chairs looked like trash (I thought they were gray not black), they cleaned up really nice. I even got all the rust of the legs with this chrome polisher for boats."

What about taking them to an auto body paint shop? They are used to painting fiberglass and it probably would be a low cost option. Try good old soap and water first. I got the same chairs at a thift store in the middle of nowhere, Tennessee. They were in horrible shape, but a little soap and water and lots of elbow grease and they now look great. Also, tin foil folded in a little ball works wonders for polishing the legs. Good luck.

Cool product, goodnightdean. Sounds like that would bring back the embedded fiberglass color, while a gelcoat would allow you to put a whole new (or the same, for that matter) color on top. Options are good.

On sanding fiberglass - yes, you really don't want to inhale it, and it's damn itchy if it gets on/in your skin. But it's also not dangerous as long as you take reasonable precautions. Always work outside, wear gloves and safety goggles, and get a good respirator (not one of those cheap Michael Jackson masks). Wipe the surface down with tack cloth or something to get any loose fiberglass shards off once you're finished sanding, then refinish with your preferred product.

i worked in a auto body shop for a few years, we painted a few boats including my own, and they came out well. It might take a while, and cost $150-$200, but you get great colour, and shine.

Just don't skimp on the wax. :-)

Thanks for all the great advice, folks. Will get proper equipment and get the job done and post photos once I do. Scored a Saarinen tulip table base off Craigslist for $8 (was superficially rusty, now painted black) and am searching stoneyards for a 36-inch black marble top, so for under $200 and some elbow grease, should have a lovely kitchen soon!

Hi my company retroredo does paint the chairs . We are now advertising on this forum as We love Apt Therapy SF and have lots of you fine folks ship your chairs to us every week and for that we thank you.
We use the same process that autobody shops use first we sand them (not recommended for the home do it your selfer cause the fiberglass is a real problem and the fibers can hurt your lungs,) We use a primer and then a coat of paint( any color) and last a clear coat ,
They do look like brand
new but retain the vintage look and feel, we only do the reverse side cause we put either fabric or vinyl on the other side with a new crimp cord and effiel tower base it really does look great