How to Wax Your Surfboard
Summer’s almost here and surf’s up. It’s so close you can hear the waves, but is your board ready? There are a few things you have to do before you grab your board and head for the shore. Preparing your surfboard is extremely important, but don’t fear my friend, it’s easy. You’ll be hitting the waves before you know it.
1. Clean the Board
If you’re using a brand new board, skip to the base coat section. If you are using an already owned or pre-owned board, follow this step. Before you get your board in the waves, make sure you clean off all of the old wax. To do this, you have a couple of options. If it’s a nice sunny day and the temperature is hot enough, leave your board in the sun to allow the wax to melt. You don’t want any old wax remaining on the board. If the weather isn’t in your favor but you want to prep your board, use a hair dryer to heat and melt the wax.
You’ll also want to use a putty knife or wax comb to scrape off any extra wax. You can use something like Chief Firewater to clean the surface before you move on to the next steps.
2. Use Base Coat
A base coat is a layer necessary to set the new wax. Although the top coat will wear off quickly, the base coat will stick until the next time you clean your board. The base coat also is what makes the top coat stick to the board. You never want to leave an area of your board without the base coat.
Applying this will be thick and not so easy to do. Make sure you press hard so the wax sticks to the board. To apply, you can rub the wax in circles, go up and down, criss cross or any other pattern that works for you. Once you see a bump-like pattern on your board, you know your base coat is complete.
3. Apply Top Coat
As you choose which top coat to apply to your board, make sure you choose the correct wax based upon the temperature of the water wherever you surf. The top coat is much softer and tackier than the base coat, making it stick to your feet for a smooth and easy ride on the waves. You don’t want cold water wax in warm water temperatures.
4. After Surf
Wax won’t stick to your board forever. Before you surf each time, you should apply a fresh top coat of wax to the board. You don’t have to re-apply the base coat after every time you surf. However, about every 3 months of surfing you should start fresh with a new base and top coat.
You will learn which technique of waxing your board works best for you. There is no right or wrong way. Before you hit the waves this summer, make sure your board is waxed and ready!
