How to Make a Wood Snowboarding Rail Smooth

Professional snowboarding rails are typically made with steel or hard plastic piping so that the surface is smooth enough for a rider to maintain speed through the trick. However, the easiest way to build a rail yourself is by using wood, but unless you attach a smooth material to the surface of the rail, your momentum will be diminished as you slide across the wooden surface.

Things You'll Need

  • Tape measure
  • Polycarbonate sheet, 1/8-inch
  • Wood screws, 1-inch
  • Power drill
  • Countersink drill bit, 1-inch
  • Sandpaper, 400-grit
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Instructions

    • 1

      Measure the length and width of the wooden rail, using a tape measure.

    • 2

      Purchase a sheet of polycarbonate from your local plastics supplier that is the length and width of the wooden rail.

    • 3

      Place the sheet of polycarbonate onto the rail and line it up with the edges.

    • 4

      Measure 2 inches from the edge of the board and drill a 1-inch wood screw through the polycarbonate sheet and wooden rail, using the 1-inch countersink drill bit. Drill another 1-inch screw through the polycarbonate sheet and wooden rail 2 inches from the opposite end.

    • 5

      Drill other wood screws through the polycarbonate sheet and into the wooden rail at 1-foot intervals.

    • 6

      Sand the edges of the polycarbonate sheet with 400-grit sandpaper until smooth.