What Kinds of Wax Can You Use to Make Surfboard Wax?

The production of surf wax is essential to the sport of surfing, for without it, there would be no way to stay on your board. There are essentially only two recipes used to make surfboard wax, and they both incorporate a number of different waxes and resins to create the tacky consistency that surfers know and love. These waxes range from man-made to completely organic and are employed by both professional wax producers as well as do-it-yourselfers.

  1. Paraffin Wax

    • Paraffin is the No.1 wax used in most nonorganic, over-the-counter waxes. In its raw form it's white and waxy to the touch. With a melting point between 117 degrees F and 147 degrees F, it's guaranteed to stay solid yet pliable in ocean temperatures experienced by surfers (45 degrees F to 85 degrees F). Because of the same characteristics that make paraffin perfect for surf wax, you will also find it in such products as crayons, candles and wax paper.

    Microcrystalline Wax

    • Microcrystalline wax is found mixed with paraffin in the majority of over-the-counter surf waxes. Because it is a refined form of petrolatum, it is denser and tackier than paraffin. If only paraffin were used in surf wax, it would be like rubbing a candle all over the deck of a surfboard. The result would surely be waxy, but it would be slick and slippery. The addition of the much denser and oilier microcrystalline wax complements paraffin's pliability with the stickiness needed to keep your feet planted on the surfboard.

    Beeswax

    • In recent years, the green movement has hit the surf industry hard--and for obvious reasons. Though paraffin wax, microcrystalline wax and other ingredients found in traditional over-the-counter waxes aren't toxic, they are man-made and generally unsustainable. This has led to the creation of organic surf wax, with beeswax as its base. Beeswax feels and can be manipulated much like paraffin, but it also contains a large amount of propolis. Propolis is extremely dense and tacky, just like microcrystalline wax. As such, beeswax naturally contains all the qualities of paraffin and microcrystalline wax that make them good for surf wax.

    Tree Resin

    • In the making of organic wax, the beeswax is mixed with refined coconut oil to create the final product. This recipe works great in warm-water surf, but for those who suffer through water temperatures in the 65-degree and below range, the addition of tree resin is needed. Tree resin, like microcrystalline wax and the propolis found in beeswax, is very dense and tacky. But unlike these two, tree resin will not get very hard in cold temperatures. As such, it will keep organic surf wax soft and pliable even in cold waters.