How to Make a Dirt Board

Developed as a way to practice snowboarding in the summer, dirt boards are basically extreme skateboards. Dirt boards, also called mountain boards, allow you to strap your feet securely to the board and navigate down trails, hills or skate and bike courses. The skateboards are outfitted with large tires and high trucks, or steering mechanisms, that allow more clearance for ground obstacles. Instead of purchasing an expensive dirt board, retrofit your skateboard with the proper tires, trucks and straps at home.

Things You'll Need

  • Skateboard
  • Dirt board wheel kit
  • Dirt board trucks
  • Nylon straps or bindings kit
  • Drill
  • 1/2-inch bolts
  • Socket wrenches
  • Phillips screwdriver
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Instructions

    • 1

      Unscrew and remove the existing skateboard trucks, which hold the wheels.

    • 2

      Turn the board over as if you were going to ride it. Lay it flat on the floor. Put on the shoes you will wear when riding the dirt board. Climb on and place your feet on top of the board in the best riding position, which is usually feet hip-width apart and facing out at about a 30-degree angle. Make a mark 1/2 inch on each side of each foot. Drill a 1/2-inch hole in each of these marks.

    • 3

      Measure the nylon straps by standing on the ground and placing the straps snugly over your shoes at the highest point, where your shoes tie. Allow at least 1 inch on each side of the shoe to use when mounting to the board. Cut two nylon straps to the desired length.

    • 4

      Bolt the straps to the board using 1/2-inch bolts in the holes you drilled. Alternately, purchase a dirt board bindings kit. Mark your feet positions as noted in Step 2, and use the bolts included with the kit to attach the bindings to the board. Some bindings require you to drill four holes for each foot rather than two, so follow your bindings' directions carefully.

    • 5

      Line up the dirt board trucks with the existing holes from the trucks removed in Step 1. Screw them into place. If you don't have high trucks made for dirt boards, attach 1 1/2-inch wooden risers that you bolt into place. Then attach the existing trucks to the risers using bolts.

    • 6

      Slide the dirt board wheels onto the trucks. Hold the wheels in place using the nuts included with the dirt board trucks. Tighten the axle nuts with your socket wrench.