How to Make a Foam Skimboard

Skimboards, unlike surfboards, are about half the height of an average adult and are used to skim along the water at the shore. You can build your own skimboard much more easily than a surfboard by making it with a foam core. Once you have the desired shape, you will cover it with fiber cloth through a process called glassing. Glassing your foam core will make it very strong and durable and make your skimboard last for a long time.

Things You'll Need

  • Polyurethane foam block
  • Electric knife
  • Sandpaper
  • Fiber cloth
  • Masking tape
  • Resin
  • Epoxy hardener
  • Paintbrush
  • Fine grit sandpaper
  • Polish
  • Buffing cloth
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Instructions

    • 1

      Cut the foam with an electric knife to the shape you want. A good shape for most people is to make the board as long as the length from your waist to your toes and as wide as the distance from your wrist to your shoulder. It would help if you have a skimboard on hand that you can trace the pattern from.

    • 2

      Sand down the edges of the foam with sandpaper so the edges slope downward.

    • 3

      Lay the fiber cloth on the bottom side of the board so it hangs over the edges and smooth out any pockets of air. Tape the edges of the cloth onto the board with masking tape.

    • 4

      Mix the resin and epoxy hardener together according to the manufacturer's directions and spread it all over the fiber cloth with a paintbrush. Saturate the fiber cloth with the mixture.

    • 5

      Spread the mixture over the bottom and sides of the board and let it dry for two days.

    • 6

      Lay fiber cloth on the top of the board, letting it drape over the sides like you did with the bottom. Paint the cloth with the mixture the same way.

    • 7

      Continue to lay fiber cloth over each side of the board in the same way and apply resin and hardener until you have three layers of cloth on each side. Let each side dry for two days.

    • 8

      Sand the entire board with very fine grit sandpaper to smooth the surface.

    • 9

      Buff the board with a polish and buffing cloth until it is shiny and smooth.