How to Wax Boards

Unlike snowboarders and skiers, surfers wax the top of their boards. Surfers do not apply wax to help the board glide more smoothly through the water, but rather to help their feet grip the board. Wax a generous amount of the board (at least three-quarters from the tail up) to give your feet plenty of room to move around. Not all surf waxes are created equal. Select the appropriate wax for the temperature of the water. Each brand of wax is slightly different; however, the label should indicate the temperature range.

Things You'll Need

  • Basecoat wax
  • Wax
  • Wax comb
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Instructions

    • 1

      Lay the surfboard down in a shady area with the deck facing up. The deck is the top of the surfboard, on which you will stand. Waxing the board in the sun may melt the wax.

    • 2

      Apply a thin, even layer of basecoat wax. Press down firmly on the bar of basecoat, because it is a harder wax that does not transfer readily.

    • 3

      Rub the basecoat bar in lines parallel to the stringer. The stringer is a line that runs through the middle of the deck. Crosshatch these lines with lines of basecoat running from rail to rail. The rails are the edges of the board. Do not press the bar too hard for this step; press it just hard enough to transfer the wax. You should see small bumps form on the board.

    • 4

      Develop the bumps with the basecoat. Use any pattern you feel comfortable with, such as a criss-cross or straight lines. Some surfers apply wax in circles or spiral patterns. Use between half to three-quarters of a bar of basecoat for shortboards, or one and a half to two and a half bars for a longboard.

    • 5

      Apply the top coat of wax using whatever strokes feel most comfortable for you. Use circles or apply the wax in long strokes. Press down lightly on the bar of wax, because it is softer than basecoat and transfers more readily.

    • 6

      Apply additional soft wax to the deck after or before each time you surf. Some of the wax will fall off in the water or on your wetsuit.