How to Fix Surfboard Dings With Epoxy

As a surfer, dinging your surfboard brings much frustration. First of all, surfboards bring pride to the owner, so a ding will damage the board's beauty. The longer you go without fixing a dinged surfboard, the more likelihood the surfboard foam rots and creates an unaesthetic look. Also, surfers like a smooth board for optimal wave riding. A dinged board can create problems in the water for a surfer. Make sure you fix your surfboard of any dings for optimal performance.

Things You'll Need

  • Epoxy resin
  • Fiberglass cloth
  • Q-Cell repair filler
  • Sandpaper, low grit and high grit
  • Safety mask
  • Safety goggles
  • Razor blade
  • Paint brush
  • Wax comb
  • Disposable Gloves
  • Stirring stick
  • Masking tape
  • Paper cup
  • Small squeegee
  • Small piece of cardboard
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Instructions

  1. Preparation

    • 1

      Cut away any rotten foam from inside the exposed area of the ding, using a razor blade. Use a wax comb to get rid of any wax in and around the ding.

    • 2

      Sand the ding down with sandpaper, both inside and around the edges of the ding. Use low grit sandpaper for this part.

    • 3

      Tape off the area around the ding with masking tape to isolate it so you will not have to sand too much of the board later.

    • 4

      Stir epoxy resin and Q-Cell repair filler together in a paper cup, using a stirring stick. Stir for a couple of minutes to help start the hardening process and until you have a thick paste.

    Filling the Ding

    • 5

      Pour the paste into the ding, using the stirring stick to make sure it fills completely. Pour until the paste stands slightly above the surface of the board. Let it harden.

    • 6

      Sand down the hardened epoxy resin mix to just below the surface of the board.

    • 7

      Cut a piece of fiberglass cloth to a size slightly larger than the surface area of the ding. Put the cut piece of fiberglass cloth on a small piece of cardboard and saturate with epoxy resin, using a squeegee to spread it evenly across the cloth and to remove any excess resin from the cloth.

    • 8

      Apply the resin-saturated fiberglass cloth to the ding, smoothing it out with your fingers and removing any bubbles. Let it harden.

    • 9

      Apply a thin coat of epoxy resin to the hardened fiberglass cloth using a paint brush. Let it dry.

    • 10

      Sand the filled ding until smooth and until it blends in nicely with the rest of the surfboard. Use a high grit sandpaper. Let the repaired ding dry for a day or two before taking it back in the water.