How to Resurface Pearlized Bowling Balls

Bowling balls are made of hard plastic, urethane, ebonite or reactive resin. Because of the material they are made of, bowling balls are usually monochromatic or have a swirly color design. There are also slightly iridescent and even semi-transparent bowling balls. The ones made from reactive resin can have a matte or a pearlized finish. If you have an old pearlized bowling ball, you can polish and resurface it to make the surface look new and shiny again.

Things You'll Need

  • Terrycloth Alcohol Ball spinner Resurfacing pads Spray bottle Cloth Polish
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Instructions

    • 1

      Clean your pearlized bowling ball thoroughly with a damp, clean terrycloth. You can use water or alcohol to remove the oil and dirt residue from the ball’s surface. Note that cleaning and polishing your bowling ball should be a part of regular maintenance. Polish your bowling ball after every game using a sling to prolong its life.

    • 2

      Place the pearl ball on the ball spinner machine. You can use this machine at your local bowling alley or you can buy one online. In order to get the best result, choose a resurfacing pad according to the grit of your bowling ball and then move on to finer grits. Note that small numbers indicate a larger grit and more friction, while larger numbers create a smoother finish. Resurfacing pads have the following grits to choose from: 180, 360, 400, 500, 600, 800, 1000, 2000 and 4000.

    • 3

      Turn on the machine and start with the lowest grit while your bowling ball is facing up, with the holes on the top. Spray water from a spray bottle to both the pad and the ball. Water will lubricate and cool down the ball since it can get very hot during the resurfacing and polishing process.

    • 4

      Treat your pearlized bowling ball with the chosen pad, applying even pressure. Move the pad from the side to the top and back. Continue with this motion for 20 to 30 seconds.

    • 5

      Turn the ball spinner off and rotate the ball 180 degrees before repeating steps 4 and 5. Then flip the ball 90 degrees and do the same.

    • 6

      Use a higher number grit once you have treated the whole surface of your pearlized bowling ball with the first pad. Repeat the whole process with a finer grit pad, occasionally checking to see if the abrasive lines made by the first, coarse-grit pad are still visible.

    • 7

      Continue with the process using the ball spinner, water and pads until you reach the level of grit you want. Most bowling balls are resurfaced with a 1000 grit pad, but check your particular model since it depends on the material, bowling style and even the bowling alley floor.

    • 8

      Polish your pearlized bowling ball once the resurfacing process is finished. Apply a commercial polish to a clean cloth and hold it against the ball while it’s still in the ball spinner. This final touch will not affect the final grit of your bowling ball but will add shine and gloss to its surface.