How to Use a Clothes Iron for Snowboard Waxing

Lift tickets, new equipment, clothes, snowboard trips and other expenses add up quickly. When it comes time to fixing your board, sometimes saving money is as important as getting the job done. While a waxing iron is designed to regulate temperature and offer a more reliable, uniform waxing temperature, it is possible to save money and use a standard clothes iron for waxing your board.

Things You'll Need

  • Snowboard vises
  • Alcohol
  • Paper towels or rag
  • Wax
  • Plastic scraper
  • Wax brush
  • Iron
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Instructions

    • 1

      Secure your board into snowboard vises. Clean the base of the board with alcohol and a towel. Allow the board to fully dry.

    • 2

      Heat the iron. To begin, allow five minutes or so for the iron to preheat. Because you're using a clothes iron that's not specifically designed for wax, it's best to start on a low temperature and work it up in small increments. Adjust the temperature to the point that the wax barely melts. If the wax begins to smoke, adjust the iron temperature down and allow it to cool.

    • 3

      Hold the iron about three inches over your base. The tip of the iron should be pointed directly at the base of your board.

    • 4

      Place the wax onto the metal of the iron and let it melt. Slowly move the wax and iron around so that you cover the base with a generous amount of wax.

    • 5

      Apply the iron onto the base and iron the wax into the board. Move in one direction until you've established a thin, uniform coat on the entirety of the base. Repeat as necessary to iron the wax out evenly. Always keep the iron moving, as it's easy to burn the base of the board if you let it stand in one spot.

    • 6

      Let the wax cool and dry for about 20 to 30 minutes.

    • 7

      Hold a plastic scraper at a 45-degree angle with the base. Slowly scrape the wax off the base, starting at the tip and using long strokes toward the tail. Scrape all of the visible wax off the base and edges (the needed wax has already seeped into the pores of the base).

    • 8

      Rub the wax brush down the base from tip to tail several times to provide the appropriate texture and prepare the base for your next ride.