Do it Yourself Side Mounted Surfboard Rack

Protecting your surfboard is the second most important thing you can do with it, after actually surfing. After paying a few hundred for the board, you don't want to subject it to pressure dings, cracks or punctures. You may not have ceilings high enough to mount the board vertically, so here are some tips on how to make a do-it-yourself side-mounted surfboard rack.

  1. Picking a Design

    • First you need to decide if you want a freestanding rack or one that's mounted to the wall. There are benefits to both. Freestanding racks are much more movable, and some of them can even be broken down for easy movement. If you live in an apartment which doesn't allow modifications to the layout, obviously you would want to go with this design. On the other hand, wall-mounted racks are often more sturdy. These would work perfectly in a garage or any storage room. You would want a sturdier rack if you are concerned with bumping into the rack and watching your boards come tumbling down.

    Materials

    • Most surfboard racks require plywood. You will also need wood screws, usually 2-inch by 4-inch planks, a screwdriver and some sort of saw. The better racks will require sanding, polishing, foam or carpet for protection and sealant. You can also buy board holders, which you then attach to your mount. These are good because they are already cushioned. The two main components that you are striving for are to make the rack as sturdy as possible while making the parts where the board touches the rack as smooth and soft as possible. Depending on the design you go with, it's good to use foam cushioning on any part of the rack that touches the boards, because it is soft while still providing enough "stick" to keep your boards in place.

    Construction

    • You need to visualize the rack before you even begin, so you can tell if it will provide adequate support for your boards. The best designs will angle the boards into the rack: so that the side of the board will rest on the back of the rack or wall, and to remove the board you will pull it out at a 45-degree angle up and toward you. These designs keep the board locked into place. You also want to make sure that wherever you are making or placing the rack will have enough horizontal room to house your boards. It does no good to construct a wall mount on a six-foot wall when you have a nine-foot board. You should also measure out all your cuts and trace them with a pencil before you make them. Finally, make sure the slots where the boards go will actually fit the boards. Every surfboard is different, and some are thicker than others. Knowing the exact dimensions of your board is best, but if you can get a rough conservative estimate, that should work.