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Waxing a Snowboard
The Benefits of Waxing a Snowboard
First of all, Waxing a Snowboard is one of the easiest things that you can do to increase the performance of your Snowboard. Waxing makes the board easier to control, thus, it glides much better, increasing both your speed and the ease of turning. With this, you won't tire easily. Second, waxing prolongs the Snowboard's "useful life" since waxed bases are more resistant. Consequently, you get the most from your Snowboard. Lastly, Waxing can reduce the risk of minor damage to the base that disturbs the riding performance. With this in mind, both the pleasure and enjoyment of Snowboarding increases.
What you Need to Wax a Snowboard
- A dry room that is well ventilated
- An old sheet for the wax to drip on to
- Two blocks of wood to prop the board up on
- A Plexiglas or plastic scraper for excess wax
- A quantity of Snowboard Wax
- An old, non-rusty iron (for best results, use a non-Teflon) if not a special waxing iron
- An abrasive pad for polishing
How to Wax a Snowboard
There are several different ways of Waxing Snowboards. The easiest way is to let someone else (like your local board shop) do it. But, if you prefer to wax your board yourself the following are steps to guide you on How to Wax your Snowboard. Although there are different kinds of wax for different purposes, a general Snowboarding Wax will do the job in most cases.
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Applying the Wax Hold the wax bar against the hot iron and let the wax drip on the Snowboard. Set the iron on a heat that will cause the wax to melt, not to start smoking. | |
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Spread out the Wax Once you have dripped some wax on the board smooth it out with your iron. Apply a thin layer to the entire base of your Snowboard. Allow the wax to cool off and get into the base. | |
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Remove excess Wax and Smoothen Use a Plexiglas or plastic scraper to remove the excess wax. Now polish your base with an abrasive pad to smoothen out the surface. |
To get the most from your Snowboard, wax it about every third time you use it. Also, have it edged regularly during the peak season. Still, wax and edge your Snowboard more frequently if you are an aggressive boarder or if you ride a lot on ice and hard-packed snow surfaces. Keep in mind that even boards that are not used are subject to oxidation through UV radiation and other environmental influences. Thus, it is important to wax it also during transport and the summer break.
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Monday 15th December 2008 at 11:15:37 AM
what type of abrasive pad?
Monday 15th December 2008 at 9:14:03 PM
i once heard that you can use candle wax to wax your board true or false?
Saturday 27th December 2008 at 1:34:57 PM
False, candle wax will seep in, but it will just slow down ur board, candle wax would be a wax for warm weathers.
there are two type of waxes Cold and Warm
warms ones are softer and slide better on slush, and warmer temp; Cold waxes slide better on ice and colder temp.
Unless ur planning to use ur board at later on in the season when it gets warmer...
I suggest just go buy sum board wax its less then 20 bucks
Tuesday 30th December 2008 at 1:19:25 PM
just wondering, how to apply paste wax on to a snowboard please?
Monday 5th January 2009 at 9:33:53 PM
adam earlier said "i once heard that you can use candle wax to wax your board true or false?"
-;I have never heard of that, but i still wouldn''t try it anyways you could run the risk of ruining a perfectly good board for a stupid reason
Monday 12th January 2009 at 5:04:32 PM
Candle wax ha ha... wrong board dude, that might work when you need traction eg: Surfboard!
Sunday 25th January 2009 at 6:52:53 PM
how often would u need 2 wax ur board throughout a season?
Sunday 25th January 2009 at 11:06:45 PM
Ha, yeah, I put candle wax on a rail once... slowed it down considerably....
Wednesday 28th January 2009 at 10:32:35 PM
Candle wax vs Board Wax:
Candle wax is a parfin based wax with no quality other then it will burn.
Board waxes generally have PTFE teflon added to them( a good ratio is a wax with a least 50% PTFE)when properly applied and buffed(mild scotchbrite pad) your board will sing along and help you get over those small rises on fire trails we always encounter in Mountain Parks. Look for board waxes on sale at the end of the Season usually at 50-75% off. Good luck boarding and remember to wax wax wax :)
Wednesday 4th February 2009 at 9:00:45 PM
yeah!! what kind of abrasive?? i think you need to add one more step to this useful information.... "polishing"
Sunday 8th February 2009 at 5:09:18 PM
Use a green abrasive pad, like one you would wash dishes with.
Thursday 12th March 2009 at 11:49:36 AM
My tips on waxing (I have worked at a snowboard/ski shop for most of my adult life)
1) WAX WAX WAX!!! you can apply more than one coat and more than one type of wax depending on the conditions...I use an all temp wax, wait a few mins till the board is WARM, then wax it again with either a Red or Yellow wax, and then again wax it with an all temp wax.
2) Scrape board WARM!!! It is not necessary to let the board cool completely, it will only make it more difficult to scrape on your own...if you lay multiple layers of wax, scraping it warm will suffice.
3) Plastic Scrapers, that are sharp or brand new, work best! Use your thumbs and your fingers to curve the typically straight and firm scraper more like a ( with a curve to scrape...dont forget to remove wax from your edges!!!
4) BUFFFING IS KEY!!! A Green or Red Scotch Brite Pad is what we use...Glide with pressure from tip to tail ONLY!!! Not in a circular motion! From tip to tail in a back and forth motion
It is a completely essential part of snowboarding! Practice makes perfect
Monday 16th March 2009 at 10:02:30 AM
my tips on waxing
ive been waxin my board since i was six first ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS USE ALL TEMP WAX (unless youre going somewhere really really cold it will crack and slow you down)
use a metal scraper not plastic it will take more wax off so you have a more even surface.
use a brush to polish not a dish washing pad. a hard bristle brush like a horse brush and only go with the snowboard never make circles or go edge to edge. only go nose to tail.
if you are really looking for speed condition your wax wiht dakine wax conditioner it will moisturize the factory wax and make your shit fly
good luck kids and go shred
Monday 20th April 2009 at 9:53:38 AM
I have only been snowboarding for like 2 years and im beast but i dont know how to wax my snowboard help?
Sunday 6th September 2009 at 9:25:43 AM
Hi
I was wondering if someone could tell me what kind of wax to buy, and where to buy it from, if I''m snowboarding down to -20 weather. (I live in Fairbanks, Alaska)
Thursday 8th October 2009 at 3:59:03 PM
mr.hammer - great breakdown on the waxing steps and requirements for newbies and not so newbies for waxing tips. im with u when it comes to the all temp wax (east coast boarding), metal scraper is excellent to use when wax is still lightly warm. ive used plastic scrapers like "beans" advice posted above yours - and they work well too - but plastic scrapers go dull a lot quicker over metal - whatever - they both do the trick :) ive been also using a stiff brush to polish (lengthwise, nose to tail direction only - NEVER circular motion) this gives your board that "glassy" feel which is so awesome when catching speed and carving heavy. ive never tried the dakine wax conditioner to moisturize the wax for extra speed - but it sounds like it would work. ill give it shot this season. thanks for the tip bro and everyone else enjoy the season.
Wednesday 21st October 2009 at 5:59:43 PM
I bought a used bored a while back but someone else picked it up for me. Bottoms pretty rough, lots of scratches and something that feels like a sticker? I don''t even know if it''s supposed to be there.. anyways. does waxing do any good for covering this stuff up or is it gonna ride like shit and i should just scratch and get a new one? The old one i had was PERFECT whole bottom felt like a brand new board...
Tuesday 27th October 2009 at 5:35:13 PM
Thanks for the advice everyone. I tried my hand at it today. I am pleased to say, it turned out better than when I used to take it in! I was told to always use all temp wax when I went in to get the wax. An old license plate held at a 45 degree angle makes a great scraper, just so everyone knows.
Wednesday 28th October 2009 at 7:28:52 PM
where do you get wax from.....to do it yourself.
Thursday 29th October 2009 at 3:09:45 PM
i have the bottle of wax but does a new board need to be scraped or does it just need to be waxed?
Wednesday 4th November 2009 at 5:22:56 AM
can you use skateboard wax? Where is a good place to buy snowboard wax? I live in Germany.
Sunday 8th November 2009 at 9:11:48 AM
Hey I have a flow board and have been boarding for 2 years. I haven''t tried to wax my board myself or even had it waxed with melt wax ssince i''ve only used it for 1 season. but i have MX universal pro wax. I''ve used dakine high performance all temp afterburner paste wax which seems to work pretty well. Any advice on what to do would be appreciated :) thanks
Friday 20th November 2009 at 1:27:57 AM
Well snowboard wax is good but does it affect the skidding as in a boardslide for a rail
Tuesday 1st December 2009 at 6:10:53 AM
I still tend to get my board waxed at my local shop as they do a cracking service and I dont have space in my flat to do it at home.
I''ll admit that I dont keep it as waxed as I should and I have been using the Dakine speed wax to pep it up during a week on the hill and if I am heading out at short notice (I''m in Scotland so it can be VERY short notice)
Whats the consensus on the Dakine speed wax - good or bad???
Saturday 5th December 2009 at 12:33:44 AM
how do i know my snowboard is waxed its bran new and i dont know if it is or not
Monday 7th December 2009 at 10:14:01 PM
scrape it with hard with your thumbnail
Wednesday 9th December 2009 at 7:27:54 PM
Hey, I just got my board waxed and reconditioned at a shop. It appears that they did an awful job. there is a textured porous surface, a flat surface that when rubbed with a thumbnail, wax will come off, and a raised glue like surface with edges that dont smoothly run back into the base. is this how your board is supposed to be when it comes back from a board shop, like will it all go away when i start riding? or did they do a god awful job?
Monday 14th December 2009 at 4:53:37 AM
Curtis,
They didn''t finish it, so yes that would class as an awful job. Simple to do yourself though. I use an old credit card as a scraper which works a treat.
If on the other hand they had waxed it at the end of the season then it is good not to scrape, leave the wax on until you are about to use it again, then re-wax if you want.
Thursday 17th December 2009 at 8:16:40 PM
i just got a new board and i dont know what i sould do? do i have to wax it before i ride it for the first time or can i go a few times without waxing...? i am totally new to this.
Tuesday 22nd December 2009 at 12:37:59 AM
HM: you do''t have to wax it if it''s beand new. The board is factory waxed, I usually wax mine like every 3rd session. I''ve been using scotch pads to buff it. is there another brush or somthing that works better?
Friday 25th December 2009 at 2:05:47 AM
Hey;
I got a snowboard used and I don''t know if it is horrible to ride on or what. I know that having deep nicks is bad and I have a few of those. And the metal on the side of the board is OK I guess. I know I need a wax job and I can''t afford to bring it to the shop. Can anyone give me pointers on what stuff to buy exactly. I honestly don''t know the difference between the waxes. I watched the video on YouTube on how to wax your board. It was simple to understand but I don''t know what to buy. And the new snowfall was wet and heavy so does it matter what wax I buy? Is there like an all purpose universal wax or what because sometimes we get a nice powder and other times we get a really heavy and wet fall. Any comments or tips will be helpful. Thanks.
Sunday 27th December 2009 at 4:41:28 PM
Most New boards will come pre-waxed with a factory wax. It is a very low profile wax and will usually last maybe 1 day. I would suggest One Ball Jay wax, and buy the right wax depending on snow conditions. I wax my board every day before i ride
Monday 28th December 2009 at 11:54:21 AM
Hi um i was wondering... well i am waxing my board and i think it mite be messed up like i am using swix wax and i put it on and it melted but i cant melt it into the board HELP!!!!!
Wednesday 30th December 2009 at 9:35:02 AM
What can I put on the bottom of my board to slow it down? I spent the whole night on my ass.
Friday 1st January 2010 at 1:15:35 PM
Hey I just got a snowboard whats the best wax to use for 1 to 40 degree weather
Sunday 3rd January 2010 at 6:32:06 PM
how long can the factory wax hold up until you need to get a real wax? and i have a chip in the edge of my board. should i just take it to a shop and get them both taken care of?
Monday 11th January 2010 at 5:37:26 PM
how frequently do you wax your board?
Monday 11th January 2010 at 7:41:29 PM
I have Dakine Afterburner paste wax, does anyone know how to use this. I assume just rub it on, and not sure how to polish it?
Tuesday 12th January 2010 at 7:50:50 AM
Hi, i have a new board and used it once, i have the Dakine afterburner wax and was wondering when to start using it and how often???????
Wednesday 13th January 2010 at 3:44:45 PM
Hey, I''ve never actually waxed my own board before, but was shown how a year ago by a very experienced boarder. For some reason, I thought I remembered him recommending to scrape all of the old wax off the board before every new waxing. Is this a good idea? Thanks guys, I appreciate all the good tips on here.
Thursday 14th January 2010 at 11:31:22 PM
what are the pros and cons to using hot melt wax to using spray on wax. and also how often should you grind your edges.
thanks
Sunday 17th January 2010 at 12:54:17 AM
AJ- they make warm, cold, and all temp wax. it should have the temp range on the package. ususally warm is gonna be for about 28 degrees and cold is for less than 28 degrees. I prefer the all temp or the warm wax but it all depends on your location and mountian conditions.
Adam- I wouldnt try and ride on the factory wax for more than a day or two. If your chip is strictly on the base of the board. prep your board as if you are gonna wax it (i.e. scrape the old wax off and clean the area) at most snowboard distributers they sell whats called a P-Tex candle. Personally i like to rough up the chip with a heavy grit sandpaper or even takin a safety pin and scratching the surface. I have had better results this way. It just adds more anchoring points for the candle to stick to. What you wanna do is light the end on fire and wait for the black carbon resudue to burn off, once that happens drip the p-tex into your chip/scratch untill it is completly filled in. Some people like to let it harden completly but personally I scrape, sand, and smooth the repair a little bit before its completely hard.
TJ- Yeah you wanna scrape off the old wax before you apply a new coat. Before every season I like to get all of my wax off from the season before with a fine grit sandpaper.
well good boardin and quit snakin me in the park. seems to be happenin alot this season.
Sunday 17th January 2010 at 12:54:40 AM
AJ- they make warm, cold, and all temp wax. it should have the temp range on the package. ususally warm is gonna be for about 28 degrees and cold is for less than 28 degrees. I prefer the all temp or the warm wax but it all depends on your location and mountian conditions.
Adam- I wouldnt try and ride on the factory wax for more than a day or two. If your chip is strictly on the base of the board. prep your board as if you are gonna wax it (i.e. scrape the old wax off and clean the area) at most snowboard distributers they sell whats called a P-Tex candle. Personally i like to rough up the chip with a heavy grit sandpaper or even takin a safety pin and scratching the surface. I have had better results this way. It just adds more anchoring points for the candle to stick to. What you wanna do is light the end on fire and wait for the black carbon resudue to burn off, once that happens drip the p-tex into your chip/scratch untill it is completly filled in. Some people like to let it harden completly but personally I scrape, sand, and smooth the repair a little bit before its completely hard.
TJ- Yeah you wanna scrape off the old wax before you apply a new coat. Before every season I like to get all of my wax off from the season before with a fine grit sandpaper.
well good boardin and quit snakin me in the park. seems to be happenin alot this season.
Friday 29th January 2010 at 8:46:43 PM
Great read. Everything needed to wax/repair a board is listed two or three times. Just picked up used board and plan to tear in to the bottom and fix it but good.
Thanks for al the info and see you on the hills!
Friday 29th January 2010 at 8:57:45 PM
Great read. Everything needed to wax/repair a board is listed two or three times. Just picked up used board and plan to tear in to the bottom and fix it but good.
Thanks for al the info and see you on the hills!
Saturday 30th January 2010 at 6:49:21 PM
i have baord and it has a few small cuts on the base is there any way i could fill them in with out going 2 a shop because i live down south no where near a mountain or board shop but it just snowed a foot here and imma gonna used sk8 ramps 4 triks but any way would car wax work to wax my board up? my dad said it would work but i wanted to ask u guys first reply fast pleas because im going out 2morrow!
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