The Boardshop Guide To Surfboard Care

How to Care for Your Surfboard

Now you have saved up your hard-earned money to buy your dream board, it’s important to learn how to look after it to keep it looking good and surfing well for many years to come.

There are some basic rules that apply to all surfboards regardless of construction type. Some of these you may well be aware of already, but you would be surprised how many people don’t put these rules into practice. Read on to learn about the do’s and don’ts of surfboard care.

DO

1) Rinse Your Surfboard After Each Surf

Salt is very corrosive and whilst fibreglass is pretty tough, if you leave salt water and sand on your board repeatedly, this will eventually do some damage to your board. Salt water can also corrode and degrade your fin boxes, fin screws and leash so it is important to rinse of all your kit and dry it thoroughly after each surf to ensure your board remains good as new for as long as possible. 

2) Use a Surfboard Bag

Day to day use at home

Once you have spent your hard-earned money on the perfect board, investing in a great quality surfboard bag is an absolute essential to protect it so you can enjoy it for years to come. The last thing anyone wants is a ding on their fresh stick and given that most dings happening during transit or storage, a decent board bag is the best way to prevent that. A standard 5mm padded bag is perfect for general storage, use on a roof rack or for added protection in your car or van.

Travelling with your board

If you’ve ever flown with your surfboard, you’ll be all too familiar with the risks involved. Air travel with boards can entail paying a hefty charge so the last thing you want to happen is for your board to get damaged or even worse snapped! A good travel bag, normally 10mm thick with reinforced nose and tail sections can go a long way to preventing damage like this. If you don’t have a 10mm bag or the budget for one then don’t despair, wrapping your board in cardboard/bubble wrap and using a thinner bag can work too, it just takes a little more time to prepare. Nowadays boards getting snapped in transit is pretty rare but its always wise to pat special attention to the nose and tail, these are the most vulnerable arears.

If you are travelling with more than one board then have a look at a multi board travel bag, there are lots of choices and these bags do a great job in preventing transit damage.

Protection from the elements

Surfboard bags are perfect to prevent damage from the elements too. Most bags have a white or reflective silver underside, this is great reflecting sunlight and heat, thus protecting your surfboard from delamination and yellowing and preventing your wax from melting.

3) Store Your Surfboard Properly

It is just as important to ensure you store your surfboard properly when it is not in use as when you are travelling. There are several different Surfboard storage solutions available to help you store your board safely at home.

A surfboard rack you can turn your surfboards into wall-worthy pieces of art when you aren’t surfing them. Surfboard racks can hold longboards or shortboards as you can adjust how far apart, they are mounted to match the length of your board.

Surfboard stands are essential for multi-board storage and are most useful if you are lucky enough to have multiple boards in your quiver that you want to store. There are freestanding or wall mounted, vertical and horizontal options available – offering a suitable surfboard display solution for everyone. Surfboard stands, such as the Hold Fast rack are also available for single surfboards.

Make sure you display your board in a place where it won’t get knocked over, away from heat sources such as fireplaces and radiators and out of direct sunlight.

4) Check Your Board for Damage Regularly & Repair Any Damage

If you hear a big crunch when you come off your board when surfing that shallow reef, it is safe to say you’ve probably done some damage! It’s always best to get out of the water and check your board.

We recommend checking your board over quickly for any damage before and after a surf to ensure your board is watertight before your surf. You don’t want to get out of the water and find your board feels 2 kg heavier as it has taken on loads of water!

Please note, this is particularly important for some Epoxy boards, as some epoxy boards are manufactured using an open cell foam that is not sealed, this makes them absorb water when the glass in cracked or broken down to the foam.

It’s best to check epoxy boards over thoroughly after each surf to ensure there are no dings or cracks in the glassing. If there is damage then repair the board once you are confident it has dried out.  If you have a board that is damaged, and it is repaired (i.e. sealed) with water still inside the board will eventually start to delaminate.

You can easily patch up any small dings yourself using a repair kit – make sure the repair kit you use, Epoxy or PU, is suitable for your board’s construction type as using the wrong repair kit can cause further damage to your board. If you are unsure whether your board is PU or Epoxy you can check this with the manufacturer easily. Do not use PU, Epoxy or Bodyboard repair kits on a foam board!

5) Change Your Wax

In the words of Mr Miyagi – Wax on, Wax off. This is something that many people forget to do. It is easy to just keep piling wax on wax, but sometimes when we do this, you miss small dings on the board that may need repairing.  We recommend removing your wax and re applying this once or twice a year to enable you to check your board over and stop dirt and sand stuck to the wax being pushed down onto the deck of the board. 

DON’T

1) Don’t Leave Your Surfboard in the Sun

If you love your board, please don’t leave it in the sun. The sun will damage your surfboard with both its harmful UV rays and heat.

Surfboards exposed to the sun for long periods of time begin to fade and yellow.

If your board gets too much intense, direct sunlight in the summer this will cause the board to overheat and delaminate. It can also cause the outer layer of the board and fibreglass to become weak and crack.

We wouldn’t recommend purchasing an all-black surfboard as due to the fact that black absorbs more light, and therefore heat; these boards get hot really quickly and are much more susceptible to delamination.

2) Don’t Leave Your Surfboard in Your Hot Car or on the Roof

For the reasons stated above, you don’t want your board to get too hot. One of the most common causes of  surfboard delamination is when boards are left in the car on a hot summer’s day. Never leave your board in a hot car. The best way to avoid your board over heating if it is on a car roof is to invest in a good quality board bag with a reflective outer layer.

You can take the board out of your car and place it on a damp towel face down and then cover it in more cool damp towels to prevent it from overheating.

3) Don’t Surf a Damaged Surfboard

If you have driven for several hours and then arrive at your secret surf spot and find your board has a big ding on the rail, as tempting as it may be to surf your board, we would recommend you don’t. If a ding has cracked the outer layer of your board, then your board will no longer be watertight.

Whilst you can dry out some boards that have taken on a small amount of water, we wouldn’t recommend surfing a damaged board if you can avoid it.

We recommend keeping a small surfboard repair kit with you (suitable for your board’s construction type) for your road trips so that you can do a quick repair if necessary. Please note, it is important to ensure that your board has dried out sufficiently before you repair it. In an emergency you can use duct tape to seal a hole or crack as a temporary measure, if it means you can surf without making any damage worse, then do it! 

If your surfboard needs a more substantial repair, contact your local shaper or surfboard repairer and they will fix your board and get you back in the water in no time. We have been amazed by some of the quality repairs we have seen, sometimes even the most battered of boards can look good as new with some TLC!

4) Don’t Leave Your Surfboard Wax Side Up

This is a surprisingly common mistake,  leaving your surfboard on the beach wax up means the wax will melt! Not good for your surfing, or kudos as you do the splits on your first take off.

Melting wax is not great when the wind blows up a load of fresh sand and it all gets stuck on your deck either. Sand on your deck can cause lots of small surface scratches so try to avoid making your own DIY sand deck grips this way.

You can also purchase traction pads for your board instead of wax, these are an eco-friendlier option and they also offer another layer of protection for your board. Check out the full range here.  

5) Drag Your Leash

It is really important to wear a leash to ensure you protect your both your surfboard and other surfers in the water when you come off your board. A good quality leash will hold up in even the biggest waves and ensure your board doesn’t get washed up the rocks taking several surfers out on the way.

When you aren’t in the water though, it is important to make sure you don’t drag your leash. Surprisingly, this mistake is more common than you might think. Make sure you wrap your leash around your board or hold this in your hand whilst you are carrying your board down to the beach, unless you want to risk the leash dragging behind you, catching on something and you and your board ending up in a terrible state! Always close the velcro cuff to stop the velcro picking sand, dirt, grass etc. which reduce its effectiveness hugely.

Construction Specific Surfboard Care Tips

Whilst all of the above rules apply to all surfboards, regardless of the construction there are some more specific do’s and don’ts depending on the construction of your board.

Read on to learn more about the do’s and don’ts when you own one of the 3 most common construction types – PU, Epoxy (EPS) or Foam Surfboards.

You can usually find out what construction your board is from the surfboard brand’s or seller’s website. For example, on our site, we list the construction details for each surfboard in the details section.  If your board is older and you are unable to do this, then there are other ways to tell what construction your board is which we will go into more detail about below.

Polyurethane (PU) Surfboards

Polyurethane (PU) boards are constructed using closed cell PU blanks which are then glassed over with a polyester resin. PU Boards (also known as a traditional fibreglass boards) usually have a wooden stringer and they typically have more weight to them too compared to Epoxy boards.

PU Surfboard Care Tips:

1) Follow all of the Universal Do’s & Don’ts Mentioned Above

2) Be Careful Not to Damage Your Board & Be Aware You Will Get Marks on Your Board with Use

PU boards do tend to get dings and pressure marks more easily when compared to Epoxy boards and the best way to keep your board looking as good as new, for as long as possible, is to simply be careful with your board. The good news is that pressure marks that will appear on the deck of your board over time won’t affect its performance at all.

3) Repair with PU resin

It is important to ensure you use the correct repair kit to repair your board, otherwise you could end up doing more damage than good. Ensure you use a PU repair kit – the kits are usually clearly labelled to let you know what construction board they can be used on. If you are unsure, just ask before you buy. Make sure you don’t use Epoxy / EPS resin to repair your board.

Epoxy (EPS) Surfboards

Epoxy (EPS) surfboards are constructed using open cell Expanded Polystyrene blanks which are then coated in epoxy resin. Epoxy boards often do not have a stringer and are lightweight when compared to PU boards. Another way to identify the construction type of your board is that most brands will have their own name for their boards made using Epoxy, such as Lost Carbon Wrap, Channel Islands Spine Tek, FORM TST etc.

EPS Surfboard Care Tips:

1) Follow all of the Universal Do’s & Don’ts Mentioned Above

2) Check Your Board for Damage Regularly

Epoxy boards like PU boards get dings and cracks so please take care of your board to minimise any damage. It is a common misconception that Epoxy boards won’t ding when compared with PU boards – whilst some epoxy constructions are more durable, they are not 100% ding proof, so you still need to take care of your board if you want to make it last.

Due to their open cell construction, some EPS epoxy boards can be prone to absorbing more readily than a PU board so if damaged it is very important to ensure these boards are watertight before you take them for a surf. We recommend checking them over before and after each surf.

Dry your board down after each surf and check it over thoroughly for any cracks or dings. If you spot any, let the board dry out if it has taken on any water.

3) Repair with Epoxy Resin

Repair any cracks or dings with an Epoxy repair kit before you surf your board. Repair kits are usually labelled clearly so you can ensure you buy the correct kit, but if you need any help deciding what repair kit you need, you can always call us for some advice.

Foam Surfboards

Foam / Foamie Surfboards are usually made from high density, closed cell foam with a slick surlyn base and are the surfboard of choice for beginners and for weaker, smaller waves.

Foam Surfboard Care Tips:

1) Follow all of the Universal Do’s & Don’ts Mentioned Above

2) Do Not Leave Foam Boards in the Sun or Heat

This is particularly important for foam boards as they are prone to delaminate when they are exposed to heat. Look after your board by ensuring you don’t leave them in the car on a hot day and make sure you store them in a board bag with a reflective exterior.

3) Don’t Panic if You Damage Your Board

These boards are used for beginners for many reasons and one of them is that they are forgiving, and you don’t have to worry so much about dinging these boards. As they are usually made from closed cell foam, they don’t take on water quickly. We recommend patching the board with wax and then you can get back to surfing right away.

4) Don’t use the Wrong Repair Kits on Your Foam Board

Don’t make the mistake of using bodyboard or PU repair kits on your foam board as these can melt and damage the internal foam of the board. Epoxy resin will dry hard and will have rough edges. You can purchase specially formulated foam surfboard repair kits but as explained above, repairs are not usually necessary for small dings or holes.

A lot of these tips may seem like common sense, but you would be surprised at how many of the don’ts we see on a daily basis when we are out surfing. It can take a while to find the right board for you, make sure you follow these Surfboard care tips to ensure your favourite surfboard lasts for as long as possible.