How to Do A Custom Grip Tape Job On Your Skateboard

Doing a custom grip tape job on your skateboard helps set your board apart from other boards. This is time consuming, but it is also fun. It is a way to show off your artistic capabilities, on your board, literally.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Exacto knife (or a sharp straight edge that has a handle)
• Grip tape that is a little bit wider and longer than your board
• Your design on another piece of paper
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Large piece of thick cardboard

1. Once you already have your design figured out and you've drawn it on your piece of paper, you'll want to cut it out using scissors.
2. Next, put your thick piece of cardboard on your kitchen table or your floor. Place your design you cut out face down on the back side of the grip tape (not the gritty side). By placing your pattern face down this ensures that it will be the correct way when you go to put the grip tape on the board.
3. Use your pencil and trace the pattern on to the backside of your grip tape.
4. Here's where the time consuming and tricky part comes in. Here you'll use your exacto knife to start cutting out your design. Place your grip tape gritty side down on the thick piece of cardboard. The cardboard is supposed to protect your surface (table) that you'll be cutting on. Start at one end of your design and use your exacto knife to cut out your design.
5. Once you've gotten your design all cut out, peel off the backing and put it on your board. You'll have to refer to How To Apply Grip Tape if you need further instructions on this finishing step.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure that you use super sharp blades. This will give you the cleanest cut.
• You'll go through a lot of these blades so buy extra when you go to the store.
• Have fun with your grip tape. Use more than one color for a creative touch.
• Be careful, Exacto knife blades are extremely sharp!
• Watch out for thin lines in your design, the backing tape your grip tape will want to come off and expose the sticky side.