How to Refinish a Surfboard

In today's climate it is as easy to repair and refinish an old surfboard as it is to get a new one. The amount of restoration performed depends on budget, time and patience. Below is a checklist of possible repairs one can do to refinish a surfboard.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Surfboard
• Water
• Heating tool
• Scraper
• Traction pad
• Spray paint
• Fiberglass repair kit
• Wax

1. Start with a clean surfboard. This means the board should be rinsed free of salt, mud and other water based debris that has hardened onto the surface. Allow to dry.

2. Strip the old wax from the surface by heating it with a heating tool and using a scraper to scrape it from the surface. Be sure to dispose of used wax in an appropriate manner.

3. Check the board's surface for major dents and dings and repair with a fiberglass repair kit. If you don't feel comfortable with this step, leave the fiberglass repairs to a professional. It is very simple if you follow the instructions on the back of the fiberglass repair kit.

4. Paint your surfboard with spray paint to add new vibrancy to its finish. Regular spray paint works just fine just but be sure to check the label for those all important words: "waterproof." Allow to dry.

5. Add a traction pad if it is an older surfboard. These pads are pretty much standard these days and really improve traction when on the water. Be sure to allow adhesive to dry thoroughly before moving on to next step.

6. Rewax your surfboard using high performance wax to increase speed and grace in the water. Be sure to coat the board thoroughly with a thick layer of wax. Don't waste time smoothing out the wax; that's what the water's for.