How To: Wax your Snowboard

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Thu, Sep 18 2008 6:23 pm | Comments

Tools needed
Base cleaner and cloth
Wax
Iron
Level work station
Scraper

1. Clean It Up
The first step is to clean your base. You want to get all that grime off so the wax really takes. You can either use base cleaner and a rag or, to take the more involved route, run a hot iron over the base, apply a thin layer of wax, and scrap instantly. The “hot scrape” technique cleans your base by opening the pores and allowing any muck that might be hiding in there to be pulled out. Keeping your base clean might not be as much of an issue in the winter, but come spring and summer there’s a lot of contaminants in the snow, so a good base cleaning is crucial

2. Loosen Up
It’s a good idea to loosen the bolts on your board. Reason is, the bolts conduct heat when you run the iron over them and then create small dimples in your base. You don’t have to remove them entirely, just loosen them a little so you’re waxing a nice level base.

3. Get To Waxing
This is where you’ve got some decisions to make. First, choose a wax that best suits the conditions (e.g., temperature) you’re shredding in. You can never go wrong with a good all-temp wax. When applying wax keep in mind that your edge is the section of base that takes the most abuse, so it’s smart to use a harder wax along your edges. There are a couple different application techniques, but the idea is the same. You want an even coat of wax across the base.

4. Scrape It
After you’ve waxed your board, set it aside and let it cool for about a half hour or until it’s room temperature. Then get your scraper. Make sure you’re working with a sharp scraper, otherwise you’ll make the process harder on yourself. The most important thing when scraping is to make long smooth strokes. Short choppy scraping will hurt your cause. Keep it smooth, kid.

5. Brush Up
The point of the final brush is to remove any excess wax you might not have hit with your scraper. Don’t be afraid to really put some elbow grease into it, the idea is to expose the structure of your base, because the structure is what moves moisture, which cuts down on suction, and that’s what allows you to really haul ass.

“Put your hand under the topsheet to get a feel for how hot the board is getting. It should never be more than warm to the touch. The only way to really damage your base is to leave the iron sitting in one place. Don’t do that.” —Scott Sparks, Purl Wax Guru

Photography Nick Hamilton

Also check out How To Detune your board here

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