Want to learn how to wax a snowboard? You have landed on the right blog post.
Whether you’re a Shaun White in snowboarding or just a weekender who likes to have the occasional snowboarding trip, you must take care of your board.
And while it can be very convenient for you to take your snowboarding down the road to a local shop for a waxing session, hear me out first. It is ridiculously easy to wax your snowboard at home! And once you learn how-to, you’ll never have to depend on anyone for maintaining your snowboard.
It’s like my dad used to say, a good snowboarder should know how to wax a snowboard on their own!
Can You Wax A Snowboard At Home?
Yes! It is very easy to wax your snowboard at home frequently. Even the waxing apparatus is very convenient to find and saves you a lot of money in the long term!
You can choose to buy a few professional pieces of equipment or just DIY your way through it. Either way works just fine!
How to Wax a Snowboard At Home
Before you start the process, there are a few things you need to know. If you need to wax your snowboard at home, you will need a few pieces of equipment.
What You Need:
A Good Snowboard
Although frequent waxing can prolong your snowboard’s life, it is essential to buy a good snowboard in the first place. If you’re someone who snowboards on rare occasions, you can do with the locally available options. But if you have enough experience and are looking to upgrade the terrain slopes and challenges, the first thing you might want to do is buy a good Intermediate Snowboard.
Good quality wax
A good wax can go a long way in protecting your snowboard from moisture.
You can either choose a universal wax or go for high-end fluorocarbons wax. You can even blend two temperature-specific waxes for better adaptability.
Rubbing Alcohol
Cleaning your board with rubbing alcohol before waxing will ensure no leftover debris or dust could get trapped with the wax.
Edge Sharpener and scraper
It is vital that you not skip this. If your plastic scraper isn’t sharp enough, sharpen it with a metal file.
Iron
You can either choose to buy a waxing iron or use a regular home iron for this one. I’d recommend a waxing iron since they tend to fluctuate less than standard irons and offer better results.
Nylon Brush
You’ll need a good brush to brush off the residual wax before applying a new coat.
Snowboard vise or something to rest your snowboard on
A snowboard vice is a professional equipment used for holding the snowboard in place with a firm grip during waxing and filing. If you’re not someone who regularly uses a snowboard, you can try the DIY hack! Learn snowboarding.
How to Wax a Snowboard
- First and foremost, loosen or altogether remove the bindings of your snowboard. Check out the best snowboard bindings.
- Clean your board using rubbing alcohol and then scrape the edges using the scraper.
- Make sure you’re very precise around the corners.
- Using a nylon brush, scrape the base of your board. Remove any extra wax and dirt, and clean it off with a cloth.
- Take a big chunk of your wax and press it to your iron over the board.
- If you’re using a regular iron, set it to the minimum temperature.
- Move the dripping wax around your board and line its border well.
- Using your iron, press it to the board and blend the wax in. Use small circular motions and don’t stay on a particular area for too long.
- Once your wax is dry, scrape off any excess with a scraper. Always scrape from nose to tail and do so until all visible wax is gone. Don’t forget the edges!
- Finally, brush the entire board with 7-8 strokes of a nylon brush.
You’re ready to go!
If you have any more queries, I find this video very helpful.
How Often Should I Wax a Snowboard?
How often you wax your snowboard will depend on a couple of facts. Are you someone who frequently uses their snowboard? What type of snowboard do you own? These are the questions you need to answer.
As a general rule of thumb, people advise waxing their snowboard after every 3 snowboarding sessions. But it would help if you relied on your instincts too. If you feel like your board is slowing you down or the board looks very white and dry, it is probably time to wax it.
You also need to know the material of your snowboard. Snowboards come in either an extruded base or a sintered base. Sintered bases are very porous (meaning that there are many tiny holes in them). This means that they can hold wax better than extruded boards and will last longer between waxing sessions.
Depending on the type of board you’re using and the weather conditions, along with the frequency of use, you can wax your snowboard anywhere after 3-4 sessions.
How to Wax a Snowboard: Tips and Tricks
While it is essential to know how to wax a snowboard, it is also crucial to maintain the snowboard well in between sessions. These few tips will help you have a more efficient waxing session and help your snowboard last longer.
- Always store your snowboard away from moisture. The best way is to purchase a snowboard bag.
- Wax your snowboard regularly to keep your board from catching on moisture or other damage.
- Do not apply too much wax to the tip and tail of your snowboard. It is harder to scrape in these areas.
- Your iron should be hot enough to melt the wax, not smoke it. When using home irons, always use a minimum temperature setting.
- Always scrape from tip to tail and not the other way round.
How to Wax a Snowboard: FAQs
Can you use a normal iron to wax the snowboard?
Absolutely! The thing to remember is to adjust the temperature setting and keep it on low. It should be good to use!
What temperature should I wax my snowboard?
Keep the temperature around 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Do not go over that, or your wax will start smoking.
Can you use candle wax on a snowboard?
Never use candle wax for waxing snowboards. Use universal or temperature-specific wax.
Final Thoughts
Now that you know how you can wax a snowboard at home, you’ll be saving so much time and money in the long run. Not to mention that it is the pride of a snowboarder to hold a shiny board that they waxed and filed themselves. It’s almost like people holding up their prized vinyl records!
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