Whether you’re new to surfing or have been surfing for years, putting the right amount of wax on your board can make a massive difference. Good surfboard wax gives your feet and hands the grip they need, especially when you’re dealing with cold water, powerful waves or a slippery board.
I’ve found that waxing a board properly isn’t just about rubbing wax over the deck. There are a few simple steps that make the wax last longer and give you much better grip.
6
What You’ll Need
Before you start, you’ll need:
- 🏄 Your surfboard
- 🧊 The correct surf wax for the water temperature
- 🪮 A surf wax comb
- 🧽 A wax remover or old bank card
- ☀️ A warm place to work
- 🧻 A cloth or old towel
If you’re rewaxing an old board, you’ll also need something to remove the existing wax.
Step 1 – Choose the Right Surf Wax
The first thing to get right is the temperature rating of your wax.
Surf wax is made in different hardnesses because water temperature affects how sticky the wax becomes.
Generally, you’ll find:
| Wax Type | Typical Water Temperature |
|---|---|
| Cold | Very cold water |
| Cool | Cold/cool water |
| Warm | Warmer water |
| Tropical | Hot water |
For surfing around Yorkshire and the North East of England, you’ll normally want a cold or cool-water wax, depending on the time of year and the actual sea temperature.
This is particularly important during winter. Using tropical wax in cold Yorkshire water isn’t going to give you the grip you’re looking for.
My tip
Don’t just look at the season. Check the actual water temperature before choosing your wax.
Step 2 – Remove the Old Wax
If your board already has wax on it, I’d recommend removing the old wax before applying a completely new layer.
Over time, wax picks up:
- Sand
- Dirt
- Hair
- Salt
- Bits of wetsuit
- General grime
Eventually it can become a horrible-looking layer of dirty wax that doesn’t provide the same grip.
Warm the wax first
Put the board somewhere warm or leave it in the sun for a short time.
You don’t want the board getting extremely hot — especially if it’s a valuable board — but warming the wax makes it much easier to remove.
Use a wax comb to scrape the old wax away.
Work your way across the board until you’ve removed as much as possible.
Step 3 – Clean the Deck
Once you’ve scraped the majority of the wax away, clean the remaining residue.
There are dedicated surfboard wax removers available, but you can also use a wax removal method recommended for your particular board.
Be careful with solvents.
Some chemicals can damage the board’s finish, decals or materials, so don’t automatically reach for whatever solvent you have in the garage.
Once you’ve finished, the deck should be reasonably clean and dry.
Step 4 – Decide Where You Need Wax
You don’t necessarily need to cover every square inch of the board.
Think about where your feet and hands actually go.
For a typical shortboard, you’ll normally want wax over:
- The area where your front foot goes
- The rear-foot area
- The tail
- Around the take-off area
If you’re using a longboard, you may want considerably more of the deck covered because you’ll be moving your feet around the board.
Don’t forget the rails
You generally don’t need to wax the rails unless you’re using them as a handhold or have a particular reason for doing so.
Step 5 – Apply a Base Coat
This is the part that makes a big difference.
Instead of immediately rubbing your wax around in random directions, start by creating a base coat.
Take your basecoat wax and apply it using firm pressure.
I like creating a pattern of lines across the area I’m going to wax.
You don’t need a huge amount of pressure — you’re trying to build up a layer of wax rather than grind the bar into the board.
Keep going until you’ve created a slightly rough, textured surface.
Step 6 – Add Your Top Coat
Now take your normal surf wax that’s appropriate for the water temperature.
Apply it over the base coat.
This time, use lighter pressure and work in small circular movements.
You’ll start to see little bumps forming on the surface.
Those bumps are what help provide the grip between your feet and the board.
Keep working across the entire area.
5
Step 7 – Use a Wax Comb
Once you’ve finished applying the wax, take your wax comb and lightly rough up the surface.
You can use:
- Horizontal lines
- Vertical lines
- Crosshatching
- The comb’s pointed side
You don’t need to attack the board.
Light pressure is enough.
The aim is to create a good textured surface that your feet can grip.
How Much Wax Should You Use?
This is something I see people get wrong quite often.
More wax doesn’t automatically mean more grip.
If you put a huge amount of wax on the board, you can end up with a thick, soft layer that collects sand and dirt.
I’d rather have a good textured layer than a massive lump of wax.
You should be able to see and feel the bumps without having a centimetre-thick layer covering the board.
How Often Should You Rewax Your Surfboard?
It depends on how often you surf.
If you’re surfing regularly, inspect the wax before every session.
Look for:
- Smooth patches
- Bare patches
- Flattened bumps
- Dirty wax
- Areas where your feet normally sit
If the wax has become smooth, give it a quick comb before going back in the water.
If it’s becoming really dirty or has built up into a thick layer, it’s probably time for a complete rewax.
A Quick Wax Before Surfing
If I’m heading down to the beach and notice that my wax has become a little smooth, I don’t necessarily strip the whole board.
I’ll usually:
- Give the existing wax a quick scrape with the comb.
- Roughen up the surface.
- Add a small amount of fresh wax.
- Concentrate on the areas where my feet actually go.
It only takes a couple of minutes and can make a noticeable difference.
Surf Wax for Yorkshire
If you’re surfing around Yorkshire, Scarborough, Cayton Bay, Saltburn or Tynemouth, remember that the water can be seriously cold outside the summer months.
That means having the appropriate cold-water wax in your surf bag is important.
I would also keep a spare bar in the car or your surf kit.
There’s nothing worse than arriving at the beach, getting changed, looking at your board and realising you’ve forgotten your wax!
No responses yet