Every time you wax down your surfboard, you leave a thick coat of base wax and another, thinner coat of top wax. Over time and depending on how often you wax your board, residue remains behind. Should you wax your board and leave the old wax on, it can make the surfboard more slippery. It’s important to always remove the old wax from the previous wax before applying a new coat of wax.
So, how do you remove old wax from a surfboard? You strip the old wax away with a sharp-edged tool and scrape the wax off. There are a few ways to get all the old wax off so that you’ll have a clean surface that can be waxed again.
What Are The Steps Involved In Removing Old Wax?
The top part of the board where you paddle and stand up on should always have a slightly tacky feel. This tackiness means you won’t slip off the surfboard whether you’re paddling, pushing off it, or standing and riding a wave.
When waxed, it should feel like it’s gripping your body, almost so much so that you can’t just move one way the other and slide off the board.
It’s easier than you think to remove old surfboard wax. We tend to avoid doing it because we think there’s too much work involved. However, take these tips that will shorten the time it takes to do and take out some of the strain.
Method 1
- Lay the surfboard out in direct sunlight. Wait about 5 to 10 minutes, giving the sun rays time to melt the wax. The wax will become soft and gooey in texture.
- Begin to scrape the surfboard with your credit card, or a wax removing comb.
- Scrape away the old wax by forming a pattern, such as a checkerboard, or by sections. Be sure to go all the way from the tail to the nose.
- Look over the board when you’ve finished, looking for bumps that remain that are sticky. Remove them.
- You’ll know you’re done when the original color of the surfboard appears. Do a last once-over to make sure you’ve got every last sticky bump removed.
Method 2
- Lay the surfboard out in direct sunlight. Wait about 5 to 10 minutes, giving the sun rays time to melt the wax. The wax will become soft and gooey in texture.
- Spray the entire surfboard over with wax remover and wait about half a minute.
- Spray some wax remover onto a soft cloth and clean off the wax remover. Use circular motions and continue until all the remover is gone.
- Remember, you don’t need to rub very hard. The wax remover is easy to use and comes off easily.
What’s The Best Way To Apply Surfing Wax?
Now that your board is clean and free of old wax, you are ready to put on some fresh, new surfing wax. There are different types of wax, each one designed for different water temperatures.
Surfing wax prevents you from sliding off your surfboard when you’re paddling and standing on it. There is nothing worse than going out to surf on an unwaxed board. Unless you use a foam surfboard (that you don’t wax), the board will be very slippery and you won’t have any traction, making it next to impossible to surf.
There are four varieties of surfboard wax. Cold water surfboard wax is formulated for water temperatures between 50 degrees and 60 degrees. If you live in a colder climate, such as Washington state or in New England, use this kind of wax.
Cooler water, between 57 degrees and 67 degrees, such as in Southern California, uses a different formulation.
In warm water, like in the middle of summer in SoCal, uses this variety of surf wax. It’s formulated for temperatures between 67 and 79 degrees.
Finally, tropical surf wax is for the warmest temperatures. You’ll find this formulation used in the warmest climates, where the water temperature is about 75 degrees.
Surf wax comes in either a cream or in block form. Using a block of surfing allows you to apply in an even, consistent way.
- Use the edge of the block to apply the wax.
Lay the board flat and about waist high. Using the edge of the wax block. Draw diagonal lines along the width of the surfboard. Move the block from the edge furthest from you to the closest.
The wax should be applied to the area where body contact is made with the board. You will be paddling and pushing up and standing somewhere near the middle of the board. Note that pro surfers wax the entire board since they move from tail to nose. You should wax the longboard across the center and a few feet away towards the nose and tail. The more surface area you wax, the more options you’ll have.
After you’ve covered the surface with diagonal lines across the entire width of the board, begin drawing diagonal lines of surf wax in the opposite direction. Make Criss Cross pattern close together, forming little boxes as you go along. Go along the entire width of the board as you did before.
Don’t apply too much pressure when drawing the lines with the wax block. Less pressure works better than pressing down too hard. Applying wax with even pressure works best.
Now go across the board in straight lines across the width of the board as you did with the two series of diagonal lines. Note the pattern you’re creating. Draw the lines with the surf block over the entire surface.
As you draw the straight lines, note you are creating small bumps of wax on the board. These are important and will serve as grip pints for your feet when standing and your torso when you paddle.
The block now should have a flat side from all the wax transferred to the board. Use the sharp side of the was block and run the wax across the board lengthwise, from the top of the applied surface to the bottom.
Draw straight lines in and up and down motion. You’ll begin to notice more bumps appear that are more prominent. They should be rising to about a millimeter in height. If the wax is smudging it means that you are pressing too hard. This is why a lighter touch works better when waxing your board: always apply the wax lightly and evenly.
Now move the wax block in a circular motion across the board, especially in areas where your feet will be when you stand up. This area is mostly in the center of the board and 2 feet forward where you assume your surfing stance.
It’s a great idea to rub a little surf wax before each time you go out to the water. Remember to remove the old wax from a surfboard before doing a major wax job.
How Often Should I Remove Old Wax From My Surfboard?
The answer depends on how often you surf and the temperature of the water. Warm water breaks down wax faster than cold water. If you live in a tropical climate and the water is close to 80 degrees, you should wax your board every time you apply new wax.
If the surfboard loses its natural color and becomes grayish in tone, this means the old wax if breaking down. You won’t be able to create the bumps you’ll need for traction unless you remove the old wax.
Surfers who hit the waves several times a week will wax their boards before each trip to the ocean. For most of us, though, the general rule is 4 times a year of dewaxing and applying a new coat of surf wax.
Related Questions
Which Brands Of Surf Wax Are The Best?
There are a lot of different surf waxes you can buy, but there a few at the top of the list. One of them is Sex Wax, which advertises that it’s eco-friendly, meaning it doesn’t use any synthetic chemicals that will pollute the ocean.
Sticky Bumps is near the top of the list. Like Sex wax, there are 4 varieties of the wax formulated for different sea temperatures.
All surf waxes are at similar price points. Try the top waxes and compare them to discover your wax of choice.
Can You Surf Without Surf Wax On Your Surfboard?
It is not recommended to surf without applying surf wax first. Surfboards by nature have slippery surfaces. Paddling is more difficult without wax. Expect to fall off the board a lot. Standing is even harder. When you pop up, you could hurt yourself, especially legs and knees, if you fall on the board or into the water.
Should I Apply New wax In The Sun?
You need the sun to melt the old wax on the board, but the sun is the enemy of surfboards. Always wax your surfboard in a shady area. Also, don’t leave your surfboard out in the sun for long periods. The sun will melt the wax and may even damage the surfboard itself. Always keep a surfboard in the shade when not in use.