How to paint your surfboard

To paint a surfboard, you have two options. You can paint on the foam, before having it finished, or you can also paint directly on the finished board.

Each option has advantages and disadvantages. If you paint directly on the foam, the paint will last a long time, a lifetime, since it will be completely protected by the fiberglass. But this technique is only for those that make their own surfboards. The darker the color, the more obvious the imperfections in the finish and the sanding will be.

If you paint directly on the finished board, you have the advantage of being able to cover imperfections in the coating and the sanding. You can also do this with an old board, or even to hide repairs, or just to give the board a new look. However, the paint less durable and can be easily damaged, since it is only protected by a thin layer of varnish.

1/ Painting on the finished board

Your surfboard should be completely clean. You must remove all wax and grease. See our article on how to clean a surfboard, we explain this procedure in detail.

Start by protecting the areas you do not want to paint, with masking tape and newspaper. There are two kinds of masking tape, one for straight lines, and one for curves.

Apply the acrylic paint. You can use spray paint, or better yet, bicomponent paint in a spray gun. If you use spray paint, try to hold the bottle vertically so that the pain comes out evenly. Take as many pass-throughs as necessary, and paint as many layers as necessary.

Sand down each layer with a thin piece of paper to keep the surface smooth, and so that the next layer will stick better.

Next, you can paint many kinds of designs, combining several colors, always using the masking tape technique so that you don’t paint unwanted areas and so that you keep the color well separated.

It is better to see this demonstrated in video. Here we have prepared a video painting a surfboard that had split in two and repaired.

2/ Painting on the foam

The easiest and better way to paint your surfboard is by painting directly on the foam, before laminating.

You can use any type of acrylic paint, spray or brush.

Use tape to cover the stinger, or to protect an area you don´t want to paint.

You have total freedom to create the design of your dreams!

And as a video is the best way to explain this kind of job, here is a home-made video which will show you how to proceed, step by step. Hit “Like” on YouTube, and share this tutorial on Facebook, tweeter or google +. Honestly, it would be very helpful!