When you first start skating, it’s easy to get frustrated by the slippery surface of the board. It’s hard to keep control and stay up when your feet keep sliding everywhere. A great solution is to put grip tape on the board. This rough surface creates friction, giving you a much more secure footing.
This article will explain everything you need to know about How To Put Grip Tape On A Skateboard. There are many different designs that you could choose for the tape; whether it be something simple like stripes or something more complex like a specific geometric pattern
. You’ll quickly discover that this is an easy process and once finished, you’ll have a personalized board that fits.
What is Grip Tape?
Grip tape is a coarse, sticky surface that skaters apply to the top of their skateboard deck to make it easier to keep their footing. It’s a sticky synthetic material with a diamond-pattern texture similar to sandpaper. Also, it comes in many colors and patterns so you can make your skateboard look as unique as you want.
How to Choose Your Grip Tape Design
When you’re shopping for griptape, you can also choose a design for your skateboard. This will add a really fun and personal touch to your skateboard.
Design: The first thing you can do is pick a design for your grip tape. There are endless options, ranging from quirky and fun designs to more serious and darker designs. You can even pick a pattern to match the theme and colors of your skateboard.
Color: After you’ve picked a design, you can choose a color that will look great on your skateboard. You can choose something bright and fun, or you can pick a darker color. You can even select a metallic color to make your skateboard look extra cool.
Type of Grip Tape: If you want your skateboard to last, you should use high-quality grip tape. This grip tape is extra sticky and long-lasting. It’s designed for heavy use and can withstand frequent skating.
What Type of Grip Tape Should You Buy?
If you’re just getting started with skating, a good option is to buy skateboard grip tape rolls. These rolls have a standard size and width that works for most skateboards. You can buy custom tape. You can also find pre-cut pieces or you can order a section of custom griptape that you cut to the size you want.
Custom grip tape comes in almost any size, so you can get exactly what you want. Custom griptape is a great idea if you have a more unusual skateboard. If you have an old skateboard that you want to give a new look, pre-cut grip rolls are a great option. They’re easy to apply and come in a wide range of styles and colors.
How to Put Grip Tape on a Skateboard
Installing grip tape is easy and quick. There are a few things you need to do first to prepare for applying the grip tape.
Step 1: Prepare Your Skateboard
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First, remove the existing grip tape and clean your skateboard deck. Wipe it down with a cloth and a mild cleaning solution. Let it dry completely before continuing to put on the tape.
Step 2: Place On Your Skateboard Clean and Flat Surface.
Next, stand the deck where you want to place the grip tape. This will make the surface rough, making it easier to apply.
Step 3: Apply The Grip Tape
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Then, apply the grip tape to your skateboard. Start at one end and apply a thin strip of tape, pressing it down firmly. Wrap the tape around the deck and overlap the edges by about an inch.
Step 4: Cut off the edge
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Next, Take a razor blade and slice from the edge of the deck to the edge of the grip tape and then rescore. The razor blade will be at an angle of 45 degrees to excess grip tape. That way it s going to have a nice clean cut on the edge of the grip tap
Next, Take a razor blade and slice from the edge of the deck to the edge of the grip tape and then rescore. The razor blade will be at an angle of 45 degrees to excess grip tape. That way it s going to have a nice clean cut on the edge of the grip tape.
Step 5: Assembly your skateboard
In the final step, finish any edges that are not covered by the grip tape. Cut the excess off and sand it down to make it even with the rest of the skate deck. The last thing to do is take a screwdriver and poke it into the truck-mounting holes to get rid of the grip tape that’s in there, that way makes it easier to put hardware in later.
Here is a short Video to help you more.
The Benefits of Grip Tape
- More Control: When you skate with slippery shoes, your feet have a hard time staying in place. However, if you have griptape on your skateboard, you’ll have better control over your movements. it makes the ride balanced to start tricks and do flips.
- Fewer Stumbles: If the surface underneath the skateboard is excessively slick, you might lose your balance even if you’re wearing shoes that grip the surface. Having grip tape on your skateboard can help you avoid those embarrassing stumbles.
- Less Wear and Tear on your Shoes: Skating on a slippery surface can cause your shoes to wear out quickly, especially if you’re a beginner and still getting used to skating. Having griptape can help you avoid wearing out your shoes too quickly.
- More Comfort and more support: When you skate on a smooth, slippery surface, your feet can quickly get sore. If your skateboard has grip tape on it, your feet will feel much better. Even it can help you avoid damaging your board.
Conclusion
Grip tape is a great way to make your skateboard more comfortable and easier to skate. It also looks cool and is a fun way to make your skateboard unique. When you first start skating, it can be easy to get frustrated by the slippery surface of the board. It’s hard to keep control and stay up when your feet keep sliding every much more secure footing.
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