Introduction: How to Hot Wax a Snowboard
It is very simple to hot wax your snowboard.
You will need a hot wax iron, wax, buff pad(Green Scotchbrite Pads work well.) and scraper.
You can use plastic or metal scrapers, I prefer the metal scraper because it will not dull as easy..
Step 1: Area to Wax
Find and area to wax your snowboard. I have this nice little bench with braces that holds the snowboard level. Plug in your iron and get your wax ready. It is best if your snowboard has been sitting at room temperature so the base can absorb the wax more readily.
Step 2: Putting the Wax On
Drip the wax onto the base of your snowboard using a zig zag pattern. The first time you do this you will probably use too much wax. It is better to use a little too much, you can always scrape it off.
Step 3: Ironing on the Wax
After you have dripped wax onto your snowboard base you must iron it in. Double check the setting on your iron. If your iron is smoking, turn the temperature down. Iron the wax into the entire base and allow the board to cool for about 10 minutes. Always remember to unplug the iron after applying your wax.
Step 4: Scraping Off the Extra Wax
Once your snowboard base has cooled you can begin scraping your base with the metal scraper. We use 2 saw horses to hold the snowboard secure. Scrape the entire snowboard base smooth with your metal or plastic scraper.
Step 5: Make It Super Smooth
This is the final step of the snowboard hot waxing process. Grab your green buff pad and buff the base of your snowboard from tip to tail. This will smooth the base for a super nice finish
Step 6: The Final Product
Learning how to hot wax your snowboard is simple, rewarding and saves you money. It also increases the longevity of your snowboard. Remember to wax after 2-3 riding sessions.
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23 Comments
6 years ago
Just how my family always did it! Very helpful.
9 years ago
spelling error in my post below, should be never heat your board through and through
9 years ago
I see some dangerous advice in the comments, which can ruin your board or ski's; never heat your board though. just welt the wax and spread it quickly. if you can feel the heat on the other side, you're essentially de-laminating your board! It will become very floppy and all stiffness will be lost. the underside of the board/ski is made of a porous material with pores running perpendicular to the bottom. these pores will store the wax, but to insert the wax, it needs to be liquefied and the porous material should be just warm enough. too hot and you'll lose your boards integrity / stiffness depending on how much overheating you do. it's a nice and messy game to play, with your board on the line. so practice on an old board or ski first. the channels which are mentioned, are from diamond grinding/smoothing. any wax based channels will be quickly eroded.
9 years ago on Introduction
Nice
Aussie
11 years ago on Introduction
I prefer using Choad Cheese Wax, it's locally sourced handcrafted wax, and made in the USA.
Seriously it's the most powerful wax formula on planet earth.
http://crackgrease.com/store_wax.html
11 years ago on Step 3
Will the iron be okay to use on clothes after doing this?
12 years ago on Introduction
so what about really big gashes, how do you grind those out? also i am a ski patroller and i never wax my board, so you dont have to wax your stuff
12 years ago on Introduction
The best iron I've seen for doing this belonged to my cousin. He took a regular iron like the $8 walmart model and then used a tig welder to fill in the holes on the bottom. Next he ground it down flat again. No more need to worry about those annoying holes! I've heard that you should heat the board with a hair dryer first to avoid stressing it and potentially damaging it but who knows.
12 years ago on Step 4
After going thought all the procedures of waxing the board. Am i supposed to leave some amount of wax on the board as a sheet or is it ALL supposed to come off? because i thought the waxing was meant to cover all the groves scrapes of the base board.
16 years ago
Dude, "wax after 2-3 riding sessions."? a little much, dont you think? (in theory, you couldn't wax it too much, but that would start running high costs in wax and the time to do it) just a thought.
Reply 16 years ago
I think after 2-3 sessions is a little excessive. I ski 120 days + a year and I find every 10-20 days to be about perfect. Following these instructions though might leave you with a less than desirable result needing more frequent updates. When you're waxing skis or a snowboard, you aren't so much adding a layer of wax, but making a whole new layer on the bottom of your stick(s). What you are trying to do is make, what is essentially, an emulsion of the base material and the wax. Once you get the wax spread out on the base, you need to keep ironing for a good little while making sure to evenly heat the entire base. A good rule of thumb is to iron long enough so that the board is warmed through (you can feel the heat on the top of the ski/snowboard). At the same time you need to be very careful not to burn the base material. Once you've applied the wax you need to let things cool for a fairly long period. I usually wait at least overnight. Not until it's cooled for an extended period should you scrape. If you scrape too soon or without ironing long enough you end up removing most if not all of the wax you've added.
Reply 15 years ago on Introduction
racers wax in the parking lot at the hill every day, and some nuts will use rub-on wax at lunch
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
lol I keep rub-on in my pocket and wax every couple of hours ;)
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
really? i always heard that excess wax on your base slows you down. its the wax that sinks into the base that makes it faster... but thats just what i was taught
13 years ago on Step 6
Is the iron you use just an old regular iron?? or is it a special iron for waxing only? I gotta learn to do this... got me a snow board for myself finally and want to keep it waxed!
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
You can use almost any iron. I was trained by a professional, and he said don't waste your money go to your local thrift store and pick one up for a couple bucks. The only thing it needs to have is adjustable heat.
Reply 13 years ago on Step 6
I just picked one up from local Walmart for 6 bucks. It's a steam iron, but as long as i never put water in it, should be fine.
13 years ago on Introduction
Where can I buy wax? I really need to wax my snowboard but this is the first time I have since I bought it and I have no idea where to get wax from.
14 years ago on Step 4
My only comment here is that if you use a metal scraper, you need to be very careful not to dig into your ptex base. With a plastic scraper, it is generally much harder to damage the actual base material of your board, and it still works great to remove the excess wax. Otherwise, great tutorial.
15 years ago on Introduction
I don't use a waxing iron I just use my mom's old iron and it works great.