By design, surfboards are fragile. Even the most experienced and careful surfer will, at one time, find a ding on their surfboard. It’s essential to learn how to fix minor surfboard dings at home. It will save you time, money, and effort that could have been spent when taking it to a board shop for repair.
Before starting the repair, ensure that you’ve cleaned the board removing salt, wax, and sand. Also, squeeze the crack and confirm the board is completely dry.
Here are is how to fix a surfboard ding.
Requirements
There are the essentials you will need for the repair. They include clear plastic, sun curing resin, wooden applicator to apply the resin with and sandpaper. Consult your surfboard shop on the right sun curing resin for your board. The sandpaper should be in the three forms: coarse, medium coarse, and foam block. You will need to work from an environment with lots of sunlight.
Rub the Ding
Start with the medium-coarse sandpaper to rub the ding lightly to get rid of the rough edges. Make it nice and smooth. Use the foam block sandpaper to make it soft, and it will give it a better shape.
Apply Resin
Use the wooden applicator t
o apply a fair amount of resin on the ding. The resin will harden in direct sunlight. You need a specific resin for your type of board, either epoxy or non-epoxy. Feel the ding up completely to avoid repeating the process.
Flatten the Resin
Most surfboard repair kits include a clear sheet that you can use to flatten the resin. Flattening makes it easier to sand the board and repairs look much better.
Sun
Now it’s time to take the board to the sun for the resin to harden or cure. While the board rests and cures in the sun, let the plastic sheet be on the rail. The bright midday sun is the most powerful and the best for curing the resin. You will be forced to keep your board out for long with the early morning, on a cloudy day or late afternoon sun. The resin completely cures when the plastic sheet comes off.
Smoothen
Begin with the coarse sandpaper moving to mid-course sandpaper. Ensure that the applied resin is smooth and you can’t feel any ridge on either side of the new resin patch. Make it extra smooth with the fine sandpaper and continue using your board.