To help skateboarders remain in contact with their boards when doing tricks, a sandpaper-like sheet is attached to the deck of the board. This is called grip tape, and the good news is that it's really easy to fit grip tape to your board.
How To Fit Grip Tape
Step 1
Place the deck of your board, face upward, on a flat, stable surface. Peel the backing sheet off the grip tape to expose the adhesive.
Step 2
Once you've stuck your tape to the board, it's very hard to move it, so be careful. Gently lower the grip tape to the deck of the skateboard. Once you are totally happy with its position, start to apply pressure to the tape from the middle of the deck outward. Make sure that the entire deck of the board is covered with tape. Press hard, and take your time to avoid trapping bubbles of air.
Step 3
Apply extra pressure to the tape in critical areas of the board. Work extra hard on the edges, the transition of the board, the nose and the tail, and any areas above where your hardware will be attached.
Step 4
Using the edge of a screwdriver, press hard around the edges of your board to trace its outline. This step creates the line for cutting the template of your board, so press down with plenty of force, and don't be afraid to trace around the board more than once.
Step 5
Using a razor blade or knife carefully cut the tape off around the outline of your board. The aim is to be left with a grip tape that perfectly fits the template of your deck, so take your time.
Step 6
Now that your tape is down, focus on a few final touches. Retrace the outline of the board with the flat edge of your screwdriver, applying pressure to make sure the grip tape is stuck really well. Finally, with the point of your screwdriver, poke holes in the grip tape so you can screw in your hardware.
Tips and Warnings
- When cutting around the outline of your board, rotate the board so the edge being cut is over the edge of a table or raised surface, providing extra room to maneuver.
- Grip tape is fairly abrasive, so feel free to use gloves when fitting it. Children should be supervised by an adult at all times, and will need help from an adult to cut around the board's template.
Things You'll Need
- Screwdriver
- Razor blade
- Skateboard deck
- Grip tape
- Gloves
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