How to Wax a Surfboard: 3 EASY Methods to Wax Your Surfboard

Wondering how to wax a surfboard? You’ve come to the right place! In this article we explain how to apply surf wax quickly and easily.

If you have a new surfboard, or have just finished removing wax from an older board and you have a clean and polished surface to work on, it’s time to put a fresh coat of wax on for the next session.

Surf wax is super important, as it allows you to create more grip, and have a better hold on your board while surfing. Applying wax to a board correctly is relatively easy, but also easy to get wrong.

So don’t mess up this super important step. Read on, and discover how to do a proper wax job, and how to wax your surfboard correctly!

Where should you apply surf wax on your board?

Waxing a surfboard is super simple. Once you have chosen the wax you like the most, it is time to sit down, and place it on your new or clean board.

The first thing you should know is that it is not necessary to place the entire block of wax at once.

Applying half of the block is enough, that way you have the other half to top up your board each time before going into the water if necessary.

In case you were wondering, you apply surf wax to the deck of your surfboard (the top of your board, where you stand up on the board). And ONLY to the deck. The bottom of your surfboard does not need surf wax.

If you’re asking yourself why surfers wax their surfboards in the first place, the quick answer is that it’s to give them extra grip to the board.

The bottom of the surfboard, which is in contact with the water and not your body, does not need the extra traction provided by surf wax.

Besides knowing you need to add surf wax to the deck of your board, over time you will also need to learn to identify the spots on the surfboard where you need to use the wax for better grip.

Not only for your feet, but also for your hands when doing the duck dive, or for your chest when you are paddling.

Once these points on the deck have been identified, it is time to wax your board. There are several ways to place it evenly, so that it does not fall and adheres well to the board.

How to apply surfboard wax: 3 Methods

In a circular motion:

The circular method is the most typical way to apply wax on a surfboard, which almost everyone uses, since it is the simplest, fastest and just best way to wax a surfboard.

With the block of wax you simply begin to draw small circles on your surfboard, in the areas where you think you will need it, whether that’s to place your foot or chest.

We recommend that you first draw a box with the wax to delimit the area where you think you will need the wax, that way you only draw circles within that box.

This way you don’t end up leaving the area where you really need the wax and waste it by applying it to areas where you don’t need it.

You don’t need to cover the entire board with a layer of wax, just the areas you will be stepping on or holding on to. It will also help you position your foot well when you stand up on your board.

The important thing is that there are no gaps or empty spaces without wax within the box you have marked, to ensure that you do not slip when you ride the wave.

X-shaped:

If you struggle to place your front foot correctly every time you stand on the board, this waxing technique will help you.

This shape is very useful to correctly locate the centre of the surfboard, which is where you should place your front foot.

As before, we recommend to start by making a box around the area where you think you should place your front foot.

The box can be wide enough so that you have room for error, and also has a good grip on your chest when we are paddling.

Once we have our area delimited with the box, we draw a large X in the centre of the box, joining the corners of the box so that it is well centred.

It is important that you put enough wax on the X so that it can be seen when you finish applying all the wax to your board, and it maintains your reference point for your front foot.

Maintaining the centre of the X as reference, you can apply wax either in a circular way or crosswise with perpendicular diagonal lines.

We have already mentioned how to apply wax on a surfboard in circular motions, so here is how to do so in a crossed way.

Criss-cross pattern:

To put wax on a surfboard in a crosswise system we begin by drawing vertical lines from nose to tail, or from tail to nose.

That is, from the top to the bottom or from the bottom to the top of your surfboard, as is easiest for you, always within the box that you have previously marked.

You have to fill in the space between the lines without leaving any space without wax. Like you would colour a drawing within the lines as a child, but with wax.

Once you have placed all the vertical lines, we begin to do the same but this time horizontally.

This way you ensure that everything fits evenly without leaving gaps, and that the wax adheres well to your board.

Now, if you have a little more control and know how to move your feet when you ride the wave, you may need to place the wax from the grip to the centre of your board to be able to play with your feet and make manoeuvres.

If you are not yet at that level of control, we recommend that you use the box technique to get used to placing your feet correctly and safely.

When do you use a wax comb?

We’ve already mentioned that you don’t have to reapply surf wax every time you go for a surf session.

The first time you finish applying surf wax on the deck of the board, you’re ready to hit the waves. The second time you surf after this initial session, you can refresh your board using a surf comb.

When you touch the surface of the board the wax might not feel as sticky as the first day. This is where your wax comb comes in.

You have to pass it over the wax in straight lines, and you will soon see that it brings the stickiness back to the top.

This will work for a while, but once the surf wax becomes completely non sticky, the time has come to clean your board, remove the surf wax and prep your board for a new fresh coat!

Should you be waxing a foam surfboard?

If you’re at a beginner surfing level and are surfing with a foam beginner surfboard, you might be wondering whether this article is relevant for you. Should you be applying wax to soft top surfboards?

The answer is; it depends. It depends on the type of soft board you have, and it depends on your surfing level.

Some foam surfboards are made with a special anti-slip material. When you touch the deck of one of these boards, and compare it to touching the resin deck of a shortboard, you will quickly notice the difference in grip.

Since they’re made on purpose with an anti-slip material, you will be fine without adding surf wax to these boards.

There are other foam boards that aren’t made with this anti-slip material, but which will still be made with a rougher material than a fibre shortboard.

In that case, it’s up to you. If you feel like the board isn’t providing you with enough grip, you can add some surf wax to improve your grip on the board. If it doesn’t feel slippery, you’ll be fine without wax.

What surf wax should you use?

If you’re looking for the best surf wax out there, we always recommend Sticky Bumps.

We like Sticky Bumps surf wax because it gives you a good grip, without being excessively sticky and getting all over your wetsuit or clothes. It also lasts very long, and you can go for quite some time without reapplying.

There are lots of different waxes and they vary primarily depending on the different water temperatures you surf at. For example you will find cold water wax, warm water wax, tropical wax or hard wax, but besides the brand, the type you choose will be influenced primarily by the temperature of the water.

There is no single right wax to use, you have to choose the type of wax that suits you best, as it’s ultimately up to personal preference.

If you’re looking for reviews of other waxes, check out our guide to the best surf waxes here!

Click here to purchase your Sticky Bumps surf wax!

Do you need basecoat wax?

Some surfers like to add a layer of base coat wax to their surfboard, before applying the proper surf wax on top. This base coat supposedly improves the adhesion of the final wax to the board, and thus your grip when surfing.

The you first learn how to wax a surfboard, you might think this step is essential, but we don’t actually think so.

Alejandro has been surfing for 20+ years, and says base coat wax is a recent invention that has become popular over the last few years. How essential can it be, if it hasn’t existed until now?

Basically, you can add a base coat of wax to your board if you want and you feel like you need to, but if you just bought your first board and don’t have base coat wax, don’t worry, you’ll be fine also without.

Final thoughts on how to wax a surfboard for the first time

How to wax a surfboard for the first time is not a complicated thing, but if it is your first time doing it, it is normal for the question; how to apply surfboard wax, to come to mind.

Wax is an important element of surfing. It may seem simple, but it’s actually a surf essential, which is also what makes it such a great gift for a surfer.

If you don’t know how to wax your surfboard, you can always count on us, and this article will at least give you a basic notion of how to do it.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a beginner surfer, what water temperature you surf at, or which of the different types of wax you’ve chosen.

Whether you choose to use the circular or cross method, you can rest assured that if you follow the steps outlined in this guide, you will end up with a perfect wax job.

We hope you found our guide on waxing a surfboard for beginners useful! If you have any questions, just let us know in the comments below.

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