15 Steps For How To Make And Build A Skateboard in 2024: A Beginners Guide
How to make a skateboard is the question often asked when it comes to making a skateboard of your desire. There are a few different ways that you can make your own skateboard, and each method has its own advantages and disadvantages. The most popular way to make a skateboard is by using a pre-made deck and adding custom trucks and wheels. Discover the ultimate guide on how to make and build a skateboard from scratch. Learn step-by-step instructions, essential tools, and pro tips to craft your custom ride today.
Skateboarding is a popular and challenging form of transportation. But you must need a skateboard before you can start tearing up the streets. Although you may purchase a ready-made board, making your own is considerably more fulfilling. Furthermore, it’s not as challenging as you may imagine.
You can put up a fantastic skateboard with ease with just a few straightforward tools and some perseverance. Getting your resources together is the first step. The deck, which is the major component of the board, the trucks, which are metal axles that attach to the deck, the wheels, which go in the middle of the wheels, the bearings, and the hardware are all required (screws and nuts). You can begin once you have all of your components.
How to make and build a skateboard? Steps You Need To Follow
How to make a skateboard
What you need to make your own skateboard from scratch
• Grip tape
• 1 Skateboard deck
• 4 Wheels
• 8 Bearings
• 4 Bearing spacers
• 2 Trucks (includes required hardware)
• 1 Skateboard hardware kit (8 nuts and bolts)
• 1 Razorblade or crafting knife
• 1 Skate Tool
1-Forming and Pressing the Wood
The easiest way to do this is by using a jigsaw. Cut out the basic shape of the deck and then use a file or sandpaper to smooth out the edges. Be sure to round off the corners so you don’t get hurt when you fall. Now it’s time to press the wood. This will help give your deck more pop and durability. You can buy a skateboard press or use a hydraulic jack to do this step.
2-Adding Grip Tape
The next step is to add grip tape. You can buy pre-cut grip tape or just cut it yourself using a sharp knife. Be sure to measure and trim it so that it covers the entire decking surface.
Now you’re ready to mount the deck. If you’re using a skateboard press, follow its instructions and place your board in it. Secure the press and tighten it until the board is flat. Allow it to sit overnight so that your deck can dry; this will make it stronger and more durable.
3-Purchase 6-7 pieces of 30″x10″ plywood
Now you will need to purchase 6-7 pieces of 30″x10″ plywood. These sheets of plywood will be the foundation of your skateboard. You can buy pre-made decks, but they tend to be more expensive and you won’t have as much control over the design.
4-Face sheet (your best wood)
The face sheet should be the board’s best wood. It will last longer than other parts of your deck and is usually the part that you see when skating. This is what gives your board its shape, design, and durability. The rest of the pieces should be “stacked” behind the face sheet so that they are not visible when looking from the top.
5-Core sheet (exposed wood)
The core sheet is the part of your board that everyone can see. It’s not as durable as the face sheet and should be made out of a cheaper piece of wood. Again, make sure it isn’t too high quality, or else it will affect the overall strength and durability of your deck.
6-Crossband sheet
The crossband sheet is the part of your board that connects the two ends together. It should be made out of cheap, sturdy wood so that it can take a lot of abuse.
7-Place your deck on the mold and tape them together
Now that you have your perfect deck size, it’s time to start giving its final shape. You can either do this by hand or use a skateboard press. If you are using a press, then simply tighten the clamps and leave them overnight. If you are using your hands, place the deck on some masking tape and apply pressure to the board.
8-Seal the wood and mold in a vacuum bag
Now that your deck is complete, it’s time to seal the wood and add strength (if you haven’t already). Simply place your deck in between two sheets of plastic and pump out all of the air with a vacuum cleaner. This should make your board almost indestructible.
8-Leave the board to press for 8 hours before removing it
Once the board is sealed, you can leave it to press for 8 hours. After that, you can remove the board and it will be ready to use! Congratulations, you have just made your very own skateboard.
This can be a bit tricky, so make sure you are precise. Once you have traced the shape, use a jigsaw to cut out the Board.
9-Paint, stain, and design as you wish:
If you’re looking for a way to personalize your skateboard, there are a few different things you can do. You can paint it, stain it, or add designs to it. If you want to paint your board, you’ll need to buy some spray paint specifically designed for skateboards. If you choose to stain your board, you can use regular wood stain and paintbrushes.
10-Build a Styrofoam mold:
Place the Styrofoam mold inside the vacuum press and apply pressure. This will help to create a tight fit and ensure that the shape of the mold is accurately reproduced on your skateboard. When you are finished, remove the skateboard from the mold and enjoy your new custom-shaped board.
11-Cut out a piece of paper as large as the thickness of your Styrofoam
Tracing and cutting out a piece of paper to the same thickness as your Styrofoam is useful because it creates a template that you can use again and again for multiple Styrofoam projects. Additionally, if your project requires many identical pieces, this way of creating a template saves you time by not having to trace each individual piece.
12-Experiment with new board designs
It’s important to experiment with different boards to find the one that works best for you. Not everyone is going to like the same type of board, and what works for one skater might not work for another. Be creative and have fun with it.
13-Use an old board to properly drill holes for the trucks
The proper method, however, involves using something known as a pinner drill bit to precisely drill your truck holes nice and symmetrical using a solid surface as a guide. A ‘pinner’ is just small enough to fit between the two outside flanges on the hanger, so it’s basically a drill bit that can only drill holes big enough for a truck axle to go through.
14-Drill skateboard with drill bits (13/64)
Once you’ve marked your spots, start drilling into the skateboard with the smaller drill bits. You’ll need to apply a decent amount of pressure to get through the wood, and you can work your way up to bigger bits as needed. When using the larger drill bit sizes, make sure that your skateboard is on a stable surface and brace it firmly before drilling.
15-Skateboard Veneer
In order to be able to make an educated decision about which skateboard veneer is best suited for a particular type of skating, it’s helpful to spend some time learning as much as possible about different types of wood. For example, maple is a very popular choice for skateboard veneer because it is strong and durable, but it is also very hardwood. Oak is another type of wood that is often used for skateboard veneers because it is strong and relatively easy to work with.
