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How often should I wax my surfboard?

Author

Noah Mitchell

Published Jan 23, 2026

You can and often should top up your board every time you surf. But, depending on the temperature of the water you surf in, you should fully clean and re-wax your board every 2-3 months, or 4-6 times per year. Adding wax to your surfboard provides grip.

How long does wax last on a surfboard?

Depending on how often you surf, you should be stripping and applying a fresh coat of wax every eight to twelve weeks, or between four and six times a year. The frequent reapplication of wax before surfing, the sand and dirt that sticks in the wax, all need to be cleared every so often.

How often should you scrape wax off surfboard?

So how often should you take off wax from your surfboard? You should take off wax from your surfboard at least 4 times a year. Though this depends on your personal preference, how dirty your board is getting and how often you surf.

What happens if you dont wax a surfboard?

Can you surf without wax? You can but it is extremely difficult to surf on an unwaxed surfboard. Surfboard wax gives you the grip and traction you need and prevents you from sliding off the board when paddling. Slipping off a surfboard is no fun.

Should I remove old wax from surfboard?

And when the base coat on your board is compromised, or when the two layers mix with dirt in the water, they no longer work as effectively as they were designed to do. This is why it is important to remove wax regularly. With a fresh set of wax, you will have more grip than without it or with old-used wax.

24 related questions found

Do you wax your surfboard every time?

You can and often should top up your board every time you surf. But, depending on the temperature of the water you surf in, you should fully clean and re-wax your board every 2-3 months, or 4-6 times per year. Adding wax to your surfboard provides grip.

What wax do pro surfers use?

Pro surfers rave about Fu Wax's incredible traction. Unlike other waxes, this one only gets better as you surf. Fu Wax comes in cold, cool, warm, tropical, and Cool Water of Summer options, meaning that you have the perfect wax available—no matter when or where you choose to go surfing!

Do you wax the bottom of a surfboard?

Applying a base coat of surfboard wax ensures you'll get a primary anti-slippery layer that will last longer than the top basic coat. Some surfers also apply wax on the surfboard rails for extreme duck-diving and late take-offs.

Why is my surfboard slippery?

If the water is too warm, it will melt off. If the water is too cold, the wax will freeze making the surface very slippery. Choosing the right temperature surf wax will ensure that your surfboard stays under your feet. Choosing the right surf wax depends on the water temperature where you will be surfing.

Why do surfers wear wetsuits?

Surfers wear wetsuits to keep them warm. Wetsuits have insulating neoprene foam that keeps the surfer warm and allows them to surf for longer periods in cold water. Wetsuits aren't required for surfing and they aren't performance enhancing, they actually make paddling harder.

Why do surfers wax boards?

Surfboard wax (also known as surfwax) is a formulation of natural and/or synthetic wax for application to the deck of a surfboard, bodyboard, or skimboard, to keep the surfer from slipping off the board when paddling out or riding a wave. It is also used to increase grip on the paddle of a surf kayak or dragon boat.

How do I make my surfboard white again?

For a quick and effective way to remove some of the yellowing that has occurred to the fiberglass lamination, use a 3M Scotch Brite pad. By using a gentle application to the surface of the board, you'll notice an immediate result. The pad is made up of aluminum oxide and is designed for polishing surfaces.

How do you remove old wax from surfing?

How to Remove Old Wax From a Surfboard

  1. Set board in the sun for about 15 minutes, or carefully apply heat with a heat gun or hairdryer.
  2. Scrape wax off with wax comb.
  3. If wax remain, use flour or a wax remover to loosen excess wax.

Do you wax a Foamie surfboard?

Foamies. You shouldn't need to wax a soft board, especially if they are new. I'd recommend using it first without wax and seeing how you get on, as most foamies have some sort of grip to them, and wearing boots can be enough of a help.

Is surf wax toxic?

Petrochemicals are the main ingredient in a lot of popular brands of surf wax, these petrochemicals are toxic to the environment and use a huge amount of energy. These waxes are produced primarily with paraffin, which is dangerous because it's a final byproduct of the refining process of petroleum.

How do surfers feet stay on the board?

So how do surfer's feet stay on the board? The answer is gravity, while buoyancy keeps the surfboard afloat, gravity pulls it and its rider toward the water. Gravity's pull helps the rider hold his position on the moving, nearly-vertical face of a wave.

How do I make my foam surfboard less slippery?

Once you have your base coat down, you'll want to put a top coat on in the same way. The top coat will be the wax that you can actually see and is more grippy. Just go over all the spots that you either stand or lay down on on your foam board with wax.

Why do surfers wax the top of their feet?

Surfers are waxing the tops of their feet, so they can store some extra traction for when they finally make it out to the lineup.

Which side of the surf board do you wax?

If you are using a longboard, wax the entire topside of the board from nose to tail and edge to edge. If you are using a shortboard, wax the topside of the board from the front logo to the back edge (about two thirds of the length) and from edge to edge.

Are Sticky Bumps toxic?

One of the more established brands, Sticky Bumps, says that their surfing wax generates most of their company's profit and revenues. It's such a small product but it also happens to be an important arsenal in a surfer's toolbox. Unfortunately, though, there is a toxic side to surfboard wax.

What is the most popular surf wax?

What Is The Best Surf Wax?

  • Bubble Gum.
  • Fu Wax.
  • Sticky Bumps Munkey Wax.
  • Sex Wax.
  • Kassia's Palo Santo Surf Wax.
  • FCS Surf Wax.
  • YEW! Your Environment's Wax.
  • Sticky Bumps Original.

Do you need a base coat for Surf Wax?

Applying the basecoat is the most important step when you wax a surfboard. The top coat of wax is what you feel when you surf but will rub off as you use your surfboard. The basecoat will stay in place and ensure you stay in place while surfing even if the topcoat does rub off a little.

How do you get bumps on your surfboard?

Go all the way from the tail pad to 3/4 of the way up the board. Repeat in the opposite direction to create a cross hatch effect. Repeat on the other side of the board. Slowly start building up the bumps using a circular motion.