Can A Foam Core Surfboard Be Repaired

Disclaimer: This surfboard repair guide is simply meant as communication – you repair your surfboard at your ain take a chance. For larger repairs (especially those involving the fin plugs, significant loss of foam, or damage to the stringer) I would strongly recommend contacting a local shaper or repair shop to exercise a professional job.

Surfboard Structure Overview

Most surfboards you lot're probable to own are going to be either:

• Polyurethane foam with polyester resin (PU/PE)
• Expanded polystyrene foam with epoxy resin (EPS/Epoxy)

with a wooden stringer for support down the middle.

Modern designs may incorporate actress materials such as carbon-fibre reinforcement, simply the base construction remains the same.

No amount of dwelling surfboard repair kits can save this – but you tin can clearly meet the stringer, foam and surrounding resin layer [lath: Hendrik Speelmans]

Annotation Aritz Aranburu'southward illustration of this board's accident [again, courtesy of Hendrik Speelmans]

PU/PE – most common

• Polyurethane blank with fibreglass and polyester resin
• PE resin is weaker and more brittle than epoxy resin
• Lightweight, high-performance and like shooting fish in a barrel manufacture
• Cheaper, just typically heavier and more than fragile than epoxy resin
• Sits lower in the water, and the added weight helps in inclement conditions

EPS/Epoxy – gaining popularity

• Expanded polystyrene blank with fibreglass and epoxy resin
• EPS foam much lighter than PU
• Practiced for aerials and quick snaps at or above the lip
• Sits higher in the water, so faster planning speed – good for clean, apartment sections
• More expensive (approximately $100 more than the aforementioned model in PU/PE)
• More than environmentally friendly (tin be fabricated from recycled foam and production requires less energy) – most foam you see in packaging, etc. is EPS

Both apply identical fibreglass textile to drinking glass the board, but the foam cadre ("blank") and resin used to soak the fibreglass differs. [i]

If y'all merely accept ane matter from this article make sure it is the following argument:

Epoxy resin can be used on BOTH EPS cream or PU boards

BUT polyester (PE) resin will dissolve polystyrene (EPS) cream!

Detect out which your lath is by checking the logo or shaper's dimensions on the bottom of the board. If you lot still have no luck, look up the board online or contact your shaper.

Every bit a final resort, EPS tin can take a texture to information technology, so wait for pocket-size veins or round looking beads under the drinking glass and/or breather holes in a symmetrical pattern down the deck rails. [2]

However, it is incredibly difficult to guess by eye, and the safest option (what I'd recommend) is to buy epoxy resin, regardless. This volition work on both lath types, is generally stronger and lighter, eliminates the worry and means if you become a new lath you can nevertheless use your old surfboard repair kit!

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Surfboard Repair – Small Dings, Cracks or Temporary Fixes

For pocket-size dings, an all-in-ane solar activated (UV-Cure) resin, such as Solarez, is incredibly handy. I always bring a tube of this with me on surf trips and have dinged my board, ran to the car park, fabricated it water tight, and been back in the water in 10 minutes!

INSTRUCTIONS
( Once more, exist sure you are using the correct resin for your foam!)

1. Brand sure the scissure is clean and completely dry (clasp to bank check if water seeps out)
2. Stand in the shade with your board
3. Apply enough gel to comfortably cover the damaged area
4. Allow the repair to get tacky in the sun (information technology should accept around 45 seconds to reach "gel phase")
5. Become dorsum into the shade and use a sharp knife to refine the shape (optional – tin simply sand information technology after or be more precise with the initial application)
6. Leave the board in the dominicus to dry for the time specified on product (this ordinarily takes around 5 minutes, but will be longer the cloudier information technology is) – merely be careful not to let your wax melt!
7. Sand to shape the repair and polish whatsoever rough patches
8. Try to avoid bubbling, and layer large amounts – assuasive each to dry before applying the adjacent

Worst case scenario: you've forgotten your surfboard repair kit and the waves are still firing!
Stick a lump of wax into the crack to keep the water out if your session is truly unmissable (but be warned: if too much water gets into the board it can crusade the cream to great, go heavy, and eventually rot over time). You'll likewise need to make certain any wax is removed from a ding before repairing information technology, otherwise the resin won't demark properly.

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Surfboard Repair – Larger Amercement

For more serious surfboard repairs, it's best to buy a kit from your local surf store or online. I employ the Ding All Epoxy Repair Kit, which yous tin can pick up for less than £17 on Amazon.

My surfboard repair kit of choice, but as long as it contains the essentials any product will suffice

It includes everything yous demand for the surfboard repair:

• Resin (Function "A") and hardener (Part "B")
• Fibreglass cloth
• Double-sided sandpaper (2 grades – fine and course)
• Mixing sticks and cup
• Cover sheet

The simply extras you'll need are a pair of scissors and some tissue to wipe up residual resin.

INSTRUCTIONS
(Be sure to start in a well ventilated surface area (the instructions also land that epoxy resin will not cure properly in temperatures below 18°C (60°F), so attempt to choose a warm day if you're working exterior!)

1. Grooming
   1. Ensure the damaged area is dry and make clean
      
   2. Lightly sand the surrounding area and remove any loose or broken droppings
      
   3. Use scissors to cut the fibreglass fabric to a size that will comfortably overlap the damaged surface area
      
   4. To fill holes, chop a portion of fibreglass cloth to act as filler
2. Mixing
   1. Add together 2 parts resin to 1 function hardener
      
   2. Stir slowly (to prevent air bubbles, which may weaken the solution) until the mixture turns from cloudy to clear
3. Awarding
   1. For large surfboard repairs:
      1. Employ a thin layer of resin to the damaged area
         
      2. Add the fibreglass fabric, and slowly saturate it on both sides with more resin, until the unabridged surface area turns clear
         
      3. Trim off whatsoever excess fibreglass while doing this to help wrap effectually corners seamlessly (such as around the point of the nose)
         
   2. To fill holes:
      1. Stir the strands of chopped fibreglass into the resin mixture
      2. Utilize this to the damaged area and piece of work out whatever air bubbles
      3. Place the coversheet (small slice of clear plastic) over the repair and printing evenly
      4. For track fractures (or other areas where the shape needs to exist held in place), tape the coversheet and leave to dry earlier removing
4. Drying
   1. Working fourth dimension is approximately 30 minutes
   2. Cure time is 2-three hours (under typical conditions – no UV necessary)
      
5. Sanding
   1. One time the resin has hardened:
      1. First, use the rough grit sand paper to remove large bumps and form general shape
      2. And so utilise the fine dust sand paper to make small adjustments to the shape and alloy the repair surface into the rest of the board
         
   2. Finally, use a clammy fabric to wipe off any balance or grit from the sanding
      

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You may have noticed some sponsor stickers on the board I'one thousand repairing in the photos – unfortunately, I haven't landed a sponsorship deal (although if anyone's offer, hit me upwardly…). The board actually belonged to North East fable Sandy Kerr, before coincidently being sold to i of Durham University Surf Lodge's new members! Check out a couple of his Instagram posts to see what the North Sea tin can offering:

Probably the most barrelled board in the North East correct now

And while you're in a DIY mood – why non check out this DIY lath rack I fabricated from an onetime shelving unit, with a few strips of foam stuck on to terminate it scratching the decks!

Hope you all managed to get out on International Surfing Twenty-four hour period (concluding Sabbatum, 16^th June) and, as e'er, experience free to leave a annotate or bulletin me on Instagram [@willdavies11] with any questions or suggestions. As well, large thanks to Lauren Newbould [@lau_renxxo] for lending the lath and putting upwards with me from behind the camera all day! Stay tuned for a video tutorial on this surfboard repair coming very before long.

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What I'm wearing in the photos:

Source: https://www.urbansurfer.co.uk/blog/surfboard-repair/

Posted by: palmersquam1970.blogspot.com

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