Caring for the board is not too troublesome, but requires certain knowledge.

First, it is the care of the sliding surface. It must be said that boards with an extruded (polyethylene) coating require the least care. It is enough to apply grease on them sometimes. But such a surface is soft and less maneuverable, and therefore more suitable for beginner snowboarders. The “fast” sliding surface is powder. It has a porous structure for applying paraffins and lubricants and is much stronger than polyethylene. However, it requires careful and regular care.

Secondly, it is necessary to monitor the condition of the board, to repair chips and defects of the sliding surface, edges and “lid” in a timely manner in order to avoid moisture getting inside the board.

Thirdly, it is necessary to observe the mode of drying the board – do not leave it wet, do not dry it near the battery. Inexpensive boards are especially prone to “twisting”.

And, finally, regularly check the fasteners and sharpen the edges.

Processing a snowboard with paraffin allows you to ride faster and protect the board itself from moisture and scratches. This service is offered by all snowboard equipment repair shops and workshops, but it can also be performed independently.

When and how often to treat the sliding surface with paraffin?

As a rule, the manufacturer covers new boards with a protective layer of paraffin. This coating lasts as long as possible. Therefore, to the question of whether a new snowboard needs to be waxed, the answer is rather “no”, but this only applies to the base (main) protective layer.

Obvious signs that it is time to wax a snowboard are:

– whitish spots and separations (especially noticeable on dark areas of the slip);

– the surface is rough to the touch (ideally, it should be completely smooth);

– fresh scratches.

There is a simple way to check whether the board is paraffined or not:run the inner surface of the nail along the sliding surface and see how much white paraffin remains on it and draw a conclusion.

If we talk about rental, in European points the boards are treated with paraffin after each return. In many ways, this ensures their attractive appearance and preservation for a long time.

Types of paraffin

Three types of paraffin are used today for boards:

Liquid (fluorine)

In appearance, it resembles an ointment or a thick cream, it is offered in ampoules, cans, sprays, in the form of napkins with appropriate impregnation. Such paraffin provides the highest speed, so riders often apply it before the start. It wears off quickly (1-2 descents), so it is not used on its own: it is applied over a hard, hot or factory coating.

Solid

Similar in consistency to a solid antiperspirant, it is easily applied using a special plug (included). Such paraffin provides an average speed, wears off after 6-8 descents.

Hot

Provides better protection for the board, lasts as long as possible, is used as the main coating of the sliding surface. An iron is required for application (there are special models, you can also use an ordinary one without holes for steam). The procedure requires careful preparation of the board and some skills in working with hot paraffin.

On any paraffin, the manufacturer indicates which temperature regime it is designed for (there are waxes for severe frost – they are marked in blue, for warm weather – red, and universal means – yellow or orange). Keep in mind that it is necessary to take into account not only the weather directly on the days of skiing, but also the day before. For example, if today the temperature is -2-3 C, and a few days before that the frost was below -15 C, then it is too early to treat the board with “plus wax”, since the snow has not yet really “warmed up” to such a temperature. In this case, it is recommended to wait until there are no significant temperature differences and only after that process the board.

Difficulties should not arise with liquid and solid paraffin. They are applied easily and do not require special surface preparation. With a hot analogue, it is a little more difficult, and this application of paraffin on a snowboard requires more time, effort and some basic knowledge of technology. Before work, it is better to remove the fasteners, so it will be more convenient to work with paraffin.

So, how to properly wax a snowboard.

First you need to thoroughly clean the sliding surfacesfrom the old layer of paraffin, dust and dirt. To do this, you can use a special cleaning agent or use the same hot paraffin: cover the surface of the slide with it, and without allowing it to dry completely, clean it with a special scraper (cycle). As a result, paraffin removes all the dirt and dust residues from the pores. After the procedure, you should polish the surface with a special soft napkin. You can clean the old paraffin with a brush with iron bristles, such are often sold in tuning sets.

Then it is necessary to apply hot paraffin again. Using an iron, melt the paraffin and apply it in an even layer to the entire sliding surface, make the layer near the edges thicker, as these areas wear out faster. Paraffin should be applied as follows: take a hot iron, lean the paraffin against it and drip it evenly onto the board.

When the paraffin is applied, iron it with an iron (do not leave the paraffin iron on the snowboard for a long time in one area). The board should be left in this position for 20-25 minutes.

Cycling

The essence of the previous stage was that the hot paraffin “steamed” the pores of the slip and filled them, thus “moisturizing” it. Now it is necessary to clean off the remains of paraffin so that the board has a perfectly smooth surface. It is convenient to do this using a loop. After completing the procedure, the board looks glossy, smooth and will slide perfectly on the snow. If necessary, it can be additionally treated with liquid or solid paraffin.

It is worth knowing that paraffin by itself does not slide, so its excess is undesirable, a board with a giant layer of paraffin will not slide well. Therefore, remove all excess paraffin without regret!

Polishing

The main part of the work is done, and there is very little left. In order for the board to take a perfect shape, after removing the excess paraffin, the board needs to be polished. This is done with a special plug, it can usually be found in tune-sets or, in extreme cases, you can use something similar.

So, the board has been polished to a shine and it’s time to test the speed indicators on the slope!

Final word

If there are deep scratches on the snowboard, there are questions about the edges or you want to “preserve” the board until the next season, it is better to use the services of a professional workshop, without risking worsening existing problems.