This article is dedicated to ardent fans of snowboarding and those who want to care for their board independently and without extra effort. Some people categorically cannot stomach winter and constantly grumble that the snow is interfering with their lives. We are sure that these people simply never descended at high speed from snow-capped mountains. You haven’t felt how the cold wind burns your face, although you don’t notice it at all, because you get a thrill from every centimeter you travel. But it’s so great to feel like a conqueror of peaks! Our boards, just like any other means of transportation, need constant care. In particular, a snowboard must be coated with wax for better glide and comfortable riding. You want to fly down at the speed of sound, and not crawl like a turtle!

Required materials and tools

In order to wax the board we will need:

• 2 stools;
• iron or hair dryer;
• paraffin;
• scraper;
• rag.

That's all. With this short list of accessories, you can give your board incredible smoothness and excellent grip on the snow.

Applying paraffin to a snowboard - step-by-step instructions

Stages of preparation and application of paraffin to the board:

• choose paraffin;
• prepare the workplace;
• clear the board;
• apply paraffin;
• scrape off the remaining wax;
• polish the board.

And this process, as it turns out, has very few stages. And they are very light. Now let's start looking at everything in order.

First, we need to choose the right wax for our board. It all depends on the temperature at which we will ride. Typically, for all manufacturers, the color of the packaging corresponds to a certain temperature range.

Types of paraffin:

• yellow color of the tube - from 0° to +10°C;
• red color of the tube - from +1° to -4°С;
• purple color of the tube - from -2° to -8°C;
• blue color of the tube - from -6° to -12°C;
• green color of the tube - from -10° to -32°C.

If you are a simple amateur, then buy universal paraffin, which is suitable for a wide range of temperatures, and don’t think twice about it. So, paraffin has been selected, let's move on to the next stage.

You need to provide yourself with a job. It is advisable to paraffin the board at first in the kitchen or somewhere in the entrance or garage, as there is a high probability of getting dirty something valuable. Over time, you will get better at it, and you will not have to worry about the dirt that you spread. But for now we need to clear as much space as possible for ourselves. We lay down newspapers and conveniently place the board, base up, on two stools.

In theory, it should hold up well and not slip, but I think it depends on the stools. Of course, ideally we would use a vice, but it’s unlikely that many snowboarders will have such a device at home. So we will use what we always have at hand. In extreme cases, the board can be fixed with clamps, but very carefully, as they can damage the sliding surface.

Now we need to completely clean the board from dirt and old grease. To do this, you can simply wash it in the shower with a rag and remove old paraffin with a scraper, or use special cleaning products that can be purchased in specialized stores.

Some snowboarders, if they see that the board is clean, then simply wipe it down and start applying wax. It's up to you to decide what to do in this case.

So, let's begin the most important stage of our work. Now we will directly wax the board. You can use 2 different options applying wax to the board.

Waxing options:

• using an iron . The best iron for this procedure is an iron that does not have holes on its soleplate (wax can get clogged there and burn, which leads to quick disposal of the device). Or you should try to melt the wax so that it does not flow into the holes. Preheat the iron to minimum temperature. We take a block of pre-selected and prepared paraffin and lightly touch the iron. As the bar heats up, the wax will drip onto the board. We need the wax to drip onto the entire surface of the board. You can also simply warm up the paraffin a little on an iron and apply the wax by running the molten bar over the slipper. After the entire surface of the board is covered with wax, we set the temperature to medium and begin to smoothly stroke the sliding surface, leveling the paraffin. Now let the board cool for 20-30 minutes. Although you can leave it overnight to be sure.
• using a hair dryer . This option is very economical and there is no risk of overheating the board. In this case, you can use both a regular household hair dryer and a construction hair dryer. The second, of course, in this case, is much more convenient, but not everyone has it in the house. So, take a hairdryer and a bar. Place them opposite each other, blow a stream of hot air onto the wax. When it begins to soften, rub it over the entire surface of the board. Some people apply wax only around the edges and a few stripes in the middle. But this depends on your economy. Next, we begin to warm up the board with a hairdryer from the nose, and move towards its tail. We adjust the temperature by the angle of the hair dryer. The paraffin begins to melt right before your eyes and flow down the slide in a transparent mass. Now we begin to rub it in circular movements. To do this we use cork rubbing. It can be purchased at any sports stores. After this procedure, the board should turn into a mirror.

We check whether the wax has hardened well, and if so, then we proceed to scraping. We use a scraper made of plexiglass or metal. Despite all the persuasions of sellers, it is better not to buy special, wide scrapers for snowboarding; they are very inconvenient and expensive. During this stage there will be a lot of debris, so it is better to do this not in a living room, or cover as much of the floor surface as possible with old newspapers. We take a pre-prepared scraper and place it at an angle of 45 degrees to the slide, and preferably with rounded edges towards the base. We begin to gradually remove excess wax, scraping it from the nose of the base towards its tail. It is better not to peel off the wax at a right angle, as this can damage the sliding surface.

Treating your snowboard with paraffin allows you to ride faster and protect the board itself from moisture and scratches.

This service is offered by all salons and workshops that repair snowboard equipment, but it is quite possible to do it yourself. So, how to wax a snowboard, what products to use for this and what to pay attention to during the procedure?

When and how often should I treat the sliding board with paraffin?

As a rule, the manufacturer coats 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 most likely “no,” but this only applies to the base (main) protective layer.

Obvious signs that it’s time to wax your snowboard are:

Whitish spots and stains (especially noticeable in dark areas of the slipper);

The surface is rough to the touch (ideally it should be absolutely smooth)

Fresh scratches.

There is a simple way to check whether the board is paraffinized: run the inner surface of the nail along the slip, see how much white paraffin remains on it and draw a conclusion.

If we talk about rentals, in European locations the boards are waxed after each return. In many ways, this ensures their attractive appearance and preservation for a long time.

Types of paraffin

Today, three types of paraffin for boards are used:

Liquid (fluoride)

By appearance resembles an ointment or thick cream, offered in ampoules, jars, sprays, and in the form of napkins with appropriate impregnation. This paraffin provides the most fast speed, so riders often apply it before the start. It washes quickly (1-2 runs), so it is not used independently: it is applied over a hard, hot or factory coating.

Solid

It is similar in consistency to a solid antiperspirant and is easy to apply using a special stopper (included). This paraffin provides an average speed and is erased after 6-8 passes.

Hot

Gives better protection for the board, lasts as long as possible, used as the main coating of the sliding surface. An iron is required for application (there are special models; you can also use a regular one without steam holes). 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 calculated (there are polishes for severe frost - they are marked in blue, for relatively warm weather - red, and universal products - yellow or orange). Keep in mind that it is necessary to take into account not only the weather on the days of skiing, but also the day before. For example, if today the temperature is -2-3 C, and before that the frost was -15 C for several days, then it is too early to treat the board with “plus wax”, since the snow has not yet “warmed up” to that temperature. In this case, it is recommended to wait until there are no weather changes and then treat the board.

Hot paraffin application procedure

There should be no difficulties with liquid and solid paraffins. They are easy to apply and no special surface preparation is required. The hot analogue is somewhat more difficult, and applying wax to a snowboard in this way will require more time, effort and some basic knowledge of the technology. Before work, it is better to remove the snowboard mounts, this will make it easier to work with paraffin.

So, how to properly wax a snowboard.

Thorough cleaning of the sliding surface from old layers of paraffin, dust and dirt

To do this, you can use a special cleaning agent or use the same hot paraffin: they cover the surface of the sliding surface and, without allowing it to dry completely, clean it with a special scraper (scraper). As a result, paraffin removes all dirt and dust residues from the pores. After the procedure, it is worth sanding the surface with a special soft cloth. You can clean out the old paraffin with an iron bristle brush, these are often sold in tuning kits.

Applying hot paraffin

Using an iron, melt the paraffin and apply it in an even layer over the entire sliding surface, making the layer thicker near the edges, since these areas wear off most quickly. Apply paraffin as follows: take a hot iron, lean the paraffin against it and drip evenly onto the board.

Once the wax is applied, smooth it out with an iron (do not leave the wax iron on the snowboard for too long 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 slipper and filled them, thus “moisturizing” it. Now you need to clean off the remaining 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 glide perfectly on the snow. If necessary, it can be additionally treated with liquid or solid paraffin.

It is worth knowing that paraffin itself does not slip, so it is undesirable to overdo it; a board with a giant layer of paraffin will only ride worse, so remove all excess without sparing!

Polishing

The bulk of the work is done, and there is very little left. In order for the board to take the perfect shape, after removing excess paraffin, the board must be polished. This is done with a special plug, usually it can be found in tuning kits or, in worst case scenario, you can find something similar.

So, the board has been polished to a shine and it’s time to test your speed 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 wax the snowboard in Moscow in a professional workshop, without the risk of aggravating existing problems.

Dedicated to all snowboard owners.

Dear friends, probably everyone who was thinking about buying their own snowboard wondered: how to care for it? And is this necessary?

If you want your board to serve you as long as possible and give you maximum riding pleasure, then without a doubt you need to care for your board and periodically service it. You bought a snowboard in a store and rode it for a while, and then suddenly you noticed that it stopped gliding on the snow as well, and the edges stopped holding you at speeds. This means it's time for snowboard service. How often should you service your board, you ask? Firstly, as necessary: ​​if you feel that the board is not moving, or the edges are not holding, or there is damage to the sliding surface, there is rust on the edges. In general, we would advise you:

• Applying paraffin every 3-5 rides (“grey” plastic of the sliding surface is a sure sign that treatment is necessary).
• Sharpening of edges - depending on the condition and quality of the material of the edge itself.
• Slider maintenance - repair the sliding surface as it wears out and there are deep scratches.

You can care for and monitor your snowboard different ways. It all depends on how much experience you have in handling the board, how much money you are willing to pay for its maintenance, and whether you are willing to do the maintenance yourself. For some, it is more convenient and easier to take their board to a workshop, where they will remove scratches, apply structure, wax and sharpen edges. But you can take care of your snowboard and carry out minor repairs and adjustments at home. To do this you need to get the right tool, necessary materials and certain skills.

Where to begin?

The sliding surface of a snowboard is the most important and at the same time problem area. Start by checking the condition of the slider. The surface must be flat; the only irregularities on it can be a weight deflection. The edges must be flush with the sliding surface; if they protrude above the surface, or, conversely, are strongly recessed, then this is a sign that urgent repairs are required. The easiest way to check the evenness of the slide and the condition of the edges is to apply a ruler. If there are no gaps, everything is in order, otherwise we recommend that you contact a workshop, qualified specialists will determine the extent of the damage and make the necessary repairs.

Prevention - this process includes paraffin boards and sharpening edges.

Before you begin maintenance, do not forget that it is necessary to clean the sliding surface from old grease or dirt that may have gotten onto the sliding surface.

Treatment of scratches.

If there are no damage, scratches or other damage on the sliding surface of the snowboard, then you can safely proceed to sharpening the edges and applying paraffin.

Whatever one may say, scratches will still appear on the board. If they are small and not deep, then do not worry too much, they will not cause much harm. But if there are large and deep scratches on the snowboard, then they should not be ignored. For this repair you will need:

– Degreaser or alcohol

– Napkins, preferably made of non-woven material

– A scraper, a sharp knife or a razor, a utility knife will do just fine

– Special sticks made of polyethylene

– Soldering iron or torch.

First of all, it is necessary to clean the sliding surface from paraffin and degrease scratches. If there are burrs on the surface, they need to be removed using a knife or razor.

Before filling, it is also advisable to heat the scratch itself using a soldering iron or torch, and then melt it by pressing the candle to the soldering iron and at the same time to the scratch. If you use a soldering iron, then press the stick against the scratch and melt it with the soldering iron. If you don’t have a soldering iron at hand, you can use another method. Light the stick and bring it as close to the scratch as possible, so that the fire almost goes out. This way the stick will not burn to the point of soot and at the same time warm up the inside of the scratch. If the scratch is deep, you need to repeat the filling in several passes, applying a little each time, but not in separate drops.

After the poured plastic has cooled, it is necessary to remove excess plastic; for this you can use a special metal scraper, knife or blade. Then the surface needs to be sanded and paraffin can be applied.

Edge sharpening.

Sharp edges will make it easier for you to make turns, so it is important to keep them sharp. The main thing is not to overdo it; if you sharpen too often, you risk leaving your snowboard without edges at all. It is recommended to sharpen edges at the beginning of the season and as needed, when a lot of burrs have appeared or the board “does not hold” and turns poorly. It is worth noting that for new board there is no need to sharpen edges.

Application of paraffin.

Paraffin is applied to the sliding surface so that it absorbs it and improves sliding. That is, it is necessary to wax the board when the sliding has worsened, and also when the sliding has dried out - it has become rough and whiteness has appeared, this is especially noticeable along the edges. Applying paraffin correctly is very important. The more correctly the paraffin is applied, the better your equipment will run. Many people think that this is not necessary, but in vain. If you do not do this procedure, then over time your board will lose its characteristics. However, you should not get carried away with applying paraffin, because... the sliding surface is quite sensitive to high temperatures, in which paraffin is applied.

Also, paraffin must be selected according to the temperature of the snow. The snow temperature is always two degrees lower than the air temperature. For above-zero temperatures, yellow and red paraffin are sold. For medium and light frosts, purple is needed, and for severe frosts, green or black paraffin is suitable. Since some packages do not indicate the temperature, you need to know what color of paraffin to apply at what temperature. However, it is worth noting that most paraffins are now universal and suitable for all temperatures.

For high-quality application of paraffin, you will also need: a means for cleaning and removing old ointments, a special iron with a thick sole, a scraper and brushes - nylon and bronze.

So, all the necessary means and tools are at your fingertips, you can get started. If there is old paraffin, it must be removed; for this you can use a scraper or special remedy, which will also remove dirt. After this, you can proceed directly to applying paraffin. To do this, we heat up the iron and take paraffin, in order to understand that the iron is warm enough and not overheated - we lean the paraffin against the surface of the iron - it should melt, but not burn or smoke. Then, using smooth movements, we evenly apply melting paraffin to the surface of the slide; it is convenient to do this in strips across the board. The iron should not touch the sliding surface, because Due to its temperature, it can damage it. Next, you need to distribute the applied paraffin evenly over the entire board. Move the iron along the sliding surface of the snowboard, evenly distributing the wax from nose to tail. Move the iron continuously, without stopping in one place, so as not to damage the surface. Paraffin should be distributed in a thin layer over the entire sliding surface of the snowboard.

If you are a professional or ride in places where there are sudden temperature changes, then you can apply paraffin in several stages. To do this, you need to use snowboard wax at different temperatures, depending on the riding conditions. There are also so-called accelerator ointments, they are used by professional athletes. As a rule, this is a powder with a high fluorine content. However, it is worth noting that it quickly eats up the plastic on your snowboard, so your equipment will not last long.

After the paraffin is applied to the board, it takes time for it to absorb and cool completely. Then you need to remove excess wax with a plastic scraper, the surface should become smooth, without sagging. This is done with long movements along the board from nose to tail, placing the scraper parallel to the surface of the board.

Now you can begin the final stage - polishing. This can be done in several ways: with brushes, a special cork or a rag made of dense fabric (for example, felt, drape). If you decide to polish your snowboard with brushes, then first use a copper one. Go over the entire board several times, just be careful not to overdo it so as not to scratch or damage the surface. Then use a nylon brush to buff the surface until it becomes glossy. If you use dense material or a cork block for polishing, then rub the wax in a circular motion until the surface becomes glossy.

Well, that’s all, your projectile is serviced and ready for high speeds, tenacious turns and a lot of fun. Don’t forget that if you take care of your snowboard, it will definitely reciprocate your feelings and give you an incredible amount of emotions and buzz.

If you have any questions about how to properly repair a snowboard or perform a service, you can contact us, we will advise and help you with your question. And for those who prefer to entrust snowboard maintenance to professionals, we remind you that in our boardshop you can service snowboards and skis of any complexity. We also repair snowboard bindings and boots. Snowboard and alpine ski service Freedomshop - cost and other information can be found.

Snow to everyone and see you on the slopes!

The bottom layer of a snowboard, often called the “slipper,” needs to be looked after regularly: firstly, to protect the surface from moisture and scratches, and secondly, so that children on deflated cheesecakes do not overtake you on the slopes. For everyone who wants to ride hard this season, we have prepared useful instructions for treating snowboards with paraffin. Read and save for yourself.

Important: if you seriously damaged your board with ice or stones over the past winter, you most likely won’t be able to do it with paraffin alone and it’s better to take it to a professional workshop. Addresses of “Trajectories” services can be found here

Are there any deep defects? Then let's go

When is it time to treat the board?
In 99% of cases, all new snowboards come with factory wax, which lasts quite a long time. However, if you notice that the slip has “greyed” (this is especially visible on a dark surface, as if whitish stripes are appearing) and has become not smooth to the touch, but rather “velvety-rough”, then it’s time to use paraffin.
Here's a photo to make it clearer what we're talking about

How to choose paraffin?
Let's start with the fact that paraffin is selected not according to the air temperature, but according to the temperature of the snow - it takes an average of 2-3 days for the snow to “cool” or “heat up”.
Those. if, for example, the temperature was 10 -15 for a week, with frosts down to -17 - 20 at night, and then a thaw suddenly set in 0 +2, you should not immediately run and “wax” the board with “plus” wax. Because For another 2-3 days the snow will give off the cold. Or vice versa, if there was a thaw, and then frosts struck at -15, then you shouldn’t immediately use paraffin at -15. Let the weather last a couple of days, then you can treat it.

How long should I wait?

Unfortunately, there is no universal answer here, because... In addition to air temperature, there is also solar radiation and wind, which also affect the release or absorption of heat by snow. Therefore, here you have to use the trial and error method. Moreover, as you yourself understand, for the mountains and for the city the temperature selection scheme will be slightly different. Therefore, if you are traveling to the mountains, look at the forecast not only for the time of your trip, but also several days in advance, in order to understand what the weather was like “before” your arrival and what paraffin you should take with you. There should be no problems with the choice - manufacturers always indicate on the packaging what temperature the wax is designed for.

What types of paraffin are there?

There are 3 main types of paraffin: liquid or ointment, hard or plastic and hot.

Ok, what's the difference?

Liquid or ointment. It's fluoride. This wax gives the snowboard the highest speed. However, it wears out the fastest (in 1-2 descents, depending on the length of the route). Liquid paraffin is available in jars, ampoules, sprays or specially impregnated wipes.
It is mainly used by athletes before a start to increase speed.

How to apply liquid paraffin?

Everything is very simple here. You can apply liquid paraffin using a cloth (wipes for wiping glass work well).

Is it clear why you need a hard one?

Solid. Or, more precisely, plastic. Most often it looks like a package of solid deodorant. This paraffin always comes with a special cap so that it can be easily distributed over the slide. It is not difficult to apply, the whole process takes no more than 10 minutes. The only point is to make sure that the board is dry, without any remaining ice, etc.

How many descents does paraffin wax last?

Usually, it is enough for 6-8 descents, depending on their length. If we talk about speed, then with hard paraffin it will be average. Do you want to speed up? Try applying liquid paraffin after solid paraffin.

What are the advantages of hot paraffin?

Hot paraffin is the most “resistant” of all types. Provided that the board has been properly prepared and properly waxed, it will last for a long time. The downside is that application takes quite a long time (it also depends on your skills). Plus, you should have an iron on hand to heat the paraffin. For convenience, you can buy a special one.
Or use a regular iron, but it is important that it does not have steam holes.

How to prepare a slip for paraffin treatment?

In general, this can be avoided if you use liquid paraffin and sometimes solid paraffin. But, if you want your snowboard to glide perfectly, then it is better to adhere to the processing rules.
So, the first stage is cleaning. It is needed to remove dirt and remnants of old paraffin that have become ingrained into the structure of the sliding surface.
To “clean” you can use a special cleanser that will degrease and remove everything unnecessary from the “pores” and structure of the slide. If there is no such product, then you can use the cheapest hot paraffin. Apply it to the board using an iron and distribute it. When it begins to harden, we begin to clean it using a cycle (a special scraper), periodically heating it with an iron. If the paraffin hardens completely, it will no longer be easy to remove.

Why are we doing this?

Under the influence of temperature, the pores of the slip open, and the newly applied paraffin, as it were, draws out all the dirt and old paraffin from them. This can be compared to depilation with hot wax. (Girls will understand)
After “cleaning”, it is necessary to sand the slide with a special soft cloth or sponge, which will completely remove the remaining dirt and paraffin. Happened? Great, now you can wax the board.

How to apply hot paraffin?

We recommend unscrewing the crepes first. It will be more convenient this way.
Using an iron, we begin to drip paraffin onto the prepared slip and distribute it over the entire surface. We give time for the paraffin to stick a little, and in this half-frozen state we begin to clean it off with a cycle. After this, it is advisable to sand the surface with a special sponge or brush so that not a drop of visible paraffin remains on the slide.