How To Fix A Cracked Longboard? and Regular Maintaining Tips

As the most visible part of a longboard, the deck is the most vulnerable portion, a crack on the deck can make it apparently useless. Or, is that so? Deck cracks may be repaired in a variety of ways!

You’ll learn how to fix a cracked longboard within a few minutes as I’ll get you through the process. You’ll also learn how to maintain it to keep it away from getting cracks in the first place. Let’s get on with it.

What You’ll Need

You’ll need certain tools and materials to repair the fracture in your longboard. I’ve included a list of things you’ll need here-

Common tools that You’ll need –

• Screwdrivers (Star and Minus)
• An Iron or Hair Dryer.
• Putty Scraper.
• Hand Clamps.
• Grip Tape.
• Epoxy Glue.
• Patience and Time.

For Fixing Major Cracks-

• Fiberglass Repair Kit.
• Plastic Wood Filler.
• AD Grip.
• Fiberglass Cloth. [You will get it with a fiberglass repair kit]

How to Fix A Cracked Longboard?

Depending on the type of crack in your longboard, you’ll need to use different approaches, look for cracks A few inches of cracks may be repaired this way –

1. First, take the screwdriver and remove the trucks from the board and keep it on a flat surface. And, attach the board to the flat surface with hand clamps to hold it straight and tight.
2. Now, remove the grip tape by applying heat on it with the iron or the hairdryer. Then, Cut the cracks with a Knife and clean the spot well.
3. After that, make a mix of epoxy glue and small wood flex and use it on the cracks properly. Likely, you can use a putty scraper to level the glue. Next, Let the longboard decks dry for at least 8-10 hours.
4. Once the glue dries, Check for cracks and smooth them out with sandpaper. Subsequently, put the deck into water for a minimum of half of the day. (It’s not necessary, but for improving the weight balance of the deck.)
5. Finally, Reinstall the trucks. Make sure the truck bolts are in the right place and tightened properly. Also, do not forget to check the wheel balance and make any necessary adjustments.

For Big Cracks

The earlier one is for tiny cracks; but what will you do if the crack is equal to 2-3 of tiny cracks? The steps below on how to repair a broken longboard might help you.

1. First, take the Longboard and remove the grip tape and trucks. Also, place weight on the deck to make the deck of the board straight. You can use Hand clamps and more heat to do this.
2. After that, Clean the cracked area with the spirit or isopropyl alcohol, and then put some plastic wood filler into the cracked spot and level it with a putty scraper. Then wait for 2-4 hours for the process to complete.
3. Next, take an AD grip, and scrap the spot well. Accordingly, take some regular resin on a plate and mix some fiberglass resin in it, and brush it on the top of the crack spot.
4. Now, Cover the cracked spot area with a nice piece of fiberglass cloth. Brush some resin paste on it again, then repeat the process three times to create three layers of fiberglass cloth on the deck.
5. Finally, to level the deck, take some sandpaper and rub it well on the surface. Once the surface looks clean, wash it with spirit again. Subsequently, Replace the grip tape with a new one and reinstall the trucks.

Regular Maintaining Tips for Longboard

How effectively you keep and care for your board will decide how long you will use it. Whether you ride a Punked, DB, Bamboo, if you don’t maintain it properly, your longboard will not last long. If you want a thin yet robust board, consider the lightweight Atom Longboards that do well under pressure. But remember, every board has a breaking point.

There are decks, trucks, bushings, bearings, wheels in a longboard which you have to maintain. Here is some tips to maintain them properly –

1. Decks – Maintain a dry and tidy deck. Because damp decks are weak and brittle, they are more likely to break and crack.
2. Bearings – bearings are the most important part which makes your ride smooth. Bits of debris can make it stuck. So, Twice every six months, clean and lube the bearings.
3. Wheels – Avoid letting your longboard wheels come into contact with sand, rain, or puddles. Also, make sure you rotate your longboard’s wheels at least once a month.
4. Bushings – The bushings help in the smooth rotation and pivoting of your board. After a while, old bushings flatten and stiffen. So, your bushings should be replaced every six months or so.
5. Trucks – Clean your trucks every month and properly wash twice a year.
6. Grip Tape – Clean your grip tape on a regular basis. Replace the grip tape when it is worn out otherwise it may cause feet to slip.
7. Deck Guard Protector – It will help to prevent cracks due to bad slides. Custom nose guards can also be used.
8. Reduce Vibration – use foam pads or shock pads between your trucks and deck. It will help you to get a shock and vibration free ride on open roads.

Final Verdict

I hope, now you know how to fix a cracked longboard and how to keep using it even after getting it cracked in the middle. Now grab your longboard and start practicing the skills you’ll need for your next ride, well after repairing it, of course! If you may not ride through puddles, rain, or sand though. That way you’ll be able to ride without any cracks