How to Grip a Skateboard

29th August 2024

There’s a time in every skater’s life when you’ll need to replace your deck’s griptape. Like your first hard fall or successfully landing your first trick, it’s a rite of passage. If you’ve grabbed yourself a skateboard deck (rather than a complete skateboard), gripping your board is one of the first things you’ll need to do before you get started.

Why is griptape so important? It creates traction needed to keep your feet in place, which is key when cruising or pulling tricks. Without it, keeping your balance or becomes harder - leading to falls. Gripping your skateboard is really easy. And it’s incredibly satisfying to do. We’ve covered the basic steps in our guide below, or check out our video tutorial from the SkateHut HQ on how to griptape a skateboard.

How to apply griptape on a skateboard

What do you need?

your skateboard griptape
your deck
an old screwdriver, Allen key, file or skate tool
a utility knife, box cutter or razor blade

Step #1 – Prep your deck

If you’ve bought a brand-new deck, start by removing any plastic wrapping, stickers or packaging. Make sure the surface is nice and clean – wipe away any adhesive gunk, dust or dirt.

Step #2 – Pull the backing sheet from your griptape

This one is pretty self-explanatory...and perhaps the most satisfying!

Step #3 – Line up your griptape sheet with your deck

Line the sheet up with one side from above. Before you press down, make sure you’ve got enough griptape around the board.

Step #4 – Press down

Firmly press down on the griptape, working it into the concave of the nose and tail of the board. Doing this will help you avoid any air bubbles.

Step #5 – Score your edges

Take a metal object – an old screwdriver, Allen key, file or the back of your SkateHut Skateboard Tool , etc. Run it around the edge of your board, to create an outline to cut around.

TIP #1: Get your angles right
Whatever you use to score, hold it at an angle – you’ll only scrape the edge rather than the surface this way.

TIP #2: Lift and place rather than slide
When you rotate your board, lift it rather than slide it – this will help you avoid scratching or dinking the graphic before you hit the park.

Step #6 – Cut round the edges

Grab a utility knife, razor blade or boxcutter. Make sure it’s sharp – remember, you want a nice clean cut. If your tape sticks to the edge of your deck before you start, lift it up.

Pull firmly on the top corner of your sheet to start a good cut. Draw from underneath and keep the blade at a slight angle. If you cut from a straight position, the grip will tear, and you’ll get ripples.

When you reach your deck, pull the edge of the tape tight. Take it slowly – don’t pull too sharp or too quick and always keep your fingers out of the way of the blade.

Step #7 – Sand down the edges

Take an offcut and use it to sand down your edges. This will help to ensure your tape is flush with the edges of your deck. It also makes it less likely to peel up.

Step #8 – Poke your hardware holes

You’ll need your Allen key for this step. Line it up with a hole on your deck – you’ll feel it starting to push through on the other side. Keep your fingers clear, then push firmly to make your hole. Repeat until you’re done.

TIP #1: Feel for the Allen key
By feeling for the Allen key as you poke the hardware holes, you’ll avoid prying up the griptape on your board.

How to re-grip a skateboard

But what if you’ve already got a fully set-up board? You can’t apply griptape on top of griptape. So, first, you’ll need to remove it –luckily, this isn’t too difficult.

Step #1 – Remove your trucks

Step #2 – Heat the griptape

You can do this with a hair dryer – it’ll help to heat and soften the adhesive.

Step #3 – Pry it up

When the adhesive is warm, take your utility knife or razor blade and run it along the edge of the tape. Once you have enough to grab, start to peel it away from the deck.