How To make Griptape Less Grippy
- Ed Riley
- November 24, 2022
When you step on your skateboard, does it start running without taking you along? Having trouble taking your board into the air?
A quick fix is changing old grip tapes. It easily increases your board’s grip of footing similar to a professional one. Though you will need to tone down the grip of your grip tape if you don’t want to buy new pairs of shoes every week, which is why today’s article comes into the scene.
What is Grip Tape made of
Grip tapes are similar to sandpaper in texture but not identical. It has an extremely sticky adhesive on the back. The formula of manufacture has silicon carbide in it, which helps increase the friction between your shoe and the board. It also helps you create a great footing on the deck of the board for skating tricks.
Grip tapes come in different patterns, colors & logos of skaters’ tastes. Sometimes it may have smaller parts cut out pre-handed. Skaters also prefer to cut out patterns on their grip tape to make their boards look unique or to identify the nose and tail easily.
How Can Griptape Be Too Grippy
A new grip taped board might feel too grippy. The sandpaper-like texture of the upper surface of the tape makes it rough enough to ruin the sole of your shoes while you skate hard.
Again, the gripping of a grip tape depends on the skater’s taste too. Some skaters like a higher grip whereas some like it less. There are brands who manufacture grip tape with heavy grip which might make you feel as if your feet are screwed to the board. On the contrary, there are grip tapes which are less grippy too.
Essential To Make Grip Tape Less Grippy
If you don’t want to make a hole in your wallet while adjusting the grippyness of your skateboard grip tape, then better DO IT YOURSELF!
Making your grip tape less grippy doesn’t require much tools. But do make sure to choose high-quality supplies to ensure an outcome that matches your desire & imagination. Here’s what you need:
- A Flat Surface: Thank you Mr.Obvious! Any DIY requires a counter studio to work on so why not this?
- Scissors: a pair of sharp scissors will make cutting through lines of patterns easier. Mind consulting an adult if you are a minor before working with this sharp tool.
- Box Cutter/Office Cutter: Grip tapes are hard sandpaper. Thus, a stubborn tool to cut a stubborn object.
- Sheet of Grip Tape: sheets of grip tapes are a must to sand down and to stick on your board. Having some extra at hand is safe to play!
- Paint Pens/Spray Paints (optional): this is optional if you want to paint your skateboard into a unique & eye-catching color.
- Stickers (optional): Similarly, stickers are a great choice if you don’t wanna make a mess while painting your skateboard or longboard.
Method To Make Griptape Less Grippy
After you have gathered all the supplies, get ready with your board. Read along as you follow the article step by step!
Step 1: Preparing
Lay your board on the surface you chose on its wheels with the deck facing you. Have all your supplies ready at hand on the same surface. The last thing you want to do is make any mistake with the grip tape placement. The underside of it is very sticky. Once mistaken, it is messy to undo it.
Step 2: Cutting & Pasting
Scrub off any extra dirt from the deck if you took a recent ride on your board.
While pasting a new sheet of grip tape, you must follow the steps of How to Paste Griptape on Your Board. A basic thumb rule is not to rush. Take proper measurements of your board and cut an exact piece out of your sheet of grip tape roll. You can experiment with different shapes and colors of sheet cutouts before you lay your final piece. Scrap off any air bubble beneath the layer of adhesive & have your grip pasted. Remember to mash the edges well, then proceed to step 3!
Step 3: Wear Down the Grip
After you are all done with step 2, you will be left with some cutout of grip paper from the corners. If not, use the extra sheet of grip tape.
Use the pieces like sandpaper to wear down the grippy feature of the newly pasted grips. Stroke until you achieve the desired grip you prefer.
Although sticky grip tape makes it easy to execute any trick, they ruin your shoe easily. So how hard down you sand down the grip tape will foretell how grippy your afterrides will be.
Step 4: Coating With Paint
The last & most necessary step!You can experiment with patterns to paint your board. The pattern may be a piece of computer print out or your own DIY art. Hold it firmly on your deck & use spray paint to copy the pattern. Remember to use gloves while working with spray paint to be safe from messy hands.
Painting your grip tape as you wish will not only make your board look unique but also give it a secured texture from the exposure to dirt & rain water. It also helps slightly to save your shoes by softening the grip tape.
You’re all good to go!
FAQ
Most frequent questions and answers
Why is my grip tape not grippy?
As the grains of the grip paper get smoother due to continued usage, the grip tape may wear off grippyness. The friction between your shoes and the grip tape may feel less as you ride or try doing tricks, making your trucks imprecise. Do not panic as this doesn’t imply you need to get a new deck. You can still change the grip tape.
How do I make my griptape more grippy?
You can not just get fresh grip tape pasted if you feel your grip tape is losing its grippy texture. This might be due to the grainy texture of the upper surface attracting lots of mud and dust. Simply clean it with a wire brush and soapy water to make it work like new again!
What can you use instead of grip tape?
Worn out or new, grip tapes work wonders when it comes to providing friction for longboarding tricks. There aren’t many homemade alternatives to make your feet stick to the deck of your board whilst you ride it in the air. However, you can try varnishing your deck of the board after adding a layer of silica sand on it to get a grainy texture.
Wrap Up
Hope the article satisfies all your grippy queries as you adorn your favorite plaything according to your taste. Comment and let us know if it was helpful. Also share tips & tricks to help a fellow skater out!
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