Waxing your board is a ritual, and like most rituals, it's simple once you know the rules. The wrong wax in the wrong water temperature is slippery and useless. The right wax, applied correctly, gives you the grip you need to stay on your board and focus on the waves. Here's how to do it properly.
Why Water Temperature Matters
Surf wax is temperature-sensitive. It's designed to be soft enough to create a textured, grippy surface at a specific water temperature range. Use tropical wax in cold water and it'll set hard and glass-smooth — no grip at all. Use cold water wax in warm water and it'll melt into a greasy slick that goes everywhere except where you want it.
Most wax brands use a simple temperature classification:
- Cold water — below 16°C
- Cool water — 14–19°C
- Warm water — 17–24°C
- Tropical — above 24°C
Temperature ranges overlap slightly by brand. When in doubt, go one grade cooler than you think you need — a slightly softer wax is easier to work with than a wax that's too hard for your conditions.
Base Coat vs Top Coat
A proper wax job has two layers:
Base coat: A harder wax applied directly to the board to create a textured foundation. Apply it in crosshatch or circular patterns and really work it into the surface — you want visible bumps, not a smooth layer. Base coat sticks to the board and provides the foundation for the top coat.
Top coat: Your temperature-appropriate wax applied over the base coat. This is what your feet actually grip. Apply in circular or crosshatch patterns until you have a consistent covering of wax bumps over the entire standing area.
Some surfers skip base coat. It's not catastrophic, but base coat significantly extends the life of your wax job and improves grip — worth the extra five minutes.
Where to Apply Wax
For shortboards, apply wax to the top third of the board (where your front foot lands), the tail area (where your back foot sits), and the rails where you grip when duck diving. You don't need to wax the whole deck — focus on where your body actually contacts the board.
For longboards, wax more of the deck surface since you'll be walking the board. Pay particular attention to the nose area if you plan to hang five.
Don't wax surfboard fins, leash plugs or vent screws — wax makes fins harder to remove and doesn't benefit either.
Removing Old Wax
Wax builds up over time and eventually needs to be stripped back. A wax comb removes surface wax quickly; leaving your board in the sun for 10–15 minutes first softens the wax and makes removal much easier. Remove remaining residue with a wax remover or a small amount of cooking oil followed by a wipe-down.
Full wax removal every 2–3 months is a good habit for regular surfers. It lets you inspect the board for dings, gives the wax job a fresh start and prevents that grim, grey wax build-up that accumulates when old wax is just layered over indefinitely.
Quick Tips
- Apply wax to a clean, dry board for best adhesion
- Warm the board slightly in the sun before waxing — just don't overdo it
- Carry a wax comb — a quick roughing up between sessions restores grip without re-waxing
- Keep a travel-size block of wax in your board bag for emergency touch-ups
Once your board is waxed and ready, the next performance upgrade is your fins. Browse our full range of surf fins for FCS and Futures systems at Eisbach Riders.