How to Fix a Chipped Skateboard Deck

This is a tutorial on how to use wood filler to repair a chipped deck. If you still have the missing piece of deck,  you can refer to my previous guide and glue it back on. Wood filler is a paste that repairs holes and gouges in wood. Chips are very common on the nose and tail of decks, and a chip doesn’t have to mean the end of that board. While not as strong as the original deck, this will make your deck last a bit longer and make it feel right when you’re skating it.

Supplies:

You’ll need your chipped deck, some Wood Filler, and a spoon or similar plastic piece to spread the past, and sandpaper. The grit of the sandpaper isn’t too important but I used 100 grit and then switched to 220 grit for a smooth finish.

Step One: Locate Your Chip.

Missing a chunk of tail can make your board feel really off, so we’ll be making it whole again.

Step Two: Wood Filler.

Grab your filler and spoon.

Open it up and you should see something like this.

Step Three: Apply Filler.

Pick up a little bit of filler with your spoon.

Push the filler into and onto the chipped section.

The wood filler will very likely be sticky and not want to leave your spoon. Keep pushing and spreading and it should stay in place.

Don’t be afraid of excess filler, we will sand it off later once it dries. I would try and keep it off of your grip tape, however.

Once you have filled the chip, it’s time to let it dry.

Drying time will vary, but my wood filler states, “Sand shallow repairs after 15 min. and deep repairs after 2-8 hrs.” So you can most likely let it dry 15 minutes and then go to the next step. Just make sure it feels solid.

Step Four: Sanding

I began to sand the rough patches with 100grit sandpaper.

I then sanded the edge flush with the rest of the tail.

I then went over it quick with 220 grit sandpaper. The result is a very smooth flat piece.

If you have any grip tape scraps, you can use cut and stick them over the section. You could peel some off of an old deck if you want.


Finished!

Now your deck won’t feel so wonky as you skate it!