Put On Skateboard & Longboard Grip Tape CORRECTLY

This is the easiest way to put any skateboard grip tape on!
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Putting grip tape on a skateboard is so easy, but it seems really hard for people in most "How To" videos. This video shows you step by simple step how to put grip tape on a street skateboard deck correctly and easily. This is the same way you would do it for a downhill longboard skateboard deck. There are a lot of videos out there on how to apply griptape, and just about every single one misses something. This video has everything you need to know for applying griptape to a skateboard deck.

In this video you'll learn:
How to put grip tape on a skateboard deck
How to get no air bubbles in skateboard grip tape
How to score/file grip tape so it will cut easier
How to cut skateboard grip tape
How to poke holes in grip tape to put bolts in a skateboard deck
How to remove air bubbles in griptape

In a related video about how to fix a chipped skateboard deckyou can see how to remove skateboard grip tape from a deck.
   • Fix a Chipped Skateboard & Longboard ...  

There are 3 steps to put grip tape on a skateboard correctly.
1. How you lay the griptape on the skateboard
2. How you score the grip tape
3. How you cut griptape

Tools:
Razor blade
Blunt object (screw driver is perfect, no file needed)
Steady hand
Smiles

Peal off the paper backing and hold the grip tape evenly over the entire board.

Avoid air bubbles in the grip tape by starting on one side and applying the grip tape across the board to the other side.

Work your way across by holding the grip tape up with one hand and gently rub your hand or pat your hand across the length of the board. With the hand that is holding the griptape, angle the griptape by pealing the far corner towards you. Basically slant the grip tape rather than holding it flat. (hard to type that explanation.)

Score the grip tape with a blunt object. A screw driver is perfect. Press the screw driver on the grip tape and deck and rub it along the rail/edge of the deck. This will create a white line called a score. Only go over the edge once. The more you rub the screw driver on the edge of grip tape the harder it will be to cut.
A thin white line it best.

Lift up the grip tape gently so it is easier to cut

For narrow decks the grip tape will have resistance where the nose or tail meets the flat or concave of the deck. Cut the grip with your razor blade perpendicular with the deck where the bottom of the nose or tail meets the concave/at the bottom.

It is much easier to cut the grip tape from the underside of the skateboard deck. The reason is you can hold your hand steady by resting your fingers on the edge of the deck. This also keeps the razor blade straight creating a straight line through the griptape. As the blade rests flat on the edge angle the blade away from you at about 45 degrees (another hard explanation). Then cut the length of the skateboard deck or grip tape toward you.

When cutting, it might help to choose what side of the white scored line you'd like to cut on. It's seems obvious to just cut right in the center, but it might help to cut on the inside or outside.

Grip tape is very sticky and won't peal off, but just to be safe, and to give the edge a nice clean look take the left over griptape and sand the skateboard deck edge down.

If you work at a shop, don't go to town on this. it leaves the deck griptape looking really messy, and for a kid just getting a new deck, it won't look so new after you rub off the grip.

Poke holes in the griptape where the hardware/bolts/screws go through. use a screw driver the scrub away the stuff in or around the holes.