Backcountry Beacon

Butter knives dull and worn from too much abuse in the park? Your seasoned pow planks suffering from case of dated artwork? We painted our boards and skis and put together a step-by-step guide. We also enlisted the help of the custom painting pros at TOWR13 Customs to show you how to do it yourself.

Supplies:

• Sandpaper (2 Sheets): Anything moderately coarse will suffice. I used 220-grit sandpaper.
• Blue painter’s tape (1 Roll): Great for detailing and protecting—and it won’t stick and peel when the job’s done. You’ll only need one small roll, unless you plan on going nuts with the taping off and detailing.
• Razor blades (1 Blade): Your Mach 3 refills ain’t gonna cut it.
• Spray paint/durable clearcoat (1 Can of paint per color): Most store-bought spray paint will get the job done, but the Pro Tips call for a better, more durable option—like an aerosol can from an automotive paint store. I was able to paint a pair of skis and a snowboard with only one can of black paint and one of gold, and I didn’t even put a dent in the can of clearcoat between both jobs.
• Yosemite Sam mustache: Optional but highly recommended for full effect.

Prep:

Consider this: your paint job—whether you’re going for artistic, representational, or flat out cheesiness—will only be as good as the base you put it on. What I’m saying is: take some time, sit down, have a beverage, put on some Creedence, and spend some QT with those old boards you’ve loved for so long. Just smooth ‘em out for that basecoat, OK?

1. Tape around your edges with blue painter’s tape—it’ll protect your bases, and at the end of the job it will pull off without stripping off your paint.
2. Fill any drilled hole/base holes with a cotton swab or Q-Tip so you don’t run into problems when you want to put your bindings back on your skis.
3. Go to town on you boards with some sandpaper
4. Use a razor blade to cut down/shape any rough spots, gouges, pocks, dings, shunts, or any other spot that won’t hold paint well along your topsheet and sidewalls.
5. Clean off your topsheet with a moist rag.

Paint:

Find yourself a nice well-lit, well-ventilated location. Also, make sure your skis are nice and comfortable in there—you don’t want anything bad to happen while you’re waiting for them to dry. Put down some newspaper before you paint—don’t ruin your garage floor, or anything else nearby for that matter.

1. Construct your plan of attack before you start painting. Have your design in mind, as well as how you’re going to accomplish your design by method of taping, stenciling, or what have you.
2. Spray! The secret to a good spray paint job is smooth, consistent strokes—otherwise you’ll end up with thick spots that’ll take forever to dry as well as an uneven-looking basecoat.
3. Throw down at least two decent coats of base paint and make sure your basecoat is nice and dry to the touch before you get to the detailing.
4. Give yourself plenty of time for drying. If you’re working indoors at warm temps, you should only have to wait 30 minutes to two hours for a coat to dry, otherwise it could take anywhere from 3 hours to all night.
5. Once the basecoat dries, go crazy with your stencils, tape, or whatever else you use to create a design.

Clearcoat:

This part is very important despite the fact that it will probably be the easiest, shortest step. Again—smooth, consistent strokes, don’t goop up your work of art. The clearcoat will protect your paint job—make sure you lay it on proper. I decided to go with two layers. More protection = more better, right?

Maybe you’re into the idea of a new paint job for your skis, but you just don’t have the creative bug, the space to do it in, the time, etc. Just give the gang over at TOWR13 Customs (the Pros for all the Pro Tips) a call and they’ll be more than happy to help you out. Check out what they did to my Armada ARG’s:

Related Posts:

• How to Fix Core Shots and Deep Scratches with P-Tex
• How to Detune Ski Tips and Tails
• Traveling With Skis and Snowboards

Tags: DIY, do-it-yourself, skiing, snowboarding