# Paint for Skate board surace - Wood



## sampainter

Hello,

I have a customer who has asked me to build some custom skateboard ramps for their children. I'm pretty handy with woodworking on the side so I decided to take on the job.

My biggest problem though is what to finish the ramps with. I have seen companies selling really expensive paint for ramps, but I'm looking for a generic version that will grip the wheels of the board and not create a slippery surface like a typical wood sealer like Thompson's would do. Preferably I'm looking for a one part polyurethane epoxy. Any advice would be greatly appreciated since I'm tight on my budget and I'm looking to finish it ASAP. 

Thanks Sam.


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## painter213

Polyurea would work great. The one part epoxies are not a real epoxy anyway. Just a enamel with a little epoxy resin added for a little extra hardness. But really the polyurea would work great on the ramps.


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## SWGuy

a moisture cure urethane would work. You would need to add a non-splip additive to it. SW makes a product called Rexthane. It is expensive, but would work great. You are probably looking at about $90 per gallon.


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## painter213

Polyurea Man. Build them and then take them to a local Truck Bed Liner company and tell them to spray them. They would probably not charge too much. Tell them to spray them when there doing a truck. That way there not setting up just to spray your stuff. Might cut you a deal. You would not need to prime the wood, due to the fact your not worried about a little pin holing.


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## ibsocal

A can of cheap spray paint for graffiti is all that is required for the true skaters :yes:
the top layer should be masonite,nice and smooth so when U fall and everone falls U slide.other wise your skin sticks to the ramp as you slide and end up with some NASTY burns,rash,raspberries etc.


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## nEighter

Did you build the ramp with a masonite top for the transition? What is / are they made from. You don't want something that is going to be too slick, masonite is already slicker than snot, and you need it to hold up to wheel abuse (Urethane) of different hardness'. I don't really know without knowing the material used. Go with a stain.


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## ibsocal

Masonite goes over the plywood ramp structure as a top layer only.SMOOTH and FAST and not as snotty as U think:rockon:


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## nEighter

I am a skater, take it you skate, or skated?


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## ibsocal

DITTO:thumbup:


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## LOSTinDETAILS

Masonite is the top layer and it is supposed to be somewhat slick for sess slides and not rubbing your skin off. I have built a bunch of halfs, quarters, launches as well as rails while growing up. Man, just thinking about skating is making my tailbone ach. I cant help you with the topcoat because I never topcoated mine.We used big tarps.


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## straight_lines

Actually mate they make sheeting just for skateboarding ramps. Skatelite, skaterblend, but if you really wanna paint there is skate paint. Says its poly, its been years since I was a skater, but things haven't changed that much.


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## LOSTinDETAILS

straight_lines said:


> Actually mate they make sheeting just for skateboarding ramps. Skatelite, skaterblend, but if you really wanna paint there is skate paint. Says its poly, its been years since I was a skater, but things haven't changed that much.


I doubt they had skatelite or etc. 20 years ago. I could be wrong, wouldnt be the first time.


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## straight_lines

LOSTinDETAILS said:


> I doubt they had skatelite or etc. 20 years ago. I could be wrong, wouldnt be the first time.


 I was still skating in my late 20s mate, started when I was about 8. I still surf almost every week, just had to give up the vert ramp. All those dumps caught up with my body, the water is much more forgiving maybe I will have to slow down when I hit 40, but I doubt it.


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## LOSTinDETAILS

I hear you loud and clear. My knees give me a better weather forcast than the weather man can ever give. I owe that to skating.


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## Quaid?

when i 'semi retired' my best trick was kickflip frontside tailslide, can anyone beat that?


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## LOSTinDETAILS

Quaid? said:


> when i 'semi retired' my best trick was kickflip frontside tailslide, can anyone beat that?


Thats pretty good for the average bear but what about a mctwist topped with a middle finger.


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## padfieldc

ibsocal said:


> A can of cheap spray paint for graffiti is all that is required for the true skaters :yes: the top layer should be masonite,nice and smooth so when U fall and everone falls U slide.other wise your skin sticks to the ramp as you slide and end up with some NASTY burns,rash,raspberries etc.


 3/8" underlayment (touch sanded knots patched) is smooth and does not swell like Masonite in the rain. Roll on a good quality exterior paint with UV protection. A wool 3/4 knap roller works great, as it's texturing the paint and puts lots of paint on the wood (no additive needed, Eggshell or Satin finish works well, avoid any higher gloss) Keep a rattle can around for scratch touch-up (bikes!) Drill drain holes in your puddle spots and make sure you coat the drain holes with paint!!! Do not paint back of ramp, that's the side (long term) moisture will escape from.


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## RH

padfieldc said:


> 3/8" underlayment (touch sanded knots patched) is smooth and does not swell like Masonite in the rain. Roll on a good quality exterior paint with UV protection. A wool 3/4 knap roller works great, as it's texturing the paint and puts lots of paint on the wood (no additive needed, Eggshell or Satin finish works well, avoid any higher gloss) Keep a rattle can around for scratch touch-up (bikes!) Drill drain holes in your puddle spots and make sure you coat the drain holes with paint!!! Do not paint back of ramp, that's the side (long term) moisture will escape from.


Just a head’s up - this thread is from 2010 so it’s likely the surface in question is sitting out somewhere decaying or went to a landfill long ago.


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