Skateboard Decks
If you like skateboard tricks as much as I do the Ollee Skate Tracker will record them for you while you skate.
Get 10% off using promo code SK8HERE @ Ollee Skate Tracker
See my review of the tracker here. It is fun to skate with.
Skateboard decks are the top board part of the skateboard. They are the most important piece of the skateboard. The feel and type of board depends on the type of deck you ride.
Most skateboard decks are made out of hard rock maple. Using 7 layers of wood pressed together with glue. Maple is hard wood and allows the deck to be strong. Bamboo is a material that makes high quality skateboard desks. Bamboo is not a popular material used by most skateboard companies. It is a good material.
Properties of a Skateboard Deck
Decks are shaped a certain way for a reason. They are the lightest, strongest and most responsive shape that skaters use. Most decks are 32” long x 7½"-8½” wide x ½” thick.
- Length - The right length to allow most people to stand on and reach the nose and tail with their feet.
- Width - The right width to allow most people to stand on and manipulate the board to do tricks.
- Kicks - The nose and tail are the right length to allow you to do stalls and slides. The nose is longer for nose tricks and to let you get used to riding it the same way. The raised angle helps you to pop and scoop tricks.
- Concave - The concave curve that starts at the nose and continues through the of the middle of the deck to the tail provides strength and allows you to grip the board better for many maneuvers.
- Pop - Pop is an often misused term. Pop is how a fresh skateboard deck is much more responsive with new edges and griptape. The shape of the nose and tail allow you to pop an ollie higher and with less effort than an older deck. Not to mention new grippy grip tape. A board with good pop has a feel that makes skating so much easier.
Shapes of Skateboard Decks
There are different shapes of skateboards depending on the type of skateboarding you like to do.
Modern or New School
The almost symmetrical double kick or new school deck is by far the most common. It is the most versatile shape. You can do any type of skateboarding with one.
Old school
This style of skateboard became popular in the late seventies when skaters invented the ollie. The kick on the tail allowed you to pop the board and enter the air. Deck like this are wider so that they are more stable.
Once people realized that you can do tricks on the nose too, the board shapes got closer and closer to what you see today. The holes patterns for the trucks also changed because skaters were grinding through the bolts with the new nose and tail tricks.
The oldschool shape appeals to older and bowl skaters that don't do ollies much and prefer to carve and go fast.
Freestyle
Freestyle boards were used back in the early eighties to do a different type of skateboarding.
The tricks involved flips and poses done on flatland. The boards were more symmetrical and square to allow for these types of tricks.It was this type of skating combining with the old school street skating that made the modern skateboard shape.
Longboard
For those who like to cruise roll stable on a skateboard there are longboards. These boards come in many different shapes and are much longer that the modern deck. They are more stable at high speeds.The longboard culture is different from skateboarding culture. It is often confused by outsiders but we are very different.
How they make a deck
There have been many attempts at using materials other than maple to make decks. Synthetics using fiber glass, glue resin and other materials are strong and light enough. They leave your hands covers in itchy fibers or weird powder. Not cool.
Aluminium decks are tough but feel weird and have no pop.
Bamboo skateboard decks work great. I use them a lot. Bamboo which is a more renewable material than maple. The use about 70% bamboo to 30% maple to keep the decks performance high.
Sizing a deck. What’s right for you?
You can get skateboard decks in lots of different sizes and shapes.
There are mini decks for younger skaters. I have seen skaters as young as 5 years olds skating circles around the older guys. They used the regular sized skateboard fine.
If you like carving, vert and going fast instead of doing ollies and flip tricks. Then a larger shape my be more you style.
Your Skateboard Deck Graphic is Temporary.
The graphic on you skateboard will scratch off easy. Get used to it. That pretty skateboard will look raw and used after only a few minutes. Be ready to get your first skateboard deck scratched and beaten up. You might get lucky and be given a used skateboard. They keep you skating between broken skateboards and new decks.
Having fresh paint on your board makes it slide oh so good. Enjoy new decks when you can they are the best!
Return from Skateboard Decks to Skateboard Parts
Return from Skateboard Decks to skateboardhere homepage