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How to Custom Paint a Snowboard With Acrylics

Snowboarders who take their boards out consistently in the winter season will likely experience wear and tear on the paint job. The paint on a snowboard is not only for aesthetics, but it acts as a protective coating to prevent water or abrasive damage to the board's foundation. If you want to change or update the paint on your snowboard, consider using acrylic paints, which add shine and a smooth texture. Acrylics also dry more quickly than other types of paints, so that you can take your snowboard back on the slopes.

Things You'll Need

Drawing paper and utensils
Fine grit sandpaper
Primer
Assorted acrylic paints
Palette
Water
Jar
Paintbrushes
Stencils
Clear resin-base paint

Instructions

- 1
  Design the custom paint job that you want for the snowboard. Use a drawing pad with utensils to sketch the design. Finalize the draft until you are satisfied with how the image looks.
- 2
  Sand the surface of the board that you are painting with fine-grit sandpaper. Expose some of the graininess, which will help the primer stick to the snowboard.
- 3
  Apply the primer with a paintbrush to coat the board. Wait for it to dry for one hour and apply a second coat.
- 4
  Squeeze the acrylic paints from the tubes onto a palette. Holding a palette while you paint the snowboard will help you accomplish the task quicker, because the colors are all accessible in your non-dominant hand. If you do not have a palette, you can squeeze the acrylic paints onto another nonporous surface, such as a piece of glass or a piece of wax paper.
- 5
  Pour 1 cup of water into a glass jar that you will use for cleaning the paintbrushes. You might also need to dip the paintbrush into the water and mix it in with the paint if the acrylic paint begins to dry, or if the paints are too thick and you want to thin them out. Because acrylic paints are water based, they will respond when water is mixed with them.
- 6
  Stand the board up and lean it against a wall. You can also paint the board flat on the ground.
- 7
  Dip the paintbrush into the acrylic paint on the palette and start painting the design onto the board, using stencils to create specific designs. You can also use other materials to create special effects in the paint, such as tire marks by painting one section of a bicycle tire and pressing the tire down on the board.
- 8
  Wait for the acrylic paint to dry, which will take approximately 15 to 30 minutes. Touch the paint with your finger to test whether it has fully dried. Add a clear resin-base paint on top of the snowboard to seal the acrylic paint and give the board an extra shine.

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