Does acrylic paint work on skateboards?

Skateboarding is a popular hobby in our culture. So when it comes to a topic about painting on skateboards, we will love it. So now the question is, does acrylic paint work on skateboards? 

Yes, acrylic paint will work on skateboards. Skateboard’s main material is wood and glue. But nowadays, Skateboards are made with different types of artificial material, metal, plastic, etc. with the following proper steps, acrylic paint can be used. Acrylic paint is a water-based paint, that’s why it can be washed off easily. So need a glass varnish layer after finishing the painting.

In this article, I will explain how to paint on skateboards, and how acrylic paint works on the board surface. How you can paint on the grip tape and make it long-lasting. In the end, I will give you some good product recommendations and give you some tips which will make your painting life last longer.

How to protect the skateboard deck while painting?

Before painting and while painting, there have some important parts. For example clean old paint and dirt, sand the surface, prime the surface, coat, and more. 

There have less chance of damage to a skateboard, although you should follow the tips

1. When you sand the board surface, use proper sandpaper. (I will describe below)
2. Don’t apply a very hard passer when sanding, it can scar your board.
3. Always use tape on the border while painting to protect the other board side. Otherwise, the paint will ruin the grip side.

How to remove old paint and dirt from a skateboard?

This is the very first step to starting your artwork. Before painting boards, you need preparation. Because you can not paint on old paintings or dairy surfaces. And if you do it, your paint will peel off. 

For the wood surface, take 150 grit sandpaper. Use it on the board surface. Don’t push very hard, it can damage or scar the board. Which looks very unprofessional. After sanding, clean the board dirt with a brush or cloth. don’t push air, the dirt can harm your body. 

Very old dry paint on board can be a problem. Most of this type of paint can not be cleaned with sandpaper. Take a knife and rub it on the dry paint. After removing the paint, use 150 grit sandpaper and clean the surface properly.

How to paint a skateboard with acrylic paint?

You need to spend a lot of money to paint a custom design on a skateboard. A little practice can help you save a lot of money. So the guide is about how you can paint on a skateboard. 

You should follow very common and important steps to successfully complete the project. Every step is explained below.

You required some important material

1. 150 grit sandpaper
2. Gesso
3. Spry paint
4. Fluid matte medium
5. Acrylic paint
6. Varnish
7. Raisin (Optional)

Step 1. Cleaning and sanding

I already described it above in the article. Take 150 grit sandpaper and sand every inch. Clean the full deck carefully. don’t do it very hard. It can cause damage to the board. If the dirt is not cleaned properly, there have a high chance of peeling off the new painting.

Step 2. Apply gesso for the first layer

Now is gesso time. It is hard to tell how much gesso is needed for this project. But not very much. Take a bowl, then take 4 spoons of gesso and 2 spoons of water. Then mix it properly. You see, it is not too thick and clunky. It is very good for the first layer. 

Now apply it to all areas on the board surface. don’t gap anywhere on the deck. After finishing, take the board outside to dry faster.

Step 3. Sand again

After dry gesso, you will see the board surface is not smooth. So take 150 grit sandpaper and sand very softly. After finishing, clean the new dirt with a soft cloth or brush. There has a chance for lass carefulness, a little bit hard sanding some area gesso completely peel off. don’t worry, in the next step, we will cover up.

Step 4. Using spray paint

Go to the outside of the home and cover your mouth and nose with a mask. And now it’s time to use spray paint on the board deck. Spry every place on the deck. The spray also fixes your previous gesso sand mistake. 

For advance, you can use 2 or more color spray paints. It will give your deck a premium gradient look. 

Step 5. Use fluid matte medium

Apply fluid matte medium the same as gesso. Put 4 spoons of the medium on the board and with a paintbrush cover the spray-painting.

Then give it time to dry. This process helps you to prepare acrylic painting surfaces.

Step 6. Time to paint

The deck surface is now ready for your art project. You can choose any design you like for painting. Here is some good idea about painting on skateboards that I found online. 

Follow the basic tips while you paint on board.

1. Use quality acrylic paint.
2. Use a good quality paintbrush. Otherwise, the brush hair can be peeled off and damage your painting.
3. Always use a minimum of 2 coats of paint. It makes your paint more vibrant and covers up small mistakes.

Step 7. Fix Small Cracking

After the paint dries, you will see the paint crack slightly. These cracking looks very light. So you need to prepare gesso the same as before. Put 4 spoons of gesso and 2 spoons of water in a cap, then mix it properly. 

Take a paintbrush and give a light touch with the preparer’s gesso to the crack area. After this, your painting is almost ready. 

Step 8. Sealing the Acrylic Painting

After finishing the painting, it is time to seal the paint. Just take a spray varnish, and spray it on the painting. Spray every area.

After drying properly, Your skateboard is completely ready. 

For advance, you can use resin upper surface on the varnish. It gives the paint more long-lasting and looks premium. 

Will acrylic paint work on skateboard grip tape?

Before knowing about painting on grip tape, we need to know what grip tape is. Grip tape is an abrasive material that is applied on top of a skateboard. It is one Kind of sandpaper that provides grip to a rider when he’s skateboarding. With this grip, the rider never slips on the board. 

Generally, acrylic paint works on the grip tape. But when applying acrylic paint, it gives a thick layer of grip tape. This layer covers the area, and you will lose grip. And then your grip tape will be slippery. So, I personally do not recommend using acrylic paint on the grip tape.

But if you want to paint on grip tape, you can use marker pens. It does not cover your grip as well as the price is cheap. 

How to paint a skateboard grip tape?

This is a very easy project. For this project, you need only one material. That is:

1. Marker pen (Try to use multicolor)

Step 1. Brainstorm your design

This is the very primary part. Create your own design and draw it on paper or pad. I found some designs online. Check this.

Step 2. Scratch with marker

After your design is selected, create structures with a marker. If you are a beginner, You can use different types of scales to make different shapes. 

Step 3. Paint

After creating a stature, you can start painting. Choose a different color of pens. It will make your painting more attractive. 

How to remove paint pens from skateboard grip tape?

Removing paint from grip tape is a difficult task. But there have some solutions that we can try our best.

Toothbrushes

You can use this solution as a primary task. It does not affect the grip. First, take a bowl and then mix ½ Windex and ½ water. Then take a soft hairbrush and use it lightly on the affected area. 

Solvent

Solvent is also a good choice. You can use any solvent. But goof off handles this thing easily. Take a soft cloth and weep with thinner. And then apply the area. And it will work.

Paint thinner

There are a lot of thinner ones on the market. You can use anyone. I personally like GM300 Gundam Marker Remover. Take a piece of cotton swab or soft cloth, wipe with the liquid and apply the paint.  

Nail polish remover

Nail polish remover is also one option. You should choose acetone nail polish remover. Take a soft cloth, wet it with the liquid, and apply it to the area. I recommend Pronto Nail polish remover.

What is the best paint for a skateboard?

To successfully complete a skateboard paint project, you need high-quality paint. As well as you need good quality other materials like gesso, spray paint, sealer, and some common material. You can select from the following choices.

Acrylic Paint

Acrylic paint is main part in this project. There have a lot of paint in the market. I recommend use anyone from the following choices.

Gesso

Gesso is a very important part of the painting. It is generally used before painting. Gesso ready paint surface and save users a lot of paint. 

Handy Art 440-003 Gesso White

Handy Art 440-003 Gesso is used as undercoat paint. It makes the surface ready for painting. The gesso creates a thick surface and their paint sticks well. 

The product is non-toxic to the human body. The product is made in the USA. 

It does not contain dairy, soy or gluten, and tree nuts. This gesso color is white, but the color can be changed using different colors.

Spray paint

In this project, spray paint is used as the base color and premier. This paint is used on gesso. And make this project more premium.

Krylon spray paint

Krylon is a well-known brand. Krylon K05515007 Colormax spray paint has good adhesion, durability, and non-yellowing ability. It can be used with wood, metal, paper, fabric, etc surfaces. 

The paint dries very fast and saves a lot of time. This paint gives a long-lasting guarantee. 

In the market, paint is the best-selling product. So as spray paint we can use this paint.

Fluid Matte medium

In this project, the matte medium is used to prepare the surface before acrylic paint. It creates a transparent layer of spray paint.

Liquitex professional Matte Fluid Medium

The Fluid Medium increases transparency and improves the flow of color blending. It can be mixed with paint and the transparency will be colorful. It has a very good adhesive ability. 

The medium offers a very premium look. This is a recommended product for your project.

Varnish

varnish is used to seal paintings and looks more premium. For the skateboard project, I suggest using varnish for sealing.

Winsor & Newton Artists’ Aerosols Varnish

The varnish comes to seal oil and acrylic-based paint. The varnish is made with high-quality satin. 

The product provides UV protection, so the paint saves in sun heat. 

The varnish gives the paint a premium look and ensures a long-lasting life.

How to protect the painting

After painting, you should not forget to take care of skateboards painting. If you don’t look up, the painting will fade and be damaged. 

I share some ideas about protecting skateboard paint. I hope it will be helpful for you.

Use good sealer after painting

This is a very important part. Acrylic paint is water-based paint, and It is easily peeled off and washed off. So the painting needs a protective layer. A good sealer does this job. And also protects the painting from basic temperature, water, scratch, and more.

I already described good sealers and suggest checking them out.

Avoid extremely high temperatures or freezing cold

Extremely high temperatures and freezing cold are always very harmful to any type of painting. It not only damages painting, but it also damages skateboards.

So always protect from these.

Don’t throw it

It is a very common practice. If you throw the board, there is a high chance of cracking the painting. And the crack you can not fix easily. Also, throwing is a reason for damaging boards.

Keep away from dirty

Dirty is the big enemy of paint. So keep away from dirty. If you see dirt under your duck, clear as fast as possible with a soft cloth. 

Keep away from water

Although using a good sealer, you should not stay in the water. There have a very high chance of fade and damaging your painting.

Best skateboard artwork

I found a lot of skateboard artwork. I choose the best of them. You can see more artwork here.

Superhero Dog Defeat Aliens

Ghost Octopus

Colorful world

Amazing Girl

Skateboard become guitar

You also can check how to paint on guitar

Final thought

Acrylic paint is the best option for any type of craft project. You can use it on your skateboards as the best option. Make sure to seal the paint properly to make the painting long-lasting. 

Do you think this guide is helpful for you? If you think it is helpful, please share it with your friends. If you have any questions, feel free to comment below.