How to Build Your Own Longboard Deck

Cut a board to 1/2-by-9 1/2-by-42 inches if the board has not been precut. Choose a longboard style to be reflected in the curves of the board. Freehand the shape of the chosen design onto the board itself with a pencil, using a printed image if necessary. Consider using a basic shape with four curved corners and sides that curve slightly inward at the midpoint if no other designs are available.

Sand the various edges and surfaces of the longboard deck until the surface and edges of the deck are smooth to the touch. Pay particular attention to the curved edges of the longboard.

Coat the entire deck with a thin layer of polyurethane. Use smooth, even strokes with the brush, coating the deck with the strokes going in the same direction as the grain of the wood. Allow the first coat to dry for four hours. Lightly sand the surface with a fine-grit sandpaper and wipe down the sanded surfaces. Apply a second coat in the same manner and repeat for six coats of sealant to make an extremely durable riding surface.

Draw out a design for the gripping riding surface on the rear surface of a sheet of medium-grit sandpaper, using multiple pieces if desired or required due to space limitations. Glue the sandpaper to the top surface of the deck by applying strong glue to the wood surface in a light layer. Set the sandpaper pieces on the deck and press them into the wood starting at the center of each piece and working outward. Allow them to dry overnight.