How To Make Homemade Skateboards

Learning how to make homemade skateboards can be a very rewarding and fun project. Racing downhill on your own board makes the rush twice as great. It’s not as difficult as you might think to make homemade skateboards. All the parts are readily available at your local skate shop, or online. Be as unique and creative as you want. It’s your board—let it reflect your style.

To make a homemade skateboard, you will need:

• A skateboard deck
• Trucks
• Wheels
• Bearings
• Grip tape
• A wrench

1. Adhere the grip tape to the skateboard deck. Smooth out all air bubbles and make sure the grip tape is flat and smooth.
2. Push the bolts that came with the trucks through the grip tape so they protrude from the bottom of the deck. There are four bolts for each truck assembly.
3. Slide each truck over the bolts with the king pin facing the inside of the board. Place a nut on each bolt and tighten securely using a wrench.
4. Remove the nut and two washers from the axle of each truck. There will be a total of four nuts and eight washers.
5. Place one washer on one side of an axle. Slide a bearing onto the axle with the metal side of the bearing facing outwards. Slide a wheel onto the bearing, pushing firmly until the bearing is seated. Slide a second bearing onto the axle and push it firmly into the wheel.
6. Slide the next washer onto the axle above the wheel. Place the nut on the axle and tighten. Be certain not to over tighten the nut to the point where the wheel fails to spin. Repeat these steps for the remaining three wheels. Use a vice to hold the deck in place while applying the hardware.

A homemade skateboard can be a source of pride and great fun. Always use caution and wear the proper safety equipment when skating on your homemade skateboard.