A skateboarder can't skate without a skateboard deck. This piece of wood is specially shaped so that the skater can remain in complete control over the tricks that he or she does. But how are these decks made? Well, it begins with the wood.
A skateboard deck comes from a maple tree. Maple trees are chopped down and then processed in a processing plant. Many rectangular pieces of veneer are created from the maple tree. These pieces of veneer will be layered to make the skateboard deck.
Once the wood has been sent to the manufacturer,
the pieces are checked for quality. If a piece is too imperfect to create a quality deck will be thrown away or recycled. The strips of veneer are then arranged into different types, one with the grain going along the length of the rectangle, and the other with the grain going against the veneer.
The strips of wood are then sent through a machine that applies glue to the pieces of veneer. This glue is just your basic, water-based wood glue. It bonds quite well after being removed from the press, and ensures that your new skate deck doesn't fall apart.
With glue on the veneer, the strips are stacked to create the beginning of a skateboard deck. Almost all skateboard decks are seven ply skateboard decks. This just means that 7 strips of veneer have been layered to create it.
Next, the strips of veneer are layered to give the maximum amount of strength to the deck, with the first piece being a chunk of veneer where the grain goes vertically along the deck, and the next strip being one where the grain runs horizontally.
Once the veneer is stacked correctly, it is ready to go into the skateboard press. Depending on what type of deck is being manufactured, the wood will be pressed in different machines. An old school shape and a new school shape have to be pressed in different machines, because the tails and noses are very different.
The skateboard press turns the regular looking strips of wood into something with a bit more shape. Once they're pressed, the skateboard decks are set out to dry for twenty-four hours or longer. If the skateboards weren't left to cure before processing, they would probably warp and be unskateable.
After they have cured, the decks are processed. Many skateboard manufacturers shape a deck using a device that uses a finished board as a guide for cutting the extra wood from a skateboard deck.
After the skateboard has been cut from the pressed veneer, the holes are drilled for the trucks. A device much like the one above is used for this. By using one deck as a template, skateboard makers can build many skateboard decks that are nearly identical in shape and size.
Once the deck has been shaped, the sharp rails are sanded by a skilled worker. Most skateboard manufacturers own a sanding drum that the workers use to sand down the sharp edge on the deck. This makes the deck look cleaner, and also helps prevent injuries to skaters and other things by removing the sharp corners of the deck. Rounding the edges also helps prevent the skateboard from peeling apart if it collides with a wall or similar.
The skateboard is not complete without a picture on the bottom. Skateboard manufacturers screen print skateboard graphics onto a thin strip of plastic, and then transfer the image to the deck using heat. The excess plastic is peeled away to showcase the graphic on the base of the deck.
After the graphic has been applied, the skate deck is covered with a varnish that will help to preserve the skate deck and also the graphic. This lacquer also gives a pretty sheen to the board, and helps bring out the color of the wood. The deck is then placed in a box and sent out to one of the many skateshops around the world, for a lucky skater to purchase and enjoy.
