How to Remove Skateboard Grip Tape

Do you feel like your grip tape has lost its grit and traction? Maybe you’ve had your board for a long time and it isn’t feeling as grippy or you’ve tried one too many darkslides and there's barely any grip left. Either way there comes a time when new grip tape is needed for that fresh flick and extra grip.

Before you can put new grip tape on you will need to pull off the original sheet. In many cases your local skate shop will be able to help you with grip tape removal but it's always handy to know how to do it yourself.

You will need the following items to remove your grip tape:

Blow Dryer or Heat Gun
Blade (razor blade, pocket knife etc.)

Step 1:

Remove your trucks. This makes peeling up the grip tape around the hardware holes easier.

Step 2:

skate_grip_tape_heat

Use the heat gun or hair dryer and start heating up the edge on one end of the board (start with the nose or tail). The heat gun should only take a couple seconds to get hot enough so be careful and watch your fingers! The hair dryer will take a bit longer, around 30 seconds.

Step 3:

skate_grip_peel

Once warmed up, run the blade along the edge of the grip to pry it up. Then grab the grip tape with your fingers once enough of it has been peeled up.

Step 4:

Heat up the area next to where the grip is peeled up. By doing this you are making the grip tape easier to peel back. Continue to heat it for a minute or two but keep in mind that if the grip gets too hot it may rip.

Step 5:

skate_grip_tape_removal

Once it's heated, hold the board down with one hand and peel it up with the other. You can also set your board on the ground and stand on it while peeling the grip up. There isn’t really a right or wrong way to do this part so figure out what works best for you. Just be sure to pull the grip tape up slowly to avoid tearing it. If it does tear you can always reheat the torn edge and start the process over again. Some brands will peel easier than others and older grip tape is usually more difficult to remove.

Step 6:

skate_deck_no_grip

Once the sheet is removed give yourself a pat on the back. Then check to see if there are any remaining scraps of grip on your board. You can remove those with your blade. The leftover sticky residue isn’t a problem and the new grip tape will lay over it just fine. But if you don’t plan on putting new grip tape on and want to remove that residue just apply some Goo Gone or use some sandpaper to rub it off.

Now that you have successfully removed your old grip tape you may want to know how to grip a skateboard deck. And if your new grip tape gets dirty and isn’t ready for replacement check out our how to clean grip tape tutorial. For any other questions or help along the way you can always reach out to our customer service team.