Snowboard Construction

Snowboards are simple at first but can quickly become very complicated. At their simplest, they have a base that helps slide on the snow, a core that provides stability and durability, edges that grip the snow, and a topsheet that helps keep it all together. The snowboards we stock go way beyond this, with different styles and levels of each component, plus extras to make the board lighter, faster, stiffer, smoother etc. Read on to learn more about each component.

Base material

Base material is made from p-tex and generally comes in two types. Sintered or extruded.

Extruded bases are popular because they are much cheaper to make than sintered bases. They don't absorb much wax, but they are tough and require little maintenance. This is because they are created by an ‘extrusion’ process much like pushing a chunk of play-doh through a square hole. The result is a block of p-tex which can then be cut to the necessary width. Extruded bases are:

  • Cheaper
  • Tougher
  • Slower
  • Easier to maintain

Sintered bases are made up of tiny ground up balls of p-tex that are are partially melted back together. This process creates pores which absorb wax and will bond better to new p-tex for repairs, but this does also mean that the base is softer and is more susceptible to damage, and will be slower without regular waxing. There are different levels of sintered bases as well as different additives that can make the base even faster.  Sintered bases are:

  • More expensive
  • Faster
  • Requires regular waxing

The art that goes onto a base can come from three different methods:

  1. Take a clear base and put a graphic underneath.
  2. Use a sublimation printing process, a heat transfer process, which can only be done on a sintered base.
  3. Die-cut process which involves cutting multiple shapes out and placing them back together like a puzzle. Companies use this method is because the colours look way better with a die-cut base than a sublimated base.

Sintered bases are generally preferred by Intermediate-Advanced riders as they are faster, while beginner riders will generally prefer an extruded base due to the lower cost and the reduced need for maintenance.

Snowboard Cores

Wood

Snowboard cores are mostly made of wood laminated together either vertically,  horizontally, or a combination of both. Different types of wood and different positions/directions of the wood can be used to change the flex and feel of boards, along with the additions of different types of fibreglass, and additives like rubber, cork, carbon fibre, and more. Certain woods are softer, lighter, tougher, and the placement of these and the amount of each will determine how the board feels. 

Fibreglass

Most snowboards will contain a sheet of fibreglass above and beneath the wood core, which helps to reinforce the core without adding excess weight. The two major types of fibreglass in snowboards is Biaxial (softer) and Triaxial (stiffer). There are more options than just these, like carbon, basalt etc. which offer other benefits like extra stiffness, less weight, or more a environmental approach.

 

Damping

Boards will also feature damping, which acts to reduce vibrations and chatter in the board, usually experienced in bumpy snow or at high speeds. This material is generally placed along the edges, but is often found in pads under the bindings or throughout the board. Damping is quite expensive, and cheaper boards won't have damping which is why expensive boards have a more premium feel. 

Inserts

Inserts are the holes that your binding screws screw into. Most snowboards use the same type/style of inserts, however the pattern of these inserts can vary between models/brands. The most common is 4x2, which puts the inserts 2cm apart nose to tail, and 4cm apart edge to edge. All bindings that use a disc (mini or regular) are compatible with this mounting pattern. The next is 4x4, which puts the inserts 4cm apart nose to tail and edge to edge. Bindings that use a mini disc are usually not compatible with this mounting pattern. The last major mounting system is the channel, which is featured on Burton snowboards and uses only two screws under the foot instead of 4.

Sidewalls

Plastic P-tex sidewalls are the most common because of its high strength to weight ratio. 

Edges

Edges are the metal strip that runs around the base of the snowboard. This is essential as it allows your snowboard to grip the snow and turn, without this you would have very little control. The edges are usually bent into the shape of the corresponding snowboard and then glued to the base. Most snowboard companies have wrapped edges, meaning they go continuously along the edge of the snowboard, including the nose and tail. Some brands do not wrap the nose and tail as these parts do not come in contact with the snow, and edge damage is difficult to repair. 

Glue

The glue itself is all pretty universal. All snowboards need a high-end two part epoxy and resin combination that will stand up to extremely cold temperatures. 

Topsheet

The topsheet holds the graphic and acts as a layer of protection for the core. 

Once the materials are sorted, the manufacturers take the layers, glue them together, throw it in a heated press and there is your snowboard. In a real snowboard factory, the process is far from done and there will be many finishing steps and processes to make the snowboard ready to present to the public.Â