Making boards out of balsa is an entirely different beast from using clark foam. Below we have chronicled the steps in building one such board. The pictures start with a completed balsa blank so the assembly and choice of the balsa is not included. For regular boards you' ll find information and photos about making surfboards elsewhere. Also a list of current new and used boards is available.

The blank. No nose and no tail.   The Blank

The nose and tail are glued to the blank   The Blank

The shaping of the blank aint easy   The Blank

The blank has hard and soft spots just to make it interesting   The Blank

The blank is now shaped and ready for glass   The Blank

Pour on the resin, brush it on evenly, and let it flow   The Blank

The board is ready to polish   The Blank

and polish...   The Blank

and polish...   The Blank


The shaping process takes almost 10 times the time required for a regular foam board. The glassing can also be tricky due to the woods variable oil content and porosity. People get between 5 and 10 times the price for a balsa board as they do for a regular one, if you can even find one. It is no surprize. The blank alone can cost twice what a normal finished board costs!


 Surf Gang The Surfgangchills in Mexico

[Superior Surfboards]