1.

Slowly peel the griptape off the backing paper and start applying it to one side of the deck. Then gradually unroll it and press it firmly down with your hand.

Make sure no air bubbles form. If this happens, pop them and press the griptape firmly against the deck again.

2.

Using a blunt metal object, such as a screwdriver, run it along the outer edge of the board at a 45-degree angle over the grip tape.

This will leave a white line on the grip tape, which will serve as your cutting line.

3.

Now take a sharp utility knife and cut off the excess grip tape as close to the deck as possible at a 45-degree angle.

Try to cut along the innermost line of the white mark so that the grip tape doesn’t stick out beyond the deck.

4.

Finally, you can use a scrap of grip tape to go along the outer edge and sand it down a bit.

5.

Applying griptape isn't hard, but it does take a little practice. Everyone develops their own unique techniques and tricks along the way—just give it a try!