If you recently purchased a paddleboard, it’s likely you might need to add a permit sticker that allows you to use it in certain waters. To personalize your board, you might be thinking to add some decorative stickers to make it your own. So, can you put stickers on a Paddleboard? Luckily, both are okay for your paddleboard.
Stickers can be put on paddleboards without damaging the board, however, it can be hard for them to stick. The best stickers to use are waterproof vinyl stickers or decals. Waiting 24 hours before taking the board into the water ensures the stickers will stay on the paddleboard.
You can really add any sticker to your board, but you must do some research if you want it to stay put while you’re in the water. Here you can find the help you need to figure out how to spruce up your board via stickers.
Waterproof Vinyl Stickers
Vinyl stickers are more durable than regular paper stickers. The best option for stickers to put on your paddleboard is to look for a vinyl sticker that’s also waterproof.
When picking out your stickers, go for the ones that are laminated. This is the most popular thing to coat a waterproof sticker with because it protects the sticker from water and the sun. It also lasts a long time, ranging on average from three to five years.
You want your stickers to look the best for as long as they can, so the durability from these helps avoid tarnish. Getting one of these is going to be one of the best options for your paddleboard. (Source)
Do not forget to clean the surface of your paddleboard before applying the stickers, and give them enough time to latch on before going into the water.
Decals Stickers
Decals are basically stickers meant for outdoor purposes. Their outdoor use makes them very durable, and they are also often added to laptops and water bottles. A decal is made with paper on the back, the decal itself, and then the paper on the front, which makes it transferrable from one surface to another. You peel the paper on the back off, place the decal where you would like it, rub it hard so that it transfers surfaces, and then remove the paper from the front. (Source)
Usually, decals go through an eco-solvent printing process to be made. They’re usually printed on vinyl, which is a durable material, or sometimes even UV overlaminate.
The cool part about decals is you can easily customize your designs and what you want for your paddleboard. There are places for you to go to request a print of whatever you want.
Be cautious not to put a decal on your board when it’s too hot or too cold, because this will cause the quality to degrade.
How to get customized decals at sign shops
People actually have suggested going to a sign shop that does car wraps to get printed the best decals for your board. Ask for 3M Controltac with lamination, and then they can print it and cut it to shape on the plotter. You can also get vinyl cut to your design at basically any sign shop, which might save you some money or could be more convenient. (Source)
Where can I get cool designs?
But what about the designs for the decals? There are basically two options:
- You do the designs you wanted to have print yourself by e.g. using photoshop or another design tool.
- You find designs which you not only can download, but which then also allow you to reproduce the designs as often as you want. Do not just download and use any design, always check the licences.
As you maybe know by now, we love to do cool designs ourselves. So here is the good news: we found a way that you easily can download most of them. And of course: you can use them for non-commercial purposes as often as you want!
Remark: All the designs are .png files, which mean that they can be used to print out on all sizes. Furthermore they do have a transparent background. Click here for more details.
Inflatable Paddleboards
This can get tricky when adding stickers to an inflatable SUP (stand-up paddleboard), but it’s very possible. There are mainly two options when it comes to this, either slapping the sticker straight on or attaching a license/badge holder.
Applying the stickers straight to the SUP
First, inflate your paddleboard to at least five PSI. Choose an area of your board that doesn’t have a lot of rolling or folding. Be certain to clean it and remove any dirt or texture around the area you are placing your sticker, this way it has the best chance of staying. Simply add the sticker and let it sit for 24 hours before you take it into the water.
It’s optional to add any adhesive before the sticker as well. If you would like, add a thin layer of an adhesive like aquaseal with MEK, and wipe off any leftovers after you put the sticker on. Make sure that the adhesive you choose will not damage your board if doing this step. (Source)
Adding a permit sticker with a badge holder
Since many bodies of water require permits or licenses to use a paddleboard, often there is a sticker to display this. It’s sometimes hard to replace a permit/license sticker like this, so paddleboarders suggest using a clear license or badge holder and attaching this to the paddleboard. This way you can take it off and put it back on each use. (Source)
You can purchase clear vinyl ID badge holders at any office supply store, and get one with an alligator clip. As long as it’s sturdy plastic and is sealed on all sides, you don’t have to worry about your sticker going anywhere. (Source)
Apply Stickers 24 Hours Before Submerging in Water Just as You Would with Surfboards
Applying stickers to a paddleboard is very similar to applying them to surfboards. Both surfboards and SUPs are long and often have similar shapes. Aside from this, they are built with similar materials. At the end of the day, they have to float so the construction process has compatible steps and supplies. Most paddleboards are made with fiberglass, which is also very common in surfboards, specifically longboards. (Source)
Because of these similarities, It’s safe to say that adding stickers to an un-waxed surfboard can be the same as adding stickers to a paddleboard.
Why wait 24 hours when you put stickers on a Paddleboard?
What’s really crucial when you stick your stickers on is waiting 24 hours before taking it into water. This can be hard if you are always in the water and eager to ride your newly decked-out board, but fight all urges to paddleboard. Your stickers or decal need time to adhere and affix in their place.
If you don’t give the board this time to adjust, the stickers could slip right off once you hit the water. Naturally, stickers already lose grip over time the more they’re being rubbed or washed by water, but immediately paddleboarding will speed that process up a lot.
After you’ve waited 24 hours, you can freely take your SUP to the water and enjoy your new decor.
Where to find cool Paddleboard Stickers
You can find some great designs on sites like amazon, redbubble or spreadshirt. They all provide good quality vinyl stickers from indipendent designers as well as from the large brands.
However, we would be honored if you would support our page and the work we do and visit our own designshop. There you can get all of our designs on waterproof stickers as well as on other products.
More Information and Tips about Paddleboarding
Here on Coolwatersports.com we try to connect, help and share our experiences about watersports with you. No matter if you need helpful information about the correct Paddling Technique, helpful SUP Accessories or about the different types of Paddleboards – we’ve got you covered! And of course there is much more to discover!
