How to Wax Your Skis at Home

How Often Should I Wax My Skis?

How often you wax your skis comes down to personal preference, but a good rule of thumb is every 3 to 6 ski days. Your waxing schedule can also vary based on how often you ski, the snow conditions, and the type of wax you're using.

At a minimum, it’s a smart move to wax your skis at the start of the season for a fresh base, and again at the end to clean and protect them before storage.

If you ski frequently or in wet, variable conditions, you will likely need to wax more often. Ski racers tend to wax their skis frequently for top-tier performance, but for most recreational skiers, waxing every few days is just fine.

Hot iron waxes last longer than rub-on and quick waxes because hot waxes are able to penetrate and be absorbed into the base. Also, if you use a temperature-specific wax and plan skiing in a different temperature range, you’ll want to wax your skis to match the temperature you’ll be in for the best performance.

How Do I Know If My Skis Need to Be Waxed?

The good news is you can’t really wax your skis too often. But if you’re unsure if it’s time to wax your skis, here are some things to look for:

• It’s been a while: If you don’t really remember your last wax, it’s probably time.
• Sluggish performance: If your skis feel slow or sticky, your bases are likely dry.
• Visual cues: If the base starts to look cloudy or looks like it has small scratches on the base, that’s a clear sign they need waxing.

Regular waxing helps your skis glide better and last longer by protecting the base from wear.

What Type of Wax Do I Need?

There are three main types of ski wax:

What Waxing Tools Do I Need?

Before you dive into waxing your skis at home, it helps to have the right tools. Here’s what you’ll need, and a few tips if you're just getting started.

Step-by-Step Guide to Waxing Your Skis

Supply List:

• Tuning vise
• Brake retainers or rubber bands
• Rubbing alcohol or base cleaner
• Microfiber cloth
• Ski wax
• Waxing iron
• Plastic scraper
• Waxing brushes

Step 1: Clean The Ski Base

Before diving into waxing your skis, it’s important to give your ski bases a little love by giving your skis a fresh canvas to work with. Cleaning off all the dirt, debris, and old wax helps your skis ride smoother and faster. Regular cleaning also protects your bases from grime, such as road salt or snow chemicals. Plus, a clean base soaks up wax better.

• Prep your workspace: Choose a well-ventilated area, like a garage or basement, that’s okay to get a little messy, and set up a place to lay your skis with a nearby outlet for your waxing iron.
• Secure your skis: Use brake retainers or some strong rubber bands to hold your ski’s brake arms back. Push the brake pedal down (where your heel would go) to lift the arms of the brake, then hook the brake retainers around one brake arm, stretch over the heel piece, and hook onto the other brake. Secure your skis base side up in the vise.
• Light Base Cleaning: If your ski base looks pretty clean, use a little rubbing alcohol on a clean rag to wipe away any dust or debris. You can also make a few passes with the wire brush over the base to remove any lingering dirt.
• Heavy Base Cleaning: If your skis are really dirty—it’s been a while since you’ve last waxed your skis, or after some spring slush skiing—use a base cleaner. Follow the instructions of your base cleaner, and avoid using it too often, as it can dry out your base.
• Dry Thoroughly: Finish with a quick wipe using a clean, dry cloth and let your skis dry out for about 20 minutes.

Step 2: Apply Wax

Now we get to the fun part. As you know, waxing your skis is an important part of base maintenance and should be performed regularly throughout the season. Waxing your skis regularly will increase glide performance and protect your bases, ultimately prolonging the life of your skis.

• Heat up your iron: Let your iron heat up and check the wax for the recommended iron temperature. For the most part, a softer, warm temp wax requires a lower iron temp, and for harder, cold temp wax requires a higher iron temperature.

• Drip wax: With the hot iron upright, hold the wax against the base of the iron a few inches above the ski to let it drip onto the base. You don’t need to cover the entire ski, and you can always add more wax.

• Spread the wax: Move the iron continuously from tip to tail to spread the wax evenly. Keep the iron moving at all times to prevent damage to the base from overheating. Add more wax as needed and aim for a thin, even layer.

• Cool down: Let the wax cool at room temperature for about 30 minutes so it can be absorbed into the base.

Step 3: Scraping and Brushing

A proper wax should leave a very thin layer of wax on the base. Scraping removes excess wax, and brushing helps expose the structure of the base for better glide and speed by creating channels for water to flow under the skis.

• Scrape off wax: Use a sharp plastic scraper to remove excess wax, working tip to tail. Continue scraping until there’s no more wax shavings coming off. Don’t forget the ski edges—excess wax there can affect edge hold.
• Brush the base: Start with a coarse brush (like a bronze or stiff nylon brush) and follow up with a softer brush to polish. Use short, even strokes (about 6 inches), always moving tip to tail. About 15 to 20 passes along each ski should do the trick. Finish with a few full-length strokes until the base has a consistent, glossy look.
• Now you're ready to go!

Tips and Tricks

• Work in a well-ventilated space.
• Always work from tip to tail. It matches the direction your ski travels and helps keep the base smooth and fast.
• Use the correct iron temp for your wax—hot enough to melt, but not smoking.
• Inspect your ski base and edges periodically throughout the season for any repairs or maintenance you need. Catching dings or wear early makes tuning easier.
• If you find a deep gouge in your base that's down to the core, you'll want to fix that before waxing by applying some ptex to fill it or taking it to a local shop for repair. A proper repair will keep water out of your core, which can cause major damage down the road if not addressed. 
• Before storing your skis for summer, give them a fresh coat of wax. Many skiers skip the scraping and brushing part, leaving the wax as a protective layer to help your base from drying out in the off-season.