WHAT IS SKATEBOARD DECK SHRINKBURN
Whether you already know what it is and how it happens or not you are bound to be the victim of it at one time or another. Trust us when that time comes it can be a gutting experience.
WHAT IS IT?
Lets start with the question on everyone's mind: WHAT IS IT?
The short answer is that it is a couple of things. The first, most common cause of Shrinkburn is actually a manufacturing defect where the graphic is not fully cured and or dried and is shrink wrapped too early. This causes the newly placed shrink wrap to press tightly against the affected area while it cools and or cures causing that area where it came in contact to become shiny, leaving other areas with a less glossy finish. Second, it can actually be a chemical reaction between the ink or paint and the wrap itself. Although, less common it still does occur.
HOW TO AVOID SHRINKBURN
The first and easiest way to avoid shrinkburn is to remove any shrink wrap when purchasing the board and closely inspecting it in good light. This option is not always feasible as most skate shops will not allow you to remove it and almost 100% of private sellers will not allow it. Also, to make matters worse we live in an electronic era and most of these transactions are done online thus thwarting all of your tools to determine if the graphic has a defect. A small glimmer of hope does exist with most shrink wrapped boards where you can still tell in person if there is shrinkburn by looking for uneven sections where the graphic seems darker or it appears there is moisture under the plastic.
Now the burning question: HOW DO YOU FIX IT ?!
First, you have to determine what class of shrinkburn you are dealing with as there are two types:
The first class is superficial, dry to the touch defects.
The second is much worse and less common. It is the DEEP and STICKY to the touch Shrinkburn. This is much less common than the first and is most likely a chemical reaction that is still ongoing.
In this section we will review the remedy for the first category as the second is a much longer topic. First on the superficial dry to the touch shrinkburn you have to choose a side, do you knock down the shiny portions to match the original sheen or do you simultaneously bring up the sheen of the original finish and bring down the shine of the burn to the same sheen across the board thus eliminating the visual defect?
Knocking down the sheen... This can be done in a variety of ways.
The first would be a very fine sandpaper of 1000 grit or higher MINIMUM.
I also have to place the disclaimer here that I do not condone these methods described here. They are not precise enough and you are doing something permanent to the surface. Human nature is likely to take over and you WILL over do it.
The next knocking down method is a Magic Eraser. As gingerly as you can rub the eraser on the shiny areas until they are the same sheen as the original graphic. Even if you get it perfect, and others think it looks great, YOU will always be able to tell.
The next and final method is EXTREMELY fine Steel Wool (0000). Very lightly rub the steel wool over the surface of the affected area not just paying attention to the shiny bits. In a super short period you will have knocked it down and the surfaces should be a fairly close match. but again, YOU will always be able to tell.
Evening out the finish to remove the shrinkburn...
I will start out with methods commonly found online when searching for answers to this problem that I suggest you DO NOT USE.
The first is WD-40. It is suggested to spray the entire board down with this product and wipe away it away leaving a perfect surface free of shrinkburn and a finish that will last forever. This is a FARSE. It is only temporary and as the petrol evaporates it will reveal the same situation that you were trying to fix in the first place. It is also not compatible with all skateboard graphic types. And forget it if the board is signed, say bye bye immediately upon the wipe if you use WD-40.
Next, is spray it with a Lacquer spray. We have learned that this is a very heavy handed approach that most people are not equipped to perform to a high level of quality PLUS you are permanently altering the surface of the deck which 99% of collectors would be turned off by. This method only works in specific conditions and with sanding between coats and polishing which again most people either do not have the patience for nor do they have the know how to actually do it. 1 star do not recommend.
This one covers a wide spectrum and that is chemical agents. This includes but is not limited to paint thinners, rubbing alcohol, petrol agents, cutting agents such as car wax, and harsh cleaners. Simply said these will ruin your board, no if's and's or but's. I promise.
The last and most successful remedy and if you couldn't have guessed the actual reason for this blog post is TwelveStair's new MIRACLE Shrinkburn Remedy. It is our product and we are proud to promote it wherever we can! To keep it short because you have already read this far it is a special blend of oils and waxes that have been put into liquid form and when placed on a surface and dried it will leave behind and extremely hard, very thin layer of waxes and oils that nourish the board, bring down the shiny burn spots and ever so slightly bringing up the sheen of the original graphic to a result that will blow you away. Easy to apply, our MIRACLE Shrinkburn Remedy is sure to give you the results you are looking for.
Check the listing out here and watch the videos of the before and after for full results. This isn't some snake oil we are promoting it is the real deal. Try it today or reach out with questions!
A few more examples of Shrinkburn: