Causes of Delamination

Surfboard Delamination is the separation of the fiberglass from the foam. There are two main causes of delamination.

Glass and Foam Weight

Boards that are coated with a lighter or thinnner layer of glass are more prone to delaminate due to the compromised strength. Modern high performance surfboards are made with less material to lessen the weight, but this can also lead to less durability. Thin glass can dent and crack easily as does light (less dense) foam, thus allowing easy separation from the foam.

Repeated Motion

Repeated pounding from your feet on the same area can dent the glass and foam. The fiberglass can only stretch so far before separating from the foam. Then, excessive heat (like in a sealed car) will cause the glass to expand and bubble up. Not good.

The Remedy

To avoid delamination, try to go with a 6+ ounce glass job. Keep your board out of the heat when you are not riding it. Finally, go white and avoid excessive painting and airbrush because some integrity is lost between the foam and the glass when you place another substance between them.