Our surfboards bring us hours of enjoyment when we are in the ocean, but when they are stored at home they seem big and bulky, and not to mention, surfboards are somewhat delicate and on the expensive side.
If you are trying to keep your surfboard out of the way, but enjoy having it displayed, or perhaps you have bought a vintage board and plan on using it as an art installation, then mounting your surfboard on a wall is a great idea.
How to Hang a Surfboard on a Wall?
All you will need to mount your surfboard on a wall is a surfboard rack and a few minor tools. As long as your surfboard rack is straight, and well secured into the wall, then you should easily be able to mount your surfboard.
Below we are going to take a deeper look into how to mount your surfboard on a wall in various ways, as well as give some suggestions as to how you can make your own surfboard wall mount at home.
Table of Contents

Why Should I Hang My Surfboard on the Wall?
There are many reasons why you may want to hang your surfboards on a wall, but apart from using a surfboard as an art piece, it always comes down to keeping your surfboard safe.
As you may know, it is not a great idea to leave your surfboard standing on its tail.
Doing this can cause damage to the tail through constant pressure. Using a well-secured, good-quality surfboard wall rack, you will be able to take the pressure off of your board’s tail.
Another reason you may want to hang your surfboards on the wall is due to limited space.
If you stay in a small apartment but have multiple surfboards, you may quickly feel as though you are running out of space.
By hanging your surfboards on the wall you will be able to keep them out of the way, and free from accidental damage such as knocking your surfboard over.
If you are very tight on space then hanging your surfboard vertically will further reduce the amount of room that your board/ boards take up.
Different Ways to Hang a Surfboard on a Wall
Depending on the reason for hanging your surfboard on the way, there are a variety of options and methods you can use to mount your board.
For example, if you are simply storing your surfboards on the wall to keep them out of the way, then a multiple-board, horizontal rack may be best.
On the other hand, if you have a surfboard you plan on using as an art piece, then using bolts or a rack that cannot be seen behind your board will be best. This will be a more permanent mounting, and will therefore not be useful if you plan on using your board.
How to Hang a Surfboard Horizontally on a Wall With a Wall Rack
If you want to store your surfboards on the wall but still have access to them for daily surf sessions, then using a surfboard wall rack and mounting your boards horizontally is likely your best option (if space allows it).
What you will need to mount your surfboards horizontally on the wall:
- Horizontal surfboard wall rack.
- Drill with a masonry bit.
- Screws/ bolts & plugs.
- Pencil.
- Tape measure.
- Level.
Steps to horizontally hanging surfboards on a wall:
1. Decide on a Location
Before you even think of making marks and drilling holes into the wall, you need to decide where to hang your rack.
It’s important to ensure that there is enough space for you to place and remove your surfboards, as well as for you to have enough space around the rack to move around your house.
2. Decide on Spacing
Depending on the size of the surfboard you will be hanging, the brackets will need to be different lengths apart.
The best way to place your board on the rack is where the board begins to curve on both ends (one near the tail and one near the nose.
Hanging your board like this will ensure it is secure but also looks good.
Measure between each point of contact that your board will make, and then use your pencil to make markings on the wall.
It is important to use a laser or spirit level when making your markings to ensure your surfboard rack is straight.
If you don’t do this you may find that it doesn’t correctly support your surfboard.
3. Secure the Surfboard Rack
Place the surfboard rack on the will in the correct position and use your pencil to mark where the wall plugs need to be.
Once you have marked off where you will bolt your rack you can move on to securing it.
Using your drill, bolts, and plugs, secure the rack into the wall (possible with the help of a friend).
4. Place Your Surfboards
Once your rack is up, it is time to place your surfboard (or surfboards if you have a multi-board rack).
Some racks hold surfboards lying flat, while others hold your boards by the rails.
Furthermore, some racks are designed to hold multiple surfboards while others only display one.
Ensure that you place your surfboard in the correct manner on your wall-mounted rack to ensure it works efficiently and keeps your surfboard safe and secure.
How to Hang a Surfboard Vertically on a Wall With a Wall Rack
What you will need to mount your surfboards vertically on the wall:
- Vertical surfboard wall anchors.
- Drill with a masonry bit.
- Screws/ bolts & plugs.
- Pencil.
- Tape measure.
- Level.
Hanging your surfboard vertically will be slightly different from hanging it horizontally.
For starters, a vertical surfboard rack usually consists of two anchors (one at the top and one at the bottom of the surfboard).
Secondly, you will only be able to secure one board per rack.
1. Location and Spacing
Choose a location where you want to hang your surfboard, and ensure there is enough space (your ceiling will need to be tall enough to fit your surfboard).
This means you may not be able to hang a longboard vertically (depending on the room space).
Decide on how high you want your board from the floor, measure your surfboard, then measure the length on the wall.
Use your pencil to mark the spot so as to not lose it.
2. Secure the Wall Rack
Some vertical racks are secured only by the tail (nose down tail up) while others are secured on both ends.
Assuming you are using a single anchor, use your drill to make a hole where you made a mark, insert the plug, and screw in the rack to the wall.
3. Insert Fin Hooks
To hang your surfboard vertically from a single anchor, you will need to secure a wall hook into the fin box of your board.
This can easily be done with a fin key.
4. Hang Your Board
Once the anchor is secure and you have placed the hook on your fin box, you can move on to hanging your board.
Keep in mind that if you plan on hanging your board vertically in this fashion, you will need to remove the fins.
This style of hanging a surfboard is more for display purposes than for storing a surfboard that you constantly use.
How to Make a Surfboard Wall Mount at Home
If you are on a bit of a budget but have some spare time on your hands then making your own surfboard wall rack is an option.
There are countless designs around the internet using various techniques and materials, but the following design is simple, cheap, and can be put together with very little handyman skills.
To make your own surfboard wall rack, all you will need is some wood, screws, plugs, sponge/ Rubber/ foam, some brackets, and a few tools.
1. Measure Your Surfboard
As with all racks, it is important to know how far apart you will be placing your brackets.
Using the same idea as the steps above (placing the brackets at the curves of your surfboard) measure your surfboard for an indication of how far apart the brackets should be.
2. Secure The Brackets
Place your first bracket parallel to the floor at the height and location that you previously decided.
To do this you can make marks through the screw holes with your pencil, remove the bracket, drill the holes and place the plugs, and then replace the bracket and secure it with the screws.
Once the first bracket is secure you can measure the correct distance across to where the next bracket should be placed, and you can secure it in the same way.
Make sure to use a level to ensure that your wall rack is straight. Not doing this will make it look off, and potentially lay a risk to your surfboard.
3. Place the Wood
Once the brackets are in place you can add some wood strips to the rack/ racks (depending on how many you are building) with wood screws.
Use wood strips that are only slightly narrower than your surfboard. This will ensure that it is secure, but will not take away from the presentation.
For added security, you could use slightly wider wood strips and place a lip on the edge to ensure that your surfboard does not slip off.
4. Add Something Soft
For additional protection (which is not necessary, but highly recommended), you can use a towel, cloth, rubber, or sponge to lay over the wood so as to not damage your board.
One cheap and easy product to use for this is a pool noodle. Depending on the shape of your rack, you can cut a line down the middle of the pool noodle and slide it onto the edge of the wood on your rack.
This will prevent the hard, sharp edge of the shelf from cutting into the fiberglass of your surfboard.
This design is similar to that of making a DIY shelf at home.
If you enjoyed making your own surfboard wall mount, then you may be interested in making your own surfboard shaping stand which will make cleaning your surfboard and fixing small dings significantly easier.
Other Ways to Store a Surfboard
If hanging your surfboard on a wall isn’t an option, whether it is due to a low ceiling, walls that will not support the rack, or simply because you don’t like wall mounts, then you can opt for different storage approaches.
To safely store your surfboard you can opt for keeping your boards on loft shelves, behind a couch, in a cupboard, or simply standing in the corner of your room.
Whatever your choice, you should make sure that you always store your surfboard in a high-quality surfboard bag.
Conclusion
Whether you are storing your surfboard for the off-season, are using it as a new art installation, or simply want it out of the way, mounting your boards on a wall is a great idea.
Keeping your surfboards on a wall will keep them out of your way, and therefore help prevent any accidents.
Not only this but being able to display your prized possessions and show them to your house guests is always a bonus.
They are cheap, easy to install, and will keep your surfboards safe.
Mounting your surfboard on a wall is something everyone trying to store a surfboard should consider.
