Touching up paint
We get regular requests on what colour code to use for a certain NSP board, which is why we listed several years of Pantone reference charts at the bottom of this page. Simply zoom in on your board and note the required codes for your shopping list. And don’t forget – masking tape is your friend!
Repairing or touching up a white NSP product
If you are repairing an NSP product requiring a white touch-up, chances are you already checked the NSP Pantone Colour Charts and didn’t see white colour code references.
The reason is that we use PU-based paint for anything white, unlike the rest of our colours which are regular Pantones. The PU-based paint integrates better with our build process than the regular acrylic paint available in a can at the hardware store.
The difference is nominal though, and since PU-based is a product that is hard to come by, we recommend performing your repairs with regular acrylic paint; semi-gloss or matt. Using wet sandpaper (600 grit) will help you to achieve the desired finish.
What’s more, depending on the age of your product, its exposure to UV and other factors, the degree of white can be affected.
So when you are shopping for colours in preparation for your surfboard repair, don’t use the Pantone Colour Charts when you need to repair a white section as well. Carefully check the degree of white, get the acrylic rattle can, and fine-tune your results with sandpaper.
Which paint to use
As mentioned earlier, the colours NSP uses are PU-based paints, which are hard to come by on a small scale. The difference with acrylic paints is neglectable and we recommend getting a rattle can or two from your hardware store. Choose semi-gloss or matte, depending on the look of your board, and for matte designs, we recommend finalizing your repair job with wet, 600 grit sandpaper to achieve the best possible finish.
Prepping is everything
The harder the paint, the longer it will last. The longer it lasts, the more expensive it is – as mentioned earlier, we recommend using acrylic water-based paint and finding the right colour code for a match from the annual Pantone colour charts below.
And remember, sprayed-on paint will always look better than the brushed-on, so cans are preferred.
Filling a crack
If you are dealing with a crack or other type of damage that needs a repair before applying paint, just check out Jonesy’s manual.
Simple touch-up
Let’s say you want to touch up a scratch on your board. In order for the scratch to be invisible after the touch-up, make sure you sand it down with 120 grit sandpaper. Sand the area again with 120, then 220, and then clean it. It is essential that you clean every bit of surfboard wax, grease and anything else off the board, or your repair will start peeling after just a few surfs.
Once clean, you really shouldn’t touch the area anymore with bare hands as you will compromise the end result. Tape off the board within 3 feet of the repair area, and apply a light tack-coat. Wait 40 seconds, then add a wet coat, and wait 2 minutes.
Repeat this process with another wet coat until the area is fully covered, which will probably take about four or 5 coats, depending on your technique and paint.
Remove masking tape after an hour
Let the end result dry overnight, feather out the end result with 400 grit wet-and-dry, follow up with 600 and then 1200. Polish for a result where you can’t make out the repair anymore.
Matte finish? No problem
Several NSP designs feature a matte finish. This look is best achieved by applying the normal colours, and using wet sandpaper (600 grit) will help you to “break” the gloss and achieve an even finish.
Have fun, and if you have some before/after pictures – please do submit them through our Facebook page or hit us up on IG with a tag (@nspsurfnsup). We’d love to see your result!
Surfboards, SUP boards and Foil boards
We list several Pantone Colour Charts going back several years below, starting with our surfboards, followed by SUP boards and finally our Foil boards. Simply keep scrolling to the boards and year you require and click the document to get the full .PDF with all necessary colors:
Surfboards
Pantone colours 2024
Pantone colours 2023
Pantone colours 2022
Pantone colours 2021
Pantone colours 2020
SUP Boards
Pantone colours 2024
Pantone colours 2023
Pantone colours 2022
Pantone colours 2021
Pantone colours 2020
FOIL Boards
Pantone colours 2024
Pantone colours 2023
Pantone colours 2022
Pantone colours 2021
Pantone colours 2020
Surfboards
Pantone colours 2019
Pantone colours 2018
Pantone colours 2017
SUP Boards
Pantone colours 2019
Pantone colours 2018
Pantone colours 2017