CONSTRUCTION AND DESIGN
In general, the deck as we know it today consists of seven plies of maple wood - usually Canadian -, which are glued and pressed together. The several layers make the deck very sturdy and at the same time flexible. A skateboard deck can be partitioned into three parts: the curved part in the front is called the nose, the one in the back is called the tail. The difference between nose and tail is, in most cases, only minimal. The nose is slightly longer than the tail. The middle part in between the nose and tail is called the wheelbase. This is where the trucks are attached to the board.
The bottom ply of a deck is where things get a little more creative. The board graphic not only provides you with information on the manufacturer and the series, but it often depicts funny situations or covers important topics and manages to put a smile on your face in the process.
Size and concave
As a general rule, commercial decks are measured in inches instead of in centimeters (1 inch = 2.54 cm). They are somewhere between 28'' and 33'' long and between 7'' and 10'' wide. In any case: size matters! Nowadays, 8'' decks are the ones which are passed over the counters of skate shops the most. Narrower decks are easier to flip, but, they also need smaller trucks, which, in comparison to wide boards with wide trucks, can result in less stability. When you purchase a deck, simply make sure that you and your feet arecomfortable on it.
Concave - the degree of the inward curve - is available in various versions. A high concave means that the sides of the wheelbase point upwards in a higher angle, which allows you to flip the board more easily. The most common version of concave - the medium concave - has a rather mellow inward curve, and the low concave has an almost flat wheelbase, which leads to more stability, but less maneuverability.
Wear
Since a deck is made out of pressed wood, it has a certain wear limit. For the pros, a broken deck can be a daily occurrence, due to the extreme stress on the board or due to false positioning of the feet. Usually though, a deck can withstand weeks if not months of skating. You should protect the deck from water/rain - after all, it is made out of wood.
Old school and shaped decks
For nostalgia addicts as well as more and more skateboarders in general, old school shapes (middle picture) are a real alternative - even 40 years later. Anyone who can't decide between old school and new school shapes is well-advised to check out the numerous shaped decks (right picture). These types of decks usually have a concave just like the current classically-shaped decks (left picture), and have a pointed nose and a round tail like old school boards. Try them out and see what you prefer.
Constructions
To produce a 7 ply maple deck, thin layers of veneer are dried, glued with special adhesives, moulded in presses and finally cut to size and finely sanded.
In addition to the traditional maple construction, various technical constructions can increase the performance and durability of the deck.
TITUS T-Fiber Light
The TITUS T-Fiber Light construction is based on seven epoxy-glued layers of Canadian maple wood. A wide strip has been milled out lengthways in the top sheet, creating space for the centrepiece of the construction - the carbon strip! This leads to a significantly higher rigidity and stability of the deck. Convince yourself of the strongest pop and lightest T-Fiber design ever developed by TITUS. The advanced carbon strip technology reduces the weight by a further 10% compared to the original T-Fiber construction.
TITUS T-Fiber
TITUS T-Fiber is a high-quality fibreglass layer which is bonded to the top surface layer with epoxy adhesive and electrostatically charged for additional adhesion. This prevents breakages in the nose and tail in particular. In addition, the tensile strength of the fibreglass fabric ensures a longer-lasting pop.
Santa Cruz Everslick
Back in the late eighties, Santa Cruz launched their Everslick® decks, skateboards that slid better than any other decks thanks to their plastic coating on the underside. 30 years later, their latest slick boards are on the market and they are 5 times stronger than a normal 7-ply deck. The unique graphic application process ensures vibrant colours and high contrast graphics that look good for longer.
T-Fiber 5lim
The TITUS T-Fibre 5lim deck - maximum stability and long-lasting pop thanks to a new construction. Based on 5 layers of Canadian Maple plus 2 thin layers of carbon, incorporated as top and 5th ply, the deck has a super resistance to breakage. The outstanding pop remains consistent until the last ollie.
Fibertech
A glass fibre layer is applied to the top of the 7 layers of maple wood, which provides more tension and rigidity to the deck.
Thanks to the additional reinforcement on top, Fibertech decks have increased resistance to the forces acting on them and therefore an increased service life. In addition, the board retains its excellent pop even longer than conventional decks made from 7 layers of maple wood.
Flight Deck
As thin as a mobile phone, virtually unbreakable and consistent pop even with heavy wear and tear - that's Powell Peralta Flight Decks. The epoxy resin-impregnated, fibre-reinforced structure of the Flight Deck is extremely break-resistant, and this structure gives it an ‘eternal pop’ that does not diminish as the deck slowly wears down. This results in higher ollies due to more rebound and snap. Team tests have shown that Flight decks last many times longer than 7-ply skateboards, making them great value for money and giving them superior performance.
Resin-7 Epoxid (R7)
With a Resin-7 deck, the layers of wood are glued together with epoxy resin, which gives the deck significantly greater rigidity. The result is a lighter and more stable board compared to a deck that has been pressed with water-based glue according to industrial standards. R7 decks have 7 layers of epoxy-glued wood.