How to store a snowboard

The first step in storing a snowboard is getting it clean and completely dry. Burton’s advice is simple: wipe the board and bindings with warm water and a little mild cleaner like dish soap, then go over everything again with a dry rag. Removing the bindings first makes it easier to reach everything.

• Wipe the topsheet, base, sidewalls and edges.
• If the base is grimy after spring riding, give it a deeper clean. PSIA-AASI suggests a hot scrape to pull spring dirt out of the base; that and other methods are in our board-cleaning guide.
• Dry everything with a towel, then let the board air-dry at room temperature, away from direct heat.

Burton’s base-maintenance guide warns that a wet board left in a bag or damp place for a long time will develop rusty edges, so take your time with this step.

The end of the season is a good time to fix things, because the board will not be needed for a while. Look for:

• orange spots on the edges, which you can deal with using our edge rust removal steps, and burrs, covered in deburring and sharpening;
• gouges or core shots in the base; see repairing base damage;
• chips, cracks or separating layers on the topsheet; see topsheet and sidewall fixes.

If the board needs a full service, the off-season is often a quieter time to book one with a shop. A pre-storage tune fits naturally into your yearly board-care routine.

Many riders take the bindings off for storage. Burton says this makes cleaning easier, gives you a chance to inspect for damage and relieves tension on the mounting screws. PSIA-AASI adds that removing them helps reduce protrusions forming on the base from screw pressure over the off-season. Burton also suggests marking your binding settings with a pen so you remember them, and taping loose screws to the binding so they do not get lost.

• Take a photo of your stance setup before removing anything.
• Keep screws and small parts together, taped to the binding or in a labeled bag.
• When you remount, follow your binding manual. See setting your bindings back up.

The rest of your snowboard gear needs its own care before it goes away. Dry boots and liners fully (see drying and cleaning boots) and wash outerwear following its care label (see washing jackets and pants).

Burton recommends keeping boards out of direct sunlight in a cool, dry place, and warns against attics hotter than 85°F (30°C), damp basements and spots with long direct sun exposure (checked 23 September 2026). Other tips:

• Use a board bag once the board is fully dry. Burton says a bag adds padding, keeps everything together and keeps dust and insects off.
• Keep it off the ground and avoid resting heavy things on it. PSIA-AASI suggests storing boards in a way that does not put extreme weight on the middle, which could affect the camber.
• Avoid cars, sheds and garages that get very hot, cold or damp, if you have a better option.
• Store it flat, upright or on a rack, whichever keeps it stable and out of the way. To display it, see mounting a board on your wall.

Storing a snowboard in the garage

A garage is fine if it stays reasonably cool and dry. Burton’s warnings about heat, damp and direct sun apply here too, so avoid a garage that bakes in summer or gets condensation. If the garage is your only option:

• make sure the board is fully dry and waxed, including the edges, before it goes in;
• keep it in a bag and off the concrete floor, on a rack, shelf or wall mount, away from cars, tools and anything that could fall on it;
• keep it away from windows, heaters and chemicals such as fuel, solvents or fertilizer;
• check it once or twice over the summer for rust or damp.

Between trips during the season, the rules are simpler: dry the board fully at room temperature first, then keep it somewhere dry and out of the way. If you store it somewhere shared, see locking up your board.

1. Inspect the board for any damage that appeared in storage. Rust spots that crept in over summer can be cleared with the edge rust steps before you wax.
2. Remove the storage wax. Scrape it off with a plastic scraper from nose to tail, clear the edges with the scraper’s corner, then brush the base, as you would after a normal wax. Many riders then add a fresh wax suited to early-season snow.
3. Remount the bindings using your notes and the binding manual, and check the hardware is secure.
4. Check your other gear before your first trip.