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Mounting and Installation Guide

by Samuel Wayne in Legacy Articles

This is a quick guide to help you understand how to mount your StoreYourBoard product. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at info@storeyourboard.com. Thanks for your purchase!

Wall Mounting

The majority of StoreYourBoard products are designed to be wall mounted. When wall mounting, there are a variety of factors to consider such as the mounting surface, installation hardware, and the expected load bearing weight.

Stud Installation

When possible, you should always mount your rack by screwing into your wall’s studs. Studs are the vertical wood supports inside of your walls that provide structural support for your home and a place to hang your drywall. Finding studs inside of your wall can sometimes be a tricky proposition, but luckily there are a few tools and techniques to help you out.

The easiest way to find a stud is to use a stud finder tool. These are handheld electronic devices that make finding studs very easy. If you don’t have a stud finder, then you can still find studs but it’s a bit harder. One of the most helpful tips is that studs are typically spaced 16” apart on center. This means if you can find one stud, then chances are good that there is another stud 16” to the left and right of it. One technique of locating studs without a stud finder is to look for clues in the trim. Trim is supposed to be nailed into studs, so if you can find evidence of nails (i.e. painted over nail heads or small holes) then chances are you’ve found a stud. Another way to locate a stud is looking for electrical switches or outlets. Light switches and outlet boxes are typically screwed into the side of a stud, so this should help you pinpoint where your studs are.

Drywall Installation

Drywall installation should only be done if there is absolutely no way to mount into your wall’s studs. Also, drywall installation should never be used to hold anything greater than 10lbs! Drywall is simply plaster plus paper, so it is not designed to take structural loads. If you must install into drywall, then you should use some sort of drywall anchor and not solely wood screws.

Drywall anchors are little devices that help make screwing into your drywall safer. Drywall anchors come in a variety of shapes and sizes, but their purpose is the same. They are designed to help distribute the load on your drywall making the screws less likely to be pulled out. StoreYourBoard provides the threaded “EZ-anchor” style drywall with select products. This anchor is easy to use because it can simply be screwed into drywall with no special tools.

Brick, Plaster, and Other Material

If you’re looking to wall mount your StoreYourBoard product into something other than a traditional interior wall, then you’ll need to do things a little differently. Unlike most interior home walls, brick and plaster don’t have convenient wooden studs to screw into. The recommended way to mount into brick and plaster is using dedicated anchors like you would for drywalls. Go to your local hardware store and you should find specialized anchors (i.e. masonry anchors) for your specific wall material. In most cases, you’ll want to drill into the mortar because it is less brittle and easier to repair than brick or concrete.

Ceiling Mounting

Ceiling mounting your StoreYourBoard product is very similar to wall mounting in that you must consider the mounting surface material, installation hardware, and expected load weight to properly install your product.

Beam Installation

Many people know their walls have studs, but not everyone knows that there are also beams or “studs” that are in the ceiling. These serve the same purpose as wall studs in that they provide structural integrity to your home and provide a way to hang drywall. If you plan to ceiling mount your product, then you MUST screw into a ceiling beam. Unlike wall mounting where you have the option of using drywall anchors, you cannot use drywall anchors for ceiling mounting. If your ceiling is unfinished (like in some garages), then locating the ceiling beams is trivial. If your ceiling is finished with drywall, then you can locate a beam in the same way that you locate a drywall stud.

Brick, Plaster, and Other Material

Similar to ceiling mounting in these materials, you’ll need to install using specialized anchors. For instance, if you’re mounting into brick then you’ll need masonry anchors to ensure a proper installation. In most cases, you’ll want to drill into the mortar because it is less brittle and easier to repair than brick or concrete.

Rack Spacing

There are 2 main things that should be considered when determining your rack arm spacing: number of boards stored and wall stud location. If your rack is designed to hold only one board, then determining how to space your rack’s arms is pretty straightforward. If your rack is designed to hold multiple boards, then you will need to accommodate all of the different length boards you plan to store.

Single Board

For mounting a single board, we recommend using the rule of 3rds or 4ths. What this refers to is where the rack should support your board relative to the length of your board. For example, if your surfboard is 9ft long and you used the rule of 3rds, then you would want the rack arms to land 3ft in on each side of your board. As another example, if your board was 6ft long and you used the rule of 4ths, then you would have the rack arms land 1.5ft in on both sides of your board.

Multiple Boards

If you have a rack designed to hold multiple boards, then you’ll need to do a little more planning than a single-board rack. The key thing to remember on a multi-board rack is that you need to space the rack arms narrow enough to accommodate your shortest board. For instance, if you have shortboard and longboard surfboards, then you’ll need to make sure that the rack arms are close enough to fit your shortboard.

Another thing to consider when spacing your rack arms is where your board’s bindings/fins/boot etc are going to land. Depending on how you store your board and what type of board you have, you’ll want to make sure these features don’t align with the rack arm. Of course, one easy solution is just to slide the board over a little, but this will offset the symmetry and it won’t look as cool!

The last thing to consider is that mounting into a stud or other substantial surface is mandatory due to the increased weight of a multi-board rack. This ads a little to the challenge because you’ll need to find a set of studs close enough to fit your shortest board, but not so close that it makes your longest board unstable.

Ceiling Racks

Mounting into your ceiling is really no different than mounting into your wall when considering the rack arm separation distance. For instance, you’ll still want to consider where ceiling beams are, the length of your board, and whether or not your rack holds multiple boards.

The one difference we propose is using the rule of 3rds instead the rule of 4ths. This will provide a little more “safety factor” that will ensure little bumps into your board don’t turn into catastrophic damage!

Have questions? Please feel free to contact us at info@storeyourboard.com. Please use this guide to help with your installation but understand that StoreYourBoard (SpireLLC) is NOT responsible for improper installation or damage.

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Because of the different roof racks, each will be attached differently, but it’s important that no matter what rack you have, you take care in installing it properly. For rack pads, velcro them on your roof rack bars tightly. For straps, clamp them down tightly and check them for any worn or weak spots. For more specialty paddleboard racks, follow the instructions and make sure they fit properly with your car. After you’ve installed the rack, do a quick post-inspection so you really know that everything is snug and secure. You don’t want to lose a paddleboard because you were in a rush and forgot to attach a part of your rack. For cars with roof rack bars, the standard setup is roof rack pads that fasten to your bars and act as a cushion between the bars and your paddleboard, and a strap system to secure your paddleboard to the rack pads. The pads fit around the roof rack bars and secure typically with velcro. Secure the two pads, one on the front rack bar and one on the back rack bar, and make sure that they’re straight, so when you set your paddleboard on them, it won’t be rubbing up against the roof rack bars at all. For cars without roof rack bars, the focus while using the one piece rack system is on securing it to your car. Set the pads out in the general area on your roof where they need to end up, One towards the front, and one towards the back. Straps will be protruding on each side of the pads. Run the straps underneath your car’s roof so that they meet in the middle, than clamp the front 2 straps together and the back 2 straps together. You’re free to clamp the straps as tightly as possibly because they secure against your metal car (different when strapping down your paddleboard). Double check that your paddleboard is resting fully on the pads and is straight (parallel with your car). If you have a small car, there are other things to consider. Paddleboards come in different sizes, but they’re all pretty big, and if you have a small car, the straps on your roof rack setup may not be wide enough apart to adequately secure your paddleboard. For example, if you’re trying to strap a rack to a car without roof rack bars, it secures underneath the roof via the inside of the car. Generally, the front strap runs through the open space created by the front door and the back strap runs through the open space created by the back door. If you have a coupe, you only have a front door. So both your front and back straps will have to be secured via that space. The distance then between your front and back roof rack pads and straps will not be that great. If you strap in your paddleboard the straps may only be 3 or so feet apart. On a 12 foot paddleboard, that leaves almost 5 feet in the front and back of the board without any support. A potential solution is to take a page from the transport of other large equipment, like canoes and kayaks, and to get additional tie downs straps that secure the front and back of the paddleboard to the bumper and trunk of your car. The point is, it is tough to transport big paddleboards on small cars without roof rack bars. Keep this in mind when planning your next SUP adventure. Paddleboards on Your Roof – Upside Down and Backward Here’s how to load your paddleboard onto the roof of your car: Bottom of the paddleboard up: Logistically, if your fins are in, the rack will only work with the paddleboard fins facing up in the air, or else your fins would hit your car’s roof. Also, you prefer not to expose your wax or board pad to the sun, so top side faces down. And generally strapping the board upside down is better for travel, based on any concave of the paddleboard. Fins in the front: It may sound like a Jimmy Buffett song, but as mentioned, in a worst-case scenario, fins act as a last line of defense against your paddleboard wiggling free and flying off your car. If your boards start to slide backward, the fins catch on the straps and restrict how far backward the boards slide. Also, it’s more likely the tail of your paddleboard is thicker and flatter, so it has more strength and better shape to cut through the air as you’re cruising down the road. Securing Your Paddleboard to Your Roof Rack Once you’ve loaded up your paddleboard, it’s time to strap it down. For cars with roof rack bars, it’s all about feeding the straps around the bars and your paddleboard in the right direction for maximum security. You’ll have two straps, one in front and one in back. Start with the clamp end of the first strap on the outside of the board, underneath the roof rack bar. Run the strap across the top width of the paddleboard to the other side of the board, underneath the rack bar, and back along the width of the board. There it will meet the clamp end, and you will tighten appropriately. Tie off the excess strap and give your paddleboard and the straps a couple of pulls to make sure nothing is loose. For cars without roof rack bars, securing the roof rack straps is a bit more straight forward. The front straps and back straps each extend from both sides of the car. Pull them up from each side over your paddleboard and secure the plain end through the clamp and tighten. Repeat for both front and back straps, once again giving the straps a couple of pulls to double check. Don’t overtighten your straps. Avoid damaging your paddleboard by wrenching your roof rack straps too tightly around it. Different paddleboards are made of different materials, but you can crack fiberglass or other board materials if you pull your straps too tight. Find that just right tightness for your paddleboard. Mind your straps. Take the extra couple of seconds and make sure your straps are straight and not twisted around your board for maximum contact and hold. Then tie off the ends of the straps, as nothing good can come from them flapping in the breeze. Stacking Multiple Paddleboards When you’re heading out with a couple of your friends and need to stack multiple paddleboards on the roof of your car, one on top of the other, a few more issues come into play. Biggest paddleboard on the bottom. The biggest paddleboard goes at the bottom of the stack of SUPs because it provides the best foundation/ stability. Watch the spacing of fins and tails. Make sure there’s some space between the tails of the paddleboards and the fins facing up from the boards below them. If you stack your SUPs too closely together, with some wiggle or if you hit a bump, the tail of one paddleboard could be cut by the fins from the paddleboard below it. Put something between paddleboards. If you’re not using a SUP bag, then the something between paddleboards can be as simple as an old towel. It’s always better to put something between the boards you stack on your roof rack rather than nothing. The best solution is a foam board spacer block. Now, you've got your paddleboard securely placed on top of your car, and you are ready to go. We hope you have an amazing session on the water. Stay safe and ride on!

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