How to Store a Longboard: Step-by-Step (Without Damage)

Store your longboard indoors, away from direct sunlight, extreme temperatures, and moisture. For non-electric boards, a clean, dry, climate-controlled space is key. For electric longboards with lithium-ion batteries, the rule is different: store the battery between 40 and 50% charge and check it monthly to prevent permanent damage.

That 40-50% figure isn’t a suggestion, it’s the manufacturer’s line between a battery that wakes up ready to ride and one that dies in storage. Evolve Skateboards and Future Motion (Onewheel) both state it, and ignoring it costs you range, or the whole pack. This is a key part of how to store a longboard.

What follows is the full breakdown: the single biggest mistake that warps decks, the step everyone skips after a wet ride, and how to choose between a wall rack and a closet based on your space and board type.

Key Takeaways

• For electric longboards, store the battery between 40-50% charge and check monthly to avoid permanent capacity loss.
• Clean and dry your board thoroughly before storage, especially after riding in wet conditions.
• Skateboards.com recommends storing the board horizontally to prevent warping, while Longboard Love SG suggests a wall rack (vertical) is best.
• Keep your longboard in a cool, dry, indoor space, never in a car trunk, garage, or direct sunlight.
• Skateboards.com advises against vertical storage to prevent warping, while Longboard Love SG suggests a wall rack (vertical) is best.

The 40-50% Rule for Electric Longboards

This is the one protocol that separates electric board storage from everything else. A lithium-ion battery left at 100% charge for months will permanently lose capacity. Left near 0%, it can drop to an unrecoverable voltage and become a brick. The safe zone is a narrow band.

Store your board BETWEEN 40 AND 50% charge if you will not be using it for a prolonged period of 1 MONTH OR MORE. If the battery is fully charged and not used for months, there may be a permanent loss of total battery capacity.

That directive comes straight from the Evolve Skateboards Hadean manual. Future Motion’s Onewheel guide echoes it: ensure the battery remains between 40-50% for extended storage and check this monthly. A battery isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it item; it’s a component that needs a specific state of charge to idle safely.

The consequence has a timeline. You might not notice the damage until you pull the board out next season. The range feels shorter, the battery dies faster. That’s the permanent loss in action. For a board like an Onewheel or an Evolve, that can mean costly repair or replacement.

Common mistake: Storing an electric board at full charge over the winter. This can lead to a permanent loss of total battery capacity.

Cleaning Your Board Before Storage (The Step That Prevents Rot)

You don’t just put a dirty board away. Grime, road salt, and moisture accelerate wear on bearings, corrode trucks, and can degrade grip tape. Water is the worst enemy here.

The Outside Skateshop guide is blunt: water is one of the worst enemies of your board. Their advice is to avoid rain riding altogether and always store indoors. But if you do ride in damp conditions, the procedure changes. You need to disassemble everything after riding in wet conditions for cleaning and drying. That means wheels off, bearings out, and a thorough dry-down. Letting a board sit damp in a closet is a recipe for rusted bearings and weakened deck laminates.

For a standard pre-storage clean, you don’t always need a full teardown. A damp cloth for the deck, a brush for the grip tape, and a quick check of your hardware is enough. The goal is to remove anything that could hold moisture or cause corrosion during its months off.

This ties directly into a routine longboard cleaning habit and the broader question of how to store a longboard. A clean board stores better and lasts longer.

Ideal Storage Environment: Climate is Everything

Where you store the board matters as much as how. The consensus is clear: indoors, climate-controlled, and dry. But the specifics from sources show where people go wrong.

Skateboards.com lists the off-limits zones: the trunk of your car, a garage, or a shed. These spaces swing in temperature and humidity. The Longboard Store simplifies the advice on how to store a longboard: keep it in a cool, dry place, preferably inside your home. Evolve’s manual adds that you should only charge the battery indoors in dry spaces that are not excessively hot or cold (within 12°Celsius / 10°F of room temperature).

Storage Location	Why It’s Bad	Better Alternative
Car Trunk	Extreme temperature swings, potential for crushing.	Indoor closet or under-bed storage.
Garage/Shed	Uncontrolled humidity, temperature extremes, pests.	A dry, interior room like a bedroom.
Leaning Against a Wall	Can warp the deck over time, creates a trip hazard.	Horizontal on a shelf or in a dedicated rack.
Direct Sunlight	UV fades graphics, weakens epoxy, overheats batteries.	A shaded, interior space.

Humidity is a silent killer. Skateboards.com notes that if you live in a humid climate, you should put a dehumidifier or moisture-absorbing product in the storage area. That’s the level of detail most guides skip. It’s not just “dry,” it’s “actively managed for dryness” in some regions.

Horizontal vs. Vertical: The Warp Debate

Here’s where sources disagree, and you need to pick a side based on physics. Skateboards.com is adamant: do not store your skateboards vertically, as this can cause them to warp over time. Their recommendation is to remove the wheels and hanger shafts and stack boards horizontally. The logic is sound: a deck is a laminated piece of wood (or composite). Consistent pressure on a small area, like the nose or tail when leaned, can create a permanent bend.

Where this goes sideways: Leaning a board vertically against a wall for six months. The warp is often subtle, but you may notice it when you start riding again.

Contrast that with Longboard Love SG, which says the best place to store your board is on a wall rack, which implies vertical storage. They also say you can store it “upright on its wheels.” So who’s right?

It comes down to support. Leaning a board on its tail focuses all the weight on one small point. A wall rack, however, should support the entire length of the deck evenly, distributing the weight. The rack is the key. If you’re going vertical, use a proper wall mount designed for the job. If you’re just shoving it in a corner, horizontal is the safer bet by far.

For most people in apartments, wall storage solves the space issue cleanly. It gets the board off the floor, displays it, and, if done correctly, avoids the warping risk.

Step-by-Step Storage Guide for Non-Electric Longboards

Follow these steps in order. This is your pre-hibernation checklist.

1. Clean It. Wipe down the deck with a damp cloth. Use a stiff brush on grip tape to dislodge dirt. Dry it completely, no damp spots. If you skip this, grime will harden and attract moisture.
2. Inspect It. Check for loose hardware, deep wheel gashes, or truck damage. Tighten what’s loose. This isn’t just for storage; it’s a safety check for when you ride next.
3. Consider Disassembly. For long-term storage or to save space, you can disassemble a longboard. Remove wheels and trucks, bag the hardware, and store the deck flat. This is what Skateboards.com recommends for stacking multiple boards.
4. Choose Your Spot. A closet floor, under a bed, or on a shelf. The surface must be flat and dry. Avoid concrete floors in basements, as they can transfer moisture.
5. Position It. Lay the board flat, deck-side down or up. If using a rack, ensure it’s a skateboard mount that cradles the deck.

This process dovetails with general longboard care. Storage is just one part of the maintenance cycle.

Electric Board Storage: The Extended Protocol

For Evolve, Onewheel, or any electric skateboard, the cleaning and environment steps are the same, but the battery adds critical layers.

Step	Action	Why It’s Critical
1. Charge to 40-50%	Use your charger until the battery indicator shows roughly half capacity.	Prevents degradation from high or low voltage states during idle months.
2. Mark Your Calendar	Set a monthly reminder to check the charge level.	Batteries self-discharge slowly; a monthly check keeps it from drifting out of the safe zone.
3. Store Indoors	Same as a regular board—cool, dry, room temperature.	Extreme heat or cold permanently damages lithium-ion cells.
4. No Charger Attached	Unplug the charger once the target charge is hit.	Leaving it plugged in can stress the battery management system.

Evolve’s manual warns specifically against leaving your board in a hot car or where freezing temperatures may occur. Hot or cold temperatures can permanently affect or damage your battery.

Think of it like this: the board itself is tough. The battery is its heart, and it needs very specific conditions to stay healthy while it’s not pumping.

Storing Multiple Boards or in Small Spaces

You’ve got three boards and a studio apartment. Floor space is premium. This is where the standard advice falls apart, and you need to get creative.

The most efficient solution is a vertical wall rack that holds 2-4 boards. It turns wasted wall space into storage and keeps everything accessible. If drilling isn’t an option, consider a free-standing rack that holds boards horizontally, like a shelf unit. The key is to avoid stacking heavy items on top of the decks.

For a truly minimalist approach, the disassembly method shines. With wheels and trucks removed, several decks can be stacked flat in a narrow space, like behind a dresser or under a sofa. It’s more work up front, but it solves the spatial math. This is also the best way to secure your board if you’re using a cable lock through the truck holes in a shared space.

A plastic tote, as Skateboards.com suggests, works if you’re dealing with dust or high humidity. It’s a sealed, dry micro-environment.

DIY storage rack solutions

A wall rack is often cited as a great way to store your board, keeping it off the floor and saving space. If you’re building your own, the key is to design it to support the board in a stable position, whether that’s horizontally or vertically. Regardless of your rack design, the storage environment matters most. The rack should be placed indoors in a dry, temperature-controlled area, away from direct sunlight, heat sources, or dampness. This protects the board’s materials and, for electric models, its battery from the damaging effects of extreme temperatures and humidity.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it okay to store a longboard outside?

No. Outside storage exposes your board to rain, sun, extreme temperatures, and dew. This leads to warped wood, faded graphics, rusted trucks and bearings, and, for electric boards, permanent battery damage. Always store indoors.

Can I store my longboard vertically?

You can, but you must use a wall rack that supports the full length of the deck. Simply leaning it on its tail or nose against a wall can cause warping over months. Horizontal storage on a flat surface is generally safer.

How do I store my longboard for the winter?

Clean and dry it thoroughly. For electric boards, charge the battery to 40-50%. Store the board horizontally in a cool, dry, indoor space like a closet. Check an electric board’s battery monthly to ensure it stays in the 40-50% range.

Do I need to remove the wheels before storage?

For most short-term storage, no. Skateboards.com recommends removing wheels and hanger shafts before storage, while Longboard Love SG does not mention disassembly.

What if I rode my board in the rain?

This changes the procedure. You should disassemble the board as soon as possible, wheels off, bearings out, and dry every component thoroughly. Letting moisture sit inside the bearings or between the deck laminates will cause rust and decay.

The Bottom Line

The core rule is simple: inside, dry, and mild. But the devil is in the battery percentage and the deck’s orientation. For a regular longboard, a clean board on a closet floor is fine. For an electric board, that 40-50% charge is essential. Set a phone reminder right now.

If you take away one action, let it be this: never lean a board vertically unless it’s on a rack. The warp happens slowly, and you won’t feel it until your next ride feels subtly off. Everything else, cleaning, climate control, disassembly, supports that main goal: pulling out a board that’s as ready to ride as the day you put it away.