Surfboard Cloth Guide: E-Glass vs Basalt vs Carbon vs Flax
Shaping Supplies Guide
Which cloth should you glass with?
E-glass, basalt, carbon and flax all laminate onto a surfboard, and they all behave differently once they cure. Here is what each one actually does, what it costs by the yard, and when it is worth the money.
Short answer. Glass most boards in E-glass — 4 oz for shortboards, 6 oz for longboards and anything that takes abuse. It is the cheapest, clearest and most forgiving cloth there is, starting at $3.30 a yard.
Step up to basalt if you want a board that damps chatter and shrugs off knocks, and you like a bronze tint with no pigment. Use carbon as tape and patches, not for a whole board. Use flax if a bio-based build matters to you.
Side by Side
The four cloths, compared
| Cloth | Price / yard | Feel once cured | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
|
4 oz E-glass 27", 30", 38" |
$3.30 – $4.45 | Light, flexy, clear. The baseline every other cloth gets compared to. | Shortboards, fish, grovelers, anything performance |
|
6 oz E-glass 30", 38" |
$4.00 – $5.45 | Stiffer and heavier, noticeably tougher underfoot | Longboards, mid-lengths, heavier surfers, boards that get abused |
|
4 oz basalt 38" |
$4.95 | Damps vibration, resists impact better than E-glass, cures a natural bronze | A smoother ride, ding resistance, a finished look with no pigment |
|
5.7 oz carbon 40" plain weave |
$28.00 | Very stiff, very light, zero stretch, opaque black | Tail patches, stringer lines, reinforcement — not full boards |
|
3 oz flax 30" |
$13.50 | Soft damping, warm natural color, easy wet-out | Bio-based and eco builds |
The Default
E-glass, and when to go 4 oz vs 6 oz
Almost every board in the water is glassed in E-glass, and that is not laziness. It wets out clean, it goes optically clear, it is cheap enough to make mistakes on, and every resin on the shelf works with it.
The only real decision is weight. 4 oz is lighter and lets the board flex, which is what you want in a shortboard. 6 oz is stiffer and takes far more punishment, which is why longboards, mid-lengths and boards ridden by heavier surfers get it. A common schedule is 4 oz on the bottom and two layers on the deck, because the deck is what your heels destroy.
Width matters more than people expect. Buy 27" for narrow shortboards and you waste less cloth on every lap. Go 38" for longboards and wide outlines so you are not piecing panels together.
Shop E-Glass by the YardThe Upgrade
Basalt: volcanic rock, spun into cloth
Basalt fiber is exactly what it sounds like — melted volcanic rock drawn into a fiber and woven. It laminates much like fiberglass, so there is no new technique to learn, but it damps vibration better. Boards glassed in it feel smoother and less chattery across bumpy water.
It also takes a knock without cracking as readily as E-glass, which matters on rails and around the nose. And it cures out a natural bronze, so a lot of builders run it with no pigment at all and let the weave show.
At $4.95 a yard against $3.48 for 4 oz E-glass, it is about 40% more. For one board that is a few dollars, not a decision.
Shop 4 oz Basalt Cloth — $4.95/ydThe Specialist
Carbon: use it in strips, not sheets
Carbon is stiffer and lighter than anything else here, and it barely stretches. That sounds ideal until you glass a whole board in it — you get a plank that does not flex, weighs almost nothing, and cost you $28 a yard instead of $3.48.
Where it earns its money is in small amounts. A strip down the stringer line. A patch under the back foot where heel dents start. Tail tape that stops a board folding. That is why we stock carbon hybrid tail tape and narrow single-band tape alongside the full-width cloth.
If you are building a vacuum-bagged board or a specific high-performance project, buy the 40" plain weave. Otherwise buy tape.
Shop 5.7 oz Carbon — 40" Plain WeaveThe Natural Option
Flax: bio-based, and it looks it
Flax is a plant fiber, and it behaves like a softer cousin of basalt — good vibration damping, easy wet-out, and a warm natural color that reads more like wood than fiberglass. If reducing the petrochemical content of a build matters to you, this is the cloth that does it.
It is not the strongest thing here and it is not the cheapest at $13.50 a yard. People buy it because they want the look and the story, and both are real.
Shop 3 oz Flax ClothCommon Questions
What people ask before they buy cloth
What weight cloth for a shortboard?
4 oz, in 27" or 30" width. Most schedules run one layer of 4 oz on the bottom and two on the deck. Going to 6 oz on a shortboard adds weight and stiffness most surfers do not want.
What weight cloth for a longboard?
6 oz, in 38" width so you are not seaming panels. Longboards carry more weight, take more nose-riding load, and get dropped more, so the extra glass earns its keep.
Is basalt actually better than fiberglass?
Better at some things. Basalt damps vibration and resists impact better than E-glass, and it needs no pigment to look finished. E-glass is cheaper, goes optically clear, and is what nearly every board is built with. For a first board, use E-glass. For a board you want to feel smoother and last longer, basalt is worth the extra dollar a yard.
Can I glass a whole board in carbon?
You can, and it is usually a mistake. You end up with a board that will not flex, and at $28 a yard against $3.48 for E-glass you have spent eight times as much for a ride most people do not enjoy. Carbon belongs in strips — stringer lines, tail patches, heel reinforcement.
Does cloth work with both epoxy and polyester resin?
Yes, all of these wet out with either. The resin choice is driven by your blank, not your cloth: polyester over PU foam, epoxy over EPS. Polyester will dissolve EPS. More in the PU vs EPS guide.
How wide should the cloth be?
Wide enough to wrap the rails with a lap left over. 27" suits narrow shortboards with the least waste, 30" is the all-rounder, 38" is for longboards and wide outlines.
Ready to Glass
Cut by the yard, or take the full roll
Buy a yard for one board, or a 109-yard roll from $2.43 a yard if you are producing. Everything ships nationwide from Menifee, California.