Well! Have you ever heard about the seal of a table tennis blade?
Yes, it can be, because if you want to increase the blades; life, you should go to seal the ping pong blade.
What is the sealing of table tennis blades?
When you add lacquer to a blade or varnish a table tennis blade’s head to seal, it is known as sealing of ping pong racket. The varnish or lacquer layer added to the table tennis blade can be great for extra strength and protection against wear and tear, thus extending its life. The function of this layer is also to add a layer of separation between the rubber and blade with the help of glue to the blade and seal, which makes the rubber easy to remove. Also, read Table Tennis vs Ping Pong.
Essential things required to seal table tennis blade
- A paddle made of wooden plywood
- A sealer, lacquer or polyethene sealant
- A rubber chip
- Water or any cleaning solution
How to seal a table
Whether you are a beginner or professional and are planning to upgrade your ping pong paddle, you must go for the sealing of your racket. Also, Check the How To Hold A Ping Pong Paddle?
So if you want to do so, follow the below-given steps:
- To seal a table tennis blade, polyethene and ordinary sanding sealer are both the ideal options, as both things are easily available in any hardware store. Some players also use hair spray to seal the rubber, but it must be reapplied often.
- Do not proceed with the process in the isolated room as the fumes of the product you are using are toxic and harmful to your health. So plenty of ventilation across the room is required.
- Blade of sealing is quite a messy procedure because polyethene or sanding sealer tries to drip a lot and spill. So it is better to use many layers of newspaper under the product to soak up the spills so your table or carpet cannot get dirty. You can also use any plastic sheet instead of a newspaper.
- Make sure that the blade surface should be clean and even because there should be no lumps on the blade’s surface where you have to use the sealing product.
- To get full coverage on the blade’s surface, use adequate polythene. You can remove the excessive amount of product with the help of sandpaper.
- Monitor the coverage of the sealant on the blae of the racket by holding the blade to the right at an angle so that there should be a reflection of light off the liquid on the blade, as it will be an easy way to check the place where you have missed the spots.
- While applying the sealant, ensure that it should not be applied on the racket handle, but the blade’s edge should be properly covered. By mistake, the sealant is applied to the racket’s handle, which can get slippery while playing. Also, check the Basic Skills in Table Tennis.
- If you seal the racket blade with polyethene, you should opt for light sandpapering after it dries. So to rough up the surface to a smaller extent, the rubber should stick to the blade.
- Alternatively, the blade’s surface will get too slippery, and the rubbers of the racket will peel off easily, but sanding sealer does not need sand papering as it will sink into the grain of the wood to more extent.
- After applying a sealer, prop up the blade securely so it should not fall onto the floor or table surface.
Seal the table tennis racket with the following tips
- Remove the rubber of the racket very carefully. Normally, the rubber is removed at a particular angle to clear the steer and avoid damage to the rubber and blade.
- Do not choose any cheap type of water-based varnish as it will cause more harm to the racket instead of improving its condition. Also, read the Table Tennis Warm-Up.
- Water-based sealants can wear off after two to three removals, so experts recommend that reapplication be done after every two removals.
Dos and don’ts to seal ping pong racket
- Please do not use an excessive amount of sealant because it will not give you an uneven coating instead of a smooth finish.
- Remove the rubber of the racket with a sudden push because it will result in the removal of essential fibres from the blade of the rubber.
- The blade of the racket should completely dry because the absorption of the sealant is essential before glueing the rubber. Also, check the Best Table Tennis Set.
- The blade of the racket should not be kept away from the rubber for a longer period after sealing because it will get and collect more dust which will be hard to clean.
Frequently asked questions
Should I seal my table tennis blade?
Sealing of blade of a table tennis racket does not strengthen its life, but it makes the rubber easy to remove.. this means that they will be less likely to pull wooden chips when you remove them.
How can you protect your table tennis blade?
You can protect your rubber blade by applying cushioned tape on the edges of your racket, which helps protect the blade from denting and splintering if you hit the edge of the table by mistake.
Should I lacquer my blade?
Lacquer will save the blade from getting damaged while peeling off rubbers. But it would help if you remembered that lacquer on the lopping blade would make it difficult therefore comprise the looping potential of the racket blade.
Final Verdict:
Sealing the table tennis blade is a great way to prolong its life. Considering the investment to buy the new rubbers, it makes sense to care for old ones to ensure they can last longer. Sealing the blade of a ping pong paddle with the varnish is not only a cheap way but also easy to do it by yourself rather than get the supplier’s services to do it.
So while doing the process, if you make any mistake, you can sand the excess amount of varnish to give it a smooth and even finish.