Are you an avid ping pong player who’s looking to take their gameplay to the next level?
Then it’s very likely that you’re considering putting together your own table tennis paddle. This can be a daunting process for first-timers as there’s a lot to consider, especially the gluing process. In this article, we’ll teach you how to properly glue your rubbers as well as some other pointers.
There’s a wide range of table tennis blades from top manufacturers to suit your playing style.
Necessary Supplies
Before you’re ready to glue your table tennis rubbers, you’ll need a few key supplies to make this job easy and fun.
- A table tennis blade of your choice
- Two rubbers
- The glue of your choice
- A rolling pin or ball tube
- An applicator for the glue
- Edge tape
- Scissors
Where Can I Get Ping Pong Paddle Supplies?
If you find that you’re missing any of the necessary parts of putting together a ping pong paddle, you’re in luck. Most, if not all, of the best glues, rubbers, and blades are very readily available on Amazon.
If you’re not sure about what you should be looking for, our website has plenty of guides and reviews of the best supplies. With a little help, you’ll have no trouble at all finding the perfect parts to form the ultimate ping pong paddle for your playstyle.
Steps For Gluing Your Rubber
Now that you’ve got everything that you need to put your table tennis paddle together, let’s get into how to properly apply your glue and rubber. First things first, you’ll need to apply your glue to both the paddle and the blade.
For this step, you’ll need to make use of your glue applicator. Make sure you create an even, smooth coating on both the paddle and the blade using the applicator. The glue should be left to dry until it’s totally transparent.
Sometimes, it can be beneficial to apply more than one layer of glue to rubbers. This is generally up to personal preference and can be done if you think that you didn’t apply enough glue in the first place.
Also, letting the glue dry can take between two to three hours, depending on the glue that you use. This is especially true if you plan on applying a second coat of glue. Once your rubbers are dry, it is now time to take one of them and apply it to the first side of the blade.
This is done by carefully applying the rubber to the blade, starting with the shaft, and then gently pressing it down on the rest of the blade. Once you’ve done this, you need to make sure that the rubber is securely on the blade.
The best way to do this is to use a rolling pin or ball tube. You need to make sure that the rubber is completely smoothed out. If there are any air bubbles under your rubber, it can cause imbalances during competitions.
If you don’t have a rolling pin or ball tube, using your forearm in a similar fashion also works well in a pinch. Once you’ve made sure that the rubber is securely on your blade and that it’s not peeling off, the next step is to cut off any excess rubber.
This can easily be done with scissors. Be as accurate and steady as you can during this process, you don’t want to leave any chunks hanging off of your paddle. Also, you don’t want to cut too close to the blade.
With the excess rubber cut off, now you’ll need to repeat the process for the other side of the blade. Do exactly what you did for the first rubber and then you’ll be ready for the final step of gluing your table tennis rubbers!
For the final step, you’ll need to apply a layer of edge tape around the blade. This is to protect your paddle from any damage on the outside. It will also help to keep your rubbers secured to the blade.
With the blade taped up, you’ve completed the gluing process for your ping pong rubbers! The only thing left to do is to take your freshly customized ping pong paddle to a game and test it out! Also, if you’d like a video demonstration of rubber gluing, we highly recommend this video that was made by Olympic competitor, Timo Boll.
A wet sponge does a pretty good job of keeping your paddle clean…just be sure not to scrub too hard!
The Importance of Ping Pong Paddle Care
Now that you’ve got your fancy new custom table tennis paddle all set up, you should be made aware of how important it is to take proper care of it. On the surface level, it might not seem like that big of a deal, however, a poorly managed ping pong paddle can severely affect performance!
It is extremely important to maintain and replace your rubbers periodically as constant play can cause damage over time. A damaged rubber can cause inconsistent shots, among other adverse effects while playing.
Cleaning is the other thing that is extremely important when maintaining your ping pong paddle. The build of dust, dirt, and grime on your ping pong paddle can cause inconsistencies in your shots, much like general damage.
Luckily for you, we already have a guide on the best ways to take care of your ping pong paddle. Another excellent option to look into if you want the absolute best in ping pong paddle care is a case.
There are a lot of different options out on the market. Some cases are soft and can easily be slung over your shoulder of fit into a bag. Meanwhile, some cases are made completely out of metal or a hard plastic giving you the best protection you could ask for.
A case will keep your table tennis racket safe from most forms of general damage and will help to keep dust and grime off of it. If this sounds appealing to you, then we highly encourage you to check out our reviews of the 10 best ping pong paddles cases.
