Skateboard concave and wheelbase: how to describe a custom deck
Learn how skateboard wheelbase, width, perimeter, nose and tail geometry, concave and mold shape relate when specifying a custom skateboard deck.
Wheelbase is a hole-pattern measurement
For a street-style deck, wheelbase is commonly communicated as the center-to-center distance between the inner truck mounting hole patterns. Confirm the measurement convention with the manufacturer before copying a number from another deck.
Perimeter and concave are different things
The outline seen from the top is the perimeter: width, taper, nose and tail shape. Concave describes the three-dimensional surface created by the mold. You can change a perimeter while keeping an existing concave, which is often a lower-tooling way to create a distinctive deck.
Nose and tail are part of the molded geometry
Kick angle, transition, length and the point where the deck begins to rise all influence how a board feels. Two decks with the same overall length and wheelbase can ride differently because the molded geometry is different.
Width is not enough to reproduce a deck
If you want a manufacturer to review an existing board, provide overall length, width at relevant stations, wheelbase, truck-hole pattern, nose/tail dimensions and—ideally—the physical sample. A single “8.5 inch deck” dimension does not define the product.
Pressed geometry can move after it leaves the mold
Wood is a laminated natural material, so springback and finishing can change the measured result. Production tooling and inspection should be based on the final approved deck rather than assuming every mold dimension will transfer one-to-one.
Use a sample as the authority
For a proprietary deck, the best approval process is digital specification plus a physical sample. The sample lets both sides agree on the actual geometry before repeat production begins.
Skateboard concave and wheelbase: how to describe a custom deck FAQ
How is skateboard wheelbase measured?
A common convention is the center-to-center distance between the inner truck mounting hole patterns, but always confirm the manufacturer’s measurement convention.
Is skateboard concave the same as deck shape?
No. Concave is the molded three-dimensional surface; shape or perimeter is the outline cut from the pressed deck.
Can I change the width without making a new concave mold?
Often a new perimeter can be cut from an existing concave if the requested dimensions fit the usable molded area.
Why does a sample deck matter?
A physical sample captures the combined result of mold geometry, springback, construction and finishing better than a list of dimensions alone.