How to Replace Ping Pong Paddle Rubber?

Many people who have the charm of fast reflexes and speed often tend to excel in playing ping pong. Apart from the talent they have, they should also possess a good type of gear to be able to excel in this game. One of the most important things that you need to have to play this game is that you have a good paddle to play with.

In case your paddle is old or worn out it is important to either consider ping pong paddle rubber replacement or purchase a new paddle. Without a good rubber on the paddle, you would never be able to master this game.

How to Identify If the Ping Pong Paddle Rubber Needs Change?

To be able to identify if your ping pong paddle rubber needs to be changed you should first try to check it for its properties. You should have already tried to make your rubber sticky but have not found better results with the paddle. The other thing is the rubber and its texture. In case the rubber becomes too soft then it might be time that you consider changing it.

Only if you have a considerable rough texture you would be able to get spin and accuracy on the ball when you play your shots. If the rubber is too smooth in texture then the ball would slide and not grip with the rubber while playing aggressive ping pong shots.

So, now that you have concluded that your ping pong paddle rubber replacement is essential, we look at the things that you require for the same.

• The rubber of specific texture to be pasted on the ping pong paddle
• Scissors that are sharp enough to cut the rubber that is purchased
• Table tennis glue that is specific for this purpose
• Glue application sponge or a brush
• Marking pencil or marker
• A good roller (heavy roller is better as less effort is required)
• Edge tape for the paddle
• A metal or wooden scrubber with essentially sharp edges

Now that you have all the essentials, we shall show a few steps to be followed to complete the process of ping pong rubber replacement. Well before you start the process of replacing the rubber you would have to first have the existing rubber removed. So, we shall start with the removal of the rubber and go on to the process of pasting the new one.

Process of Peeling off the Existing Table Tennis Racket Rubber

Peel off the edge tape on the paddle to expose the wooded area of the paddle. You may be able to peel off the existing rubber with minimal force first.

This should be a simple process unless the rubber on the paddle is excessively used. In these cases, there are chances that part of the table tennis racket rubber remains glued to the surface of the paddle.

If this happens or even if it does not, use the scrubber with the sharp edge and it should help you remove the rubber that is stuck.

It would also remove the glue that was previously applied to the paddle. This would have to be done to enhance stickiness between the paddle and the new rubber when you replace it.

Following this step is important before you learn how to glue table tennis rubber on to your paddle.

Once the paddle is rid of old rubber and the glue you are ready to move to the next step in replacing the old with the new rubber.

Marking the Table Tennis Racket Rubber

This step can be considered important if you choose not to waste too much glue. Using the marker or the pencil to outline the paddle that requires ping pong paddle rubber replacement.

However, do not cut the rubber to a specific outline unless the sticking process is completed to ensure accuracy.

Use the glue application sponge or brush to evenly spread the glue on the marked surface of the rubber which is supposed to face the paddle.

It is considered better to apply glue on the rubber first as it takes a lot more time than the paddle to dry up.

Once you have evenly applied the glue you can move on to the paddle.

In case you find the surface of the paddle to be smooth you can choose to use the rough edge of the scrubber to gently scrub it to give it enough friction.

The friction allows the ping pong paddle rubber to stick properly on the surface of the paddle.

Gently apply one side of the scrubbed surface with the glue and allow it to dry.

Ensure that the evenness of the glue on the surface of the paddle is not compromised. This would ensure that your paddle does not have an uneven surface.

Allow the surface of the paddle to dry adequately before you move on to stick the table tennis racket rubber.

In case you want the drying to be quick, you can choose to use a hairdryer for drying up both the surfaces.
Pasting the ping pong paddle rubber

The process of sticking the ping pong paddle rubber on the paddle should begin from where the handle ends and paddle starts.

Allow just enough amounts of pressure to stick the rubber to the surface of the paddle.

Ensure that there are no huge air bubbles while this process is being done.

Watch this video to understand how to stick rubber

Using the Scissors to Shape the Table Tennis Racket Rubber

Now you can move on to cutting the table tennis racket rubber which is in excess and comes outside of the paddle.

This should be done carefully to ensure you do not leave open wood visible after the rubber is cut.

The marked outline which you drew, in the beginning, would help you ensure that you do not go astray while the cutting is in progress.

You can consider repeating the process of ping pong paddle replacement on the other side as well using the same process.

Using the roller on top of the table tennis racket rubber

Using the roller, you can rollover the table tennis racket rubber to ensure there are no air bubbles in the area that is stuck.

Complete the process by doing it on both sides of the paddle to ensure they are equally spread on the surface of the paddle with no bumps for even playing of shots.

Furthermore, you can stick the edge of the paddle that comes in the middle with the edge tape to give it the desired finish.

In case you are not able to select the appropriate rubber, you can always avail of the tips provided on the internet with a table tennis rubber guide.

This is the process we used successfully for our ping pong paddles when it comes to replacing the rubber.

Upon completion of the process, we offered players belonging to different levels of this wonderful game who used the paddles that underwent rubber replacement.

This was to ensure the quality of the process we took up. They were able to testify that the rubber replacement worked well and the paddles were as good as new paddles.

How Do You Resurface a Ping Pong Paddle?

Resurfacing a ping pong paddle involves the following steps:

• Peeling off the existing table tennis racket rubber
• Marking the table tennis racket rubber
• Pasting the ping pong paddle rubber
• Shaping the table tennis racket rubber using scissors
• Using a roller on top of the table tennis racket rubber

How Do You Glue Ping Pong Rubber?

You can apply glue to one side of the scrubbed surface. You should then allow it to dry and at the same time, ensure evenness of the glue on the surface. The surface should be dried properly before you can paste the table tennis racket rubber. For quick drying, you can use a hairdryer.

When you are pasting the rubber to the surface, you should start from where the handle ends and the paddle starts. In addition to that, you must make sure that there are no air bubbles between the rubber and the surface.

How Often Should I Change My Table Tennis Rubber?

For anyone using the paddle twice every day, we recommend changing the rubber every month. For others who don’t use it this frequently and may only use it like twice a week, we recommend changing the rubber every four months.

How Long Does Ping Pong Rubber Last?

As per most of the manufacturers, the lifetime of rubber can around 50 to 90 playing hours. However, most ping pong paddle rubber usually lasts for 12 months.

Why Should I Not Cut the Ping Pong Paddle Rubber Before Applying Glue?

You may choose to cut the ping pong paddle rubber before applying glue. However, there may be size differences that you can avoid as well as the potential wasting of the rubber if your cut does not fit the outline that you marked.