Fingerboard Riser Pads Explained: What They Do and When You Need Them
Riser pads are small foam or plastic spacers that sit between your fingerboard trucks and the deck. They lift the deck slightly higher off the trucks, which changes the geometry of every trick you do. Higher pop, slower turning, more clearance for larger wheels. Most riders never need them. The ones who benefit are running wider wheels than stock or specifically want a taller deck feel. If you cannot articulate a reason to add risers, the honest answer is you do not need them.
What a riser actually does
A riser pad is a spacer, typically 1–3mm thick, that goes between the deck and the truck baseplate. Your existing mounting screws get slightly longer to accommodate the pad, and the deck sits that much higher off the trucks.
The height change is small in absolute terms but noticeable in feel. A 2mm riser on both trucks raises the whole deck 2mm, which is roughly 25% of the wheel diameter at fingerboard scale. Every trick starts and lands from a slightly higher point.
Where risers help
Ollies get slightly higher. A raised deck has more lever arm against the truck when you pop, so the tail-strike is measurably more powerful. If you specifically feel your ollies are stuck at a low height and everything else about your setup is right, risers are one way to lift them.
Larger wheels clear the deck. If you have swapped stock wheels for wider or taller wheels and they now touch the deck when you turn hard, a small riser is what stops that contact. This is the honest reason most full-size skaters run risers, and it applies at fingerboard scale too.
The deck feels more responsive to tail-pressure. Higher trucks mean your tail catches the ground earlier for the same amount of pop input, which some riders describe as a snappier feel.
Where risers hurt
Turning gets slower. A taller stack of parts means the trucks are further from the deck, and your finger has less mechanical advantage on the deck to lean into a turn. If your board already feels lazy through carves, risers will make it worse.
Grinds sit differently. The trucks lock against the coping at a slightly higher deck position, which changes what feels like a clean lock and what feels sloppy. If you have muscle memory for a particular grind height, risers reset it.
The setup weighs a fraction more and adds one more place for parts to loosen. Not a big deal, but not free either.
Materials — foam vs plastic vs rubber
Foam risers absorb tiny amounts of impact. On a full-size skateboard this softens rough pavement; at fingerboard scale on a smooth desk, the impact isolation is imperceptible. Foam is still fine — it just isn't gaining you anything a hard riser wouldn't.
Hard plastic risers (polycarbonate, delrin, ABS) transmit every input directly. Most fingerboard risers are this style because they hold precise dimensions and don't compress over time.
Rubber risers are the compromise — some give, but not so much that they lose height. A niche choice.
For a first riser, hard plastic is the honest recommendation. It sets a known height and stays there.
How to fit them without stripping the mounting holes
Add risers only if your existing mounting screws are long enough — or if you can source longer ones. Trying to add a 2mm riser with stock screws leaves the screw threads engaging only the top plies of the deck, which is exactly where mounting holes strip.
Fingerboard screws are tiny and cheap. Any real fingerboard shop sells sets in a couple of lengths. Match the length to (deck thickness + riser thickness + truck plate thickness) — err on the side of slightly short rather than piercing the top of the deck.
Tighten evenly across all four screws per truck. A tight-loose-tight-loose pattern warps the truck plate and gives your board a subtle twist you cannot see but will feel.
The honest recommendation
If you are asking whether you need risers, you probably do not. Stock geometry is chosen for a reason. Riders who run risers usually do so because they have a specific complaint that risers solve — insufficient ollie height with everything else dialled, or wheel-to-deck contact from a wheel swap.
If you want to experiment, buy the thinnest available (1mm) first. It is the smallest change to your setup that still tells you whether taller trucks help or hurt. If 1mm helps, try 2mm next. If 1mm does nothing, taller almost certainly won't help either.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need riser pads on my fingerboard?+
Probably not. Stock geometry is chosen intentionally. Add risers if you have a specific need — larger wheels touching the deck, or an ollie height problem you have ruled out other causes for. Otherwise, skip them.
What thickness of riser should I start with?+
1mm. It is small enough to tell you whether taller trucks help without committing to a big change. If 1mm makes no difference, thicker probably won't either.
Can I make my own riser out of cardboard or plastic?+
Yes, and plenty of home builders do — a punched-out square of hard plastic from a food container works fine for testing. The DIY solution loses precision (uneven thickness under the four mounting points) but is free.
Will risers make my board slower to turn?+
Yes. A taller stack reduces the leverage your finger has on the deck, so turning input translates into less lean. For carving-focused setups this is a real cost; for pop-focused setups it is an acceptable trade.
Do I need longer mounting screws when I add risers?+
Usually yes. If you add a 2mm riser, you need screws roughly 2mm longer than stock. Trying to force stock screws leaves the threads engaging only the top of the deck, which is where holes strip.
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