Iris Skateboards Turns Damaged Decks Into Radiant Rides

George Rocha turned his life-long skateboarding passion into a career of building massive concrete skateparks. Now hes added another product to his repertoire: artisan-quality wooden skateboards assembled from strips of used and broken boards.

Modern skateboards are made of plywood. It gives them both strength and flexibility the perpendicular placement of each wooden layer helps the overall board withstand cracks, while the complex curvatures are made possible by pressing theindividually pliable sheets of wood into a mold while being glued.As plywood decks became the norm, manufacturers began to color layers to add a visual element. Strips of red, blue, yellow, pink or various combinations could be found between the light hues of natural wood, with splashy graphics on the boards bottoms and black grip tape on top, sometimes cut into artistic patterns.

For years, this is how skateboards have appeared. Still, forced to take a dizzying amount of abuse, they eventually end up breaking.

Growing up in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, Rocha quickly embraced the tools, materials, and DIY spirit that embody the world of skateboarding. Now, youthfully in his late 30s, hes helped build countless skateparks all over the country, both giant indoor wooden courses in the cold northeast and oversized concrete playgrounds full of bowls and obstacles.

Its his latest venture, Iris Skateboards that is catching peoples eyes, however. Rocha assembles new decks using the remnants of broken and discarded skateboards, laminating them together and slicing the resulting stack sideways to create his material. The result is gorgeous and always unique, turning the distinct patterning of the thin multicolored ply into the standout feature of the decks tops and bottoms.

The technique is reminiscent of artistHaroshi, who sculpts skateboards into intricate 3-D creations. The Iris skateboards stand apart with being a functional form, while still turning heads.

Rocha sums up the magic of his boards in simple terms. Skateboarders love their skateboards.

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Iris Skateboards Turns Damaged Decks Into Radiant Rides