Who Makes The Best Skateboard Decks? | A Guide To Skateboard Woodshops

Dive deep into the rabbit hole of skateboard deck construction as we explore the lesser-known world of woodshops to hopefully help answer the question of who makes the best skateboard decks.

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Ever looked around a skate shop and wondered what the difference is between all the decks, besides just the graphics? The answer can either be everything or nothing depending on how deep you're willing to do down the rabbit hole, which means that choosing a skateboard deck can be about as easy or as difficult as you want it to be. On one hand, you could very easily argue that it's just a plank of wood and, for the most part, they all do the same thing (which is perhaps an easier and healthier way to go through life); on the other, you could instead choose the path of obsession, nerding out on all the minutiae of skateboard deck construction in order to ensure that your set-up is always just the way you like it. We're not here to tell you which way's right or wrong (although if you don't really care then there's not much point you reading the rest of this) but for the sake of public interest, we thought we'd try explain some of the intricacies that can go into choosing a skateboard deck for those who are that way inclined. Have a read below to answer burning questions such as what is a skateboard woodshop, what wood are skateboards made of and which skateboard woodshop is best, as well as a list of what we think are some of the best skateboard decks on the market.

What is a Skateboard Woodshop?

Arguably the key factor which sets different brands apart, besides their graphics, is what woodshop they use to make their boards. If you've never heard the term 'woodshop' before, it basically refers to the factories which glue and press blank skateboard decks which different brands can then print their graphics on. The choice of woodshop ultimately dictates the vast majority of a deck's physical properties, like the shape, durability and snappiness, due to the specific production process that each woodshop utilises. While skate brands are ten-a-penny these days, there's a far more limited number of woodshops, which means each shop often supplies blanks for a wide array of different brands. This is one of the main reasons that decks from some brands will feel very similar while others will feel wildly different, despite the fact that almost all skateboard decks are made from Canadian Hardrock Maple using a 7-ply construction. You can check out a list of the most popular woodshops and some of the brands they produce decks for (although there is some overlap between them in some cases) below, or for a more thorough breakdown you can check out a full Woodshop Directory on SLAP which is currently the most comprehensive guide despite last being updated in 2025.

List of Major Skateboard Woodshops and Which Brands Use Them

• BBS
  • Polar
  • Baker
  • Deathwish
  • Heroin
  • Sci-Fi Fantasy
  • Anti Hero
  • Krooked
  • Fucking Awesome
  • Quasi
• PS Stix
  • GX1000
  • WKND
  • Welcome
  • Habitat
  • Rassvet
  • Glue
• DSM
  • Hockey
  • Jacuzzi Unlimited
  • Madness
  • Opera
  • Palace
• HLC (Jart)
  • The National Skateboard Co
  • Sour Solution
  • Skateboard Cafe
  • Yardsale
    

As with most things in skateboarding, which woodshop you like best can often come down to personal preference (or you may simply operate an 'ignorance is bliss' approach and not know or care about which woodshop brands use, which is also very valid), most people tend to agree that there are two specific woodshops which stand above the rest in terms of quality and those are BBS and PS Stix, both of which are based in Mexico. While BBS is the biggest and most popular woodshop on paper, serving the vast majority of the most popular skate brands, PS Stix remains a popular choice, despite their smaller scale making it harder for them to keep up with production demand which has since seen even more brands move over to BBS. This is mainly due to the brains behind the operation, Professor Paul Schmitt, being one of the most passionate and knowledgeable names in skateboard manufacturing which has given the woodshop a reputation for the next-level care and attention-to-detail they put into their decks.

Despite the historic dominance of these two woodshops, a new trend has been emerging in recent years with many brands switching over to the China-based DSM woodshop. This decision ultimately comes down to cost; as I'm sure many of you will have noticed, skateboard decks have got pretty expensive post-COVID with some BBS decks now costing an eye-watering £100 (which we assure you is almost as depressing for us as it is for you). This decision has not been particularly popular with many skaters, especially those loyal to certain brands whose favourite shape has since changed, while also raising concerns about the quality of wood bearing a 'Made in China' label. While it can be pretty heartbreaking if your go-to brand change their shapes, it's also pretty soul-crushing paying £100 for a deck so it's kinda hard to say whether this is the right or wrong decision, but it's pretty likely that we're going to see more and more brands making this change as production costs continue to rise.

Alongside this big three, there is of course a load of other woodshops from all over the world, too many for us to fully cover all of them in this post (but as we previously mentioned you can check out a pretty comprehensive woodshop directory on SLAP). One of the more notable ones, particularly here in the UK, is HLC (otherwise known as Jart) which is based in Spain and manufactures decks for a load of UK and EU brands like Skate Cafe, The National Skate Co, Sour Solution and Yardsale. Likewise, there's also the Canadian woodshop Control, used by Poetic Collective, Studio and more; Skate One, who provide decks for Powell Peralta and Bones Brigade; and Dialan Huahong (AKA Chinese Made) which produces decks for Girl, Chocolate, SK8MAFIA and more. Last but not least, there are also a few people manufacturing skateboards in the UK like Gnosis woodshop and A Third Foot (who are sadly now out of business) as well as the legends over at Sunburst Skateboards who cut out the middle man altogether by pressing and printing their own decks right here in the UK, which we think is pretty dope.

But don't worry if this all sounds a bit confusing, the most important thing is to just try some decks out for yourself and see what you like best; most shops will let you stand on a deck to test out the feel of it before you buy it which is why we always recommend popping into your local independent skate shop when it comes to getting new hardware. However, if even that feels somewhat overwhelming, we thought we'd give you a little bit of a headstart with a list of some of our favourite skateboard deck brands. Ranging from homegrown British brands to international icons, which offer up an equally diverse assortment of stunt planks, we hope this can at least give you a place to start from if you're feeling a bit lost. Worst comes to worst though, either ask your mates (or straight-up copy them) or just pick the brand you like the vibe of the most, the skater you think is the sickest or the one with the prettiest picture, because aesthetics are what's most important at the end of the day, right?

Best Skateboard Deck Brands*

*According to us at least

Death Skateboards

Starting things off with one of the UK's oldest and most respected skate brands, Death Skateboards have been holding it down for the best part of 30 years now, which is no small feat in the world of skateboarding and pretty much tells you everything you need to know. With their iconic name and logo, tight-knit team and fun-forward approach to skating, Death is one of the best embodiments of the true spirit of skateboarding which should be more than enough reason for you to support them. However, on a more practical level they also produce what are probably the most affordable decks on the market, coming in at just £45 which is almost unheard of in this day-and-age.

Death skateboard decks are produced by the skater-owned Woodchuck Laminates woodshop, who have been producing high-quality, 100% hardrock Canadian maple decks since 1996, so you know they aren't cutting any corners when it comes to quality. Death mainly produce standard popsicle decks in a wide range of sizes, although they do also offer some more quirky shapes for specific pros so they can cater to a wide range of styles. We're not entirely sure how they manage to keep their decks so cheap but we're not going to ask too many questions, just make sure to show them some support so they can keep doing what they do!

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Polar Skate Co

Founded in Sweden by legendary pro skater Pontus Alv back in 2011, Polar Skate Co have since grown to become one of the most popular brands the world over. From their legendary videos to their unique graphics, Polar have brought a sense of refinement to skateboarding while still emphasising creativity, individualism and, most importantly, fun. As we mentioned above, Polar Skate Co decks are manufactured by BBS which means they're some of the finest quality decks on the market, although this does come with a premium price tag of around £85 these days. Despite this, you do get what you pay for with premium, Mexican-made, 7-ply Canadian maple, an extensive range of shapes and sizes and stylish graphics from some of the most beloved skate artists of the modern generation.

Polar Skate Co decks often feature graphics which wouldn't look out of place in an art gallery while also utilising a wide range of different shapes to help you express your individuality, ranging from 80s-inspired fish-tail decks to classic popsicles and everything in between. One of the things which helps set Polar's deck shapes apart from many other brands is that they offer some fun variations on your classic popsicle, as well as their more extreme shapes like the old school-inspired Dane1. Shapes like the P2, P9 and 1991 Jr (to name a few) offer interesting alternatives to the standard popsicle, with changes to the nose and tail resulting in more asymmetric shapes, while still offering the same overall functionality as a popsicle, making them suited for all styles of skating while still providing some extra flavour. If you want to look cool, skate top-quality wood and support one of the dopest brands in the game right now, and you don't mind paying the premium for it, then you can't go wrong with Polar Skate Co decks.

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Heroin Skateboards

Another beloved UK brand which seriously know what they're doing when it comes to wood is Heroin Skateboards who have become somewhat of a cult in recent years thanks to their unique approach to skateboard decks. Founded by Mark 'Fos' Foster in 1998, their somewhat controversial name is a tongue-in-cheek nod to Fos' addiction to skateboarding (he actually hates drugs so he's definitely not trying to promote them) and this intense obsession with skateboarding comes through in everything they do, particularly in their team of equally fanatical individuals. To this day, Fos still draws the vast majority of the brand's graphics himself, helping shape the brand's iconic visual identity with his iconic horror-inspired artwork, while also frequently teaming up with other legendary skate artists like Funeral French and Hirotton. Just like Polar, Heroin skateboard decks are manufactured by BBS, however while Polar's decks are on the pricier side, Heroin have always kept their prices reasonable with the majority of their decks costing around £70, which is even more reason for you to support them.

Where Polar's shapes can sometimes be on the subtle side, Heroin instead take theirs to the extreme, often pushing the boundaries of skate technology, and perhaps even the laws of physics, to produce the biggest and boldest skateboard decks the world has ever seen. We'd be here all day if we tried to cover the full range of shapes that Heroin offer so feel free to check out our Heroin Deck Shapes Guide if you're interested, but we can't not mention their range of Egg decks which have gained a cult fandom in recent years and now come in countless variations like the Fried Egg, Razor Egg, Wide Boy and Eggzilla which almost always sell out instantly. Not only do they produce a selection of absolutely bonkers shapes but their decks also feature their unique Razor Edge construction which offers up superior flick and a more responsive feel compared to the standard rounded edges most decks feature. When you add up all these top-quality features and compare it to the very reasonable £70 price tag, it's pretty clear that Heroin skateboard decks offer some of the best value-for-money out of any brand on the market.

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That's enough chit-chat though. Check out our full range of skateboard decks below. Or, find out more useful skateboarding information on the CSC Blog. Safe.

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