How to Re-Grit a Pickleball Paddle: What Makers and Rules Allow

The short answer

The care pages of CRBN, Selkirk and Six Zero give no way to rebuild worn grit, only ways to clean it: an eraser, block or detergent spray on raw carbon, water with mild detergent on InfiniGrit. Worn faces can be swapped only on paddles built for replaceable faces. Sprays and sandpaper run into USA Pickleball’s surface rules and warranty exclusions.

Grit loses grip in two ways: ball residue fills it, or play wears it down. Cleaning deals with the first. For the second, the options are a new face, on paddles built for one, or a new paddle.

What grit is, and how it wears

Selkirk’s care guide explains the job of the texture and the problem with it: “To enhance your ball control and generate spin, most paddles feature a textured hitting surface. However, the texture of the paddle face tends to accumulate dirt from the ball over time, which can alter your play.”

Pickleball Studio’s Chris Olson sorts grit into paint grit, added textures or coatings, and raw carbon fiber (August 31, 2022). Of paint grit he writes: “The problem with paint grit is that it fades EXTREMELY fast.” On every type: “There is no texture on the market right now that never wears down.”

Newer “durable grit” faces aim to slow that wear. Pickleball Effect’s durable-grit guide (Matt Reny, May 11, 2026, updated October 2026) defines it: “Durable grit refers to a paddle surface designed to maintain its texture longer than traditional raw carbon fiber.”

Pickleball Effect’s Braydon Unsicker wrote in his 2024 Reload review: “No matter which way you slice and dice it, the raw textured or paint grit on your paddle starts to smooth out and lose spin production after only a couple of months of regular play and gets completely smoothed in less than six months.” Reny’s lab tests cannot be turned into a time limit either: “It can’t tell us that a paddle will retain 95% of its texture after six months of play, or 10,000 shots, or any other specific amount of real-world use.” For signs that a paddle is due for replacement, see our guide on how long a pickleball paddle lasts.

Face type	What its maker or a tester says about wear	Maker’s cleaning method
Raw carbon (peel ply)	Ball fibers “clog up the natural grooves” (CRBN)	Rubber eraser or carbon cleaning block (CRBN, Selkirk, Six Zero); Selkirk’s raw-carbon post lists a water and mild detergent spray first
Selkirk InfiniGrit	About three times the abrasion cycles of raw carbon, in Selkirk’s own lab test	Water with mild detergent and a microfiber cloth, “Instead of using rubber erasers” (Selkirk’s Boomstik guide)
Paint grit	“fades EXTREMELY fast” (Pickleball Studio)	No maker instructions found; check your maker

For how face materials differ, see our guide to pickleball paddle materials.

Dirty or worn? Check before you do anything

CRBN describes the buildup that hides grit: “Over time, build up of these fibers clog up the natural grooves in the paddle face and start to diminish the amount of spin you can generate from the paddle–not to mention it makes your paddle look dirty.”

SPINX, a company that sells a paddle surface-protection product, puts the difference this way: “Most players assume grit loss is one process. It is two, and only one of them can be undone.”

Unsicker gives a quick check: “If you don’t believe me, feel the center and edges of your current paddle to compare the grit levels and you’ll notice the wear in the sweet spot of your paddle.” By his account, the sweet spot wears first.

What you need

Your paddle’s face type, from the maker’s product page (raw carbon, Kevlar, InfiniGrit, or another named grit).
For raw carbon or other peel-ply faces: the maker’s rubber eraser or cleaning block (CRBN, Selkirk and Six Zero each sell one), or, per Selkirk’s raw-carbon post, a spray bottle with mild detergent and water and a microfiber cloth.
For Selkirk InfiniGrit: a spray bottle, water, mild detergent and a microfiber cloth.
For a quick wipe on any face: a lint-free cloth and water, as in Selkirk’s general care guide.

How to restore grit by cleaning, step by step

These steps clean off residue. They do not rebuild texture that has worn away.

Find your face type before you pick a tool

Care differs by surface. Selkirk’s Boomstik care guide says: “Instead of using rubber erasers, the recommended method is to spray the paddle face with a mixture of mostly water and a little mild detergent, then wipe it down with a microfiber cloth to remove ball residue from the Infinigrit surface.” CRBN’s eraser page says: “Remember, we don’t recommend using the CRBN Paddle Eraser on any paddle surfaces that have been customized with any sort of aftermarket coating, spray, paint, etc.”

Clean between 40°F and 100°F (Six Zero)

Six Zero’s cleaning-rubber page says: “While cleaning your paddle, ensure it is not exposed to extreme temperatures (below 40°F or above 100°F) to prevent damage.”

On raw carbon, use the maker’s eraser or block, or Selkirk’s detergent spray

CRBN: “Simply rub the eraser up and down the face of your paddle and watch as it transforms back to its original glory.” CRBN adds: “Our eraser can also be used on any other raw, peel ply surface including kevlar pickleball paddles or anything similar.” Six Zero: “Apply light pressure and use gentle up and down strokes on your paddle face to remove accumulated debris.” It also warns: “Misuse of the cleaning rubber can damage your paddle.” Its product page adds: “Six Zero will not be liable for any damage resulting from improper use of the cleaning rubber. Please follow the instructions carefully to maintain your paddle in optimal condition.” Selkirk’s care guide has a block that works in circles instead: “Simply rub the block over the surface of your paddle in a circular motion and the block will quickly and easily remove any dirt or debris, leaving your paddle like new.” Selkirk’s raw-carbon post (ERA Power) makes spray the main method: “Over time, ball residue can build up on the face, but all you need to clean it is a spray bottle with a mix of 10–20% mild detergent and water, plus a microfiber cloth.” It adds: “For on-the-go cleaning, raw carbon fiber cleaning blocks are another great option, using raw carbon against raw carbon to lift buildup without chemicals.” Follow the instructions for the tool you own.

On Selkirk InfiniGrit, use water and mild detergent

Selkirk’s InfiniGrit cleaning page: “To keep it in top shape, mix about 80–90% water with mild detergent in a spray bottle, avoiding harsh chemicals.” Then: “Lightly spray the paddle face, then wipe it down with a microfiber cloth to remove buildup in just one pass.” The same page says: “Alcohol wipes are also an option, but the water-and-detergent method is gentle and effective.”

For a light wipe, use water only and keep the paddle out of liquid

Selkirk’s general care guide: “Simply dampen a cloth and gently scrub away any dirt or reside along the paddle face and edge guard.” It warns against cleaners: “It’s crucial to avoid using household cleaners as they leave behind a sticky residue on your paddle face.” On soaking, it says: “Although a bit of rain won’t hurt your paddle, submerging it in water or any other liquids should be avoided.” (Selkirk’s InfiniGrit and raw-carbon posts use water with mild detergent instead, as in steps 3 and 4; follow the page for your surface.)

Feel the face again

If the grit is back, the problem was buildup. If the center still feels smooth, the texture is worn, and the options are in the next section.

Note

Makers and sellers disagree on erasers. CRBN, Selkirk and Six Zero sell them for raw carbon. SPINX, which sells a surface-protection product, writes: “Erasers work by abrasion, and as the test above shows, they do not even shift buildup once it has bonded in.” On alcohol, SPINX says “Skip the alcohol and solvents. They degrade the surface along with the grime.”, while Selkirk lists alcohol wipes as an option for InfiniGrit. Your paddle maker’s page is the final word for its own surface. Our paddle cleaner roundup compares the erasers, blocks and sprays sold for paddles, maker by maker.

When the face is worn smooth: what makers and the rules allow

Replace the face, on a paddle built for it. USA Pickleball’s Equipment Standards Manual lists what a player may add to a certified paddle (section 2.E.5.a, Revision 3.0, January 2025): “Player alterations or additions to a commercially produced paddle as certified, may include such items as edge guard tape/replacements, weighted tape, weights for an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) integrated weight system, changes to the grip size via inserts, grip wraps, OEM interchangeable grips, OEM replacement paddle faces, and name decals and/or other identification markings on the paddle face.”

Reload sells a paddle with peel-off faces and says: “Replace the grit whenever you want – USAP approved.” USA Pickleball’s approved list shows two Reload entries, RLD1-14mm (added 06/10/2025) and RLD1-16mm (added 01/10/2024). Pickleball Effect’s Unsicker reviewed it in August 2024: “To solve this spin loss problem they created replaceable face sheets that you can peel off and stick to your paddle whenever you want to replace the grit on your paddle instead of having to replace your entire paddle for fresh grit.”

Do not count on the warranty. Every paddle warranty we read excludes normal wear, and Selkirk’s names texture wear outright: “Normal wear and tear, damage caused by abuse, negligence/user modification, chips to the top or sides of edgeless paddles, and the natural breakdown or fading of graphics or textures over extended use are not covered.” Six Zero’s paddle exclusions include “Fading of graphics and wear and tear of face materials.”

Replace the paddle. For what drives paddle prices, see why pickleball paddles are expensive.

Can you add grit? Sprays, sandpaper and stick-on skins

Owners on r/Pickleball who tried sprays or sandpaper report:

Sprays wear off. “I tried some spray like that for fun to try it out at rec play and it actually worked fine for a few weeks then wore off like all grit lol.”
Sprays can change how the paddle plays. Another owner tried one on an old paddle: “There’s a lot of texture but the way it hardened the paddle become rigid / stiff and lost all the feel I had in the paddle previously.”
Sprays can rub off on other paddles. “To add; if you spray anything on your paddle it’ll most likely transfer to everyone else’s paddle which is, IMO, not cool to mess up their paddle faces.”
Sanding removes material rather than adding grit. “Even if sanding does actually effectively scuff up the surface, you’re risking sanding through the resin (that is probably already pretty worn down if you’re noticeably losing spin potential) and exposing the actual carbon fibers themselves.”

Pikkl sells stick-on skins. Its Pro Skins page (marked “Coming soon” when we checked in October 2026) says: “When you purchase a paddle, put the Pro Skin on to protect the original grit and then remove it for any sanctioned tournaments (they’re not yet UPA/USAP certified, as they’re removable).”

What USA Pickleball’s equipment manual says. These are product specifications for certified paddles (Equipment Standards Manual, Revision 3.0, January 2025, the edition USA Pickleball’s equipment site served in October 2026), not rules of play. Section 2.E.5: “Alterations. Altered paddles must meet all specifications.” Grit spray and sandpaper are not on the list of permitted additions quoted above. Section 2.E.6, “Prohibited Surface Features and Mechanical Features”, includes:

2.E.6.a: “Anti-skid paint or any paint textured with sand, rubber or vinyl compounds or any material that causes additional spin – as measured by and compliance to surface roughness test measurements, coefficient of friction test measurements, and coefficient of restitution test measurements.”
2.E.6.c: “Sandpaper characteristics – as measured by and compliance to surface roughness test measurements, coefficient of friction test measurements, and coefficient of restitution test measurements.”

USA Pickleball changed how it tests newly submitted paddles from October 1, 2026. Its update (published July 8, 2026, revised September 16, 2026) says: “Beginning October 1, 2026, all paddles submitted for certification must achieve a measured spin rate of 2,100 RPM or less to receive USA Pickleball approval.” It also lists two rows: “Surface Roughness: Upper threshold replaced by a measurement of record” and “Coefficient of Friction: Upper threshold replaced by a measurement of record”. Paddles already approved keep their old standard: “All certified paddles must comply with the equipment standards that were in effect at the time of certification.”

What makers’ warranties say. Before you add anything to a face, read your maker’s warranty. Each one below is quoted from the maker’s paddle warranty page (October 2026):

Maker	Modifications	Face wear
CRBN	“However, any modifications to the paddle’s structure or face will void the warranty.”	“Normal Wear and Tear” is not covered
Selkirk	“negligence/user modification” is not covered	“the natural breakdown or fading of graphics or textures over extended use” is not covered
Six Zero	“Any modifications made to the paddle after purchasing.”	“Fading of graphics and wear and tear of face materials.”
JOOLA	“Modified or repaired by anyone not authorized by JOOLA.”	“Normal wear and tear” is excluded
Vatic Pro	No modification clause on the page; “It does not cover damage through improper usage, normal play usage, negligence, abuse, or accidents.”	“It also does not cover fading graphics, worn grip tape, or regular wear and tear.”

Which paddle has the most grit?

We found no independent test that measures grit across all paddles. Pickleball Effect measures how much texture a surface keeps after its own abrasion test, and its May 2026 guide (updated October 2026) reports: “In our original testing, the raw carbon surfaces we measured averaged 81% Ra retention.” It goes on: “The durable grit surfaces ranged from 90% to 98%, with HexGrit at the top of that group at 98%.” And: “Crystal Blue Endurance came in at 97%, while Diamond Tough was at 95%.” HexGrit, Crystal Blue Endurance and Diamond Tough are names of surfaces, not makers.

The same guide limits what those numbers mean: “Ra and Rz are measurements of the physical surface, not a spin test.” And of its top tier: “It doesn’t mean the Tier 1 paddle is a better paddle overall.” Pickleball Effect states that “If you click the links on the page or use our discount codes, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you that supports our testing and reviews.”

Makers publish their own lab figures. Selkirk says of InfiniGrit: “In lab testing, raw carbon fiber paddles became nearly smooth after about 50 abrasive cycles, while Infinigrit lasted roughly three times longer, maintaining far more texture even after 150 cycles.” That is Selkirk’s own test, not an independent one.

For paddles compared on spin by named testers, see our spin paddle roundup and our carbon fiber paddle roundup, which reports testers’ remarks on how each face’s grit holds up.

Mistakes and troubleshooting

Treating a dirty face as a worn one. Feel the face and clean it first.
Using an eraser on InfiniGrit. Selkirk’s Boomstik guide recommends water and mild detergent “Instead of using rubber erasers”.
Household cleaners, soaking, heat and cold. See steps 2 and 5 for Selkirk’s and Six Zero’s warnings.
Playing on sandy courts. Six Zero’s FAQ: “It is recommended not to play where sand/grit can stick to the ball.” It adds: “This may result in marks, scratches, gouges, dents, or worse to your paddle face.”
Cleaning did not help and your maker lists no method for your surface. Ask the maker’s support before you use an eraser or a cleaner on it. JOOLA’s and Vatic Pro’s US sites give warranty terms but, in the pages we read, no face-cleaning steps.

Ready to buy?

If the grit is gone and the paddle is not built for new faces, compare raw carbon and durable-grit faces in our carbon fiber paddle roundup, or start with our best pickleball paddles roundup.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Can a pickleball paddle be resurfaced?

Potenza sells a “Paddle Re-Surfacing Treatment” and writes: “Our expertly Engineered technique & composites improves surface friction by enhancing the paddle’s grit, giving you an edge on the court.” Its page does not say whether a treated paddle still meets USA Pickleball’s specifications, and CRBN, Selkirk, Six Zero and JOOLA exclude modifications from their warranties.

Q. Can you sandpaper a pickleball paddle?

USA Pickleball’s manual lists “Sandpaper characteristics” among prohibited surface features (2.E.6.c), and owners warn that sanding can cut through the resin to the carbon fibers.

Q. How long does the grit on a pickleball paddle last?

In his Reload review, Pickleball Effect’s Unsicker writes that “the raw textured or paint grit” starts to smooth out “after only a couple of months of regular play”; durable-grit faces are designed to keep their texture longer.

Q. Is a re-gritted paddle still USA Pickleball approved?

Only if it still meets the specifications it was certified under (see the manual’s alteration rule above). None of the pages we read says a home-sprayed or sanded face does.

Sources (26)

Pickleball Sporting Goods Team

Edited by founder and editor Md. Sharjis Ibne Wadud — see the About page for how we work.