A non-slip foam design pad apparatus and method in which a design pad is adapted in a stretched condition for use on a surface, such as a surfboard, to provide a non-slip surface and to provide a selected design pattern on the surfboard. The design pad apparatus comprises a thin sheet of flexible foam material, a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer on one surface, and a removable protective layer over the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer. The foam sheet material is characterized by being diecut into a plurality of foam connected sections connected in a side to side alternating manner by short, uncut sections of the foam sheet material and adapted to move between a relaxed, diecut position and a stretched design position by longitudinal stretching of the non-slip design pad.