Backyard Ice Rink

[TheCowboy]

Have any of you guys ever built an ice rink in your backyard in the winter? I'm thinking about doing it this year, I'd just like to hear if anyone has any advice or tips before I start. It looks simple enough though. Should be very fun if I can do it right!

 

[CashMan]

Have any of you guys ever built an ice rink in your backyard in the winter? I'm thinking about doing it this year, I'd just like to hear if anyone has any advice or tips before I start. It looks simple enough though. Should be very fun if I can do it right!

Call your insurance company, someone gets hurt.on it without signing a waiver, you have an issue.

 

[kimrose]

It looks awesome to me. I would love that. But I live in Southeast Texas, so I can't have that.

 

[TheCowboy]

Call your insurance company, someone gets hurt.on it without signing a waiver, you have an issue.

Ah that is a good point. Thank you!

 

[Longboysfan]

Make sure to really work the ground well. Nothing to poke a hole in the plastic.
Make sure to tape both sides. When my friend did it they took the plastic indoors to the school to tape it together.
Have a few help lay it in. Be sure ground is level.
Add Water - the fun starts.

 

[Longboysfan]

Sorry missed this - a piece of carpet to have them step on and off rink from not curring the plastic.

 

[TheCowboy]

Make sure to really work the ground well. Nothing to poke a hole in the plastic.
Make sure to tape both sides. When my friend did it they took the plastic indoors to the school to tape it together.
Have a few help lay it in. Be sure ground is level.
Add Water - the fun starts.

Does the tarp have to water resistant? Or do you not want it to be water resistant?

 

[Longboysfan]

The tarp below does not have to be water resistant. Just so nothing pokes through and puts hole in the plastic.

 

[Longboysfan]

Build frame. Rake out debris from area.
Put down tarp.
Put in plastic. Just like they show add some water. Adjust plastic.
Staple it to backside of the board.
Old piece of carpet to go on and off ice with so as not to cut plastic.
And a roll of Gorilla Glue tape. Just in case.

 

[TheCowboy]

Build frame. Rake out debris from area.
Put down tarp.
Put in plastic. Just like they show add some water. Adjust plastic.
Staple it to backside of the board.
Old piece of carpet to go on and off ice with so as not to cut plastic.
And a roll of Gorilla Glue tape. Just in case.

Dude I cannot for the life of me find a white waterproof tarp. I called every store near me. I was told it had to be waterproof because water resistant doesn't hold water unless its -10 degrees. This the only reasonable thing and literally the only tarp I can find: http://www.nicerink.com/store/product.php?productid=24434&cat=0&page=2

I'm stumped.

 

[Longboysfan]

The big blue tarp you find in stores - like Home Depot goes on ground first. After you have cleaned up the ground.
This will pervent any tears in the plastic liner you put down.
The link showed you can order from COSTCO Canada.
My friend did it simple. Took up all the grass. Sifted the dirt clean of rocks and tree roots.
Put a junk plastic down. as a barrier for cuts to plastic. Then got a 6 mil plastic - two large pieces taped together both sides - the plastic overlapped 1 inch.
That went into the frame. Filled with water no problem.

 

[TheCowboy]

The big blue tarp you find in stores - like Home Depot goes on ground first. After you have cleaned up the ground.
This will pervent any tears in the plastic liner you put down.
The link showed you can order from COSTCO Canada.
My friend did it simple. Took up all the grass. Sifted the dirt clean of rocks and tree roots.
Put a junk plastic down. as a barrier for cuts to plastic. Then got a 6 mil plastic - two large pieces taped together both sides - the plastic overlapped 1 inch.
That went into the frame. Filled with water no problem.

Thank you sir I will keep you updated throughout the season!

 

[RonSpringsdaman20]

Have any of you guys ever built an ice rink in your backyard in the winter? I'm thinking about doing it this year, I'd just like to hear if anyone has any advice or tips before I start. It looks simple enough though. Should be very fun if I can do it right!

awesome...goodluck!

 

[Longboysfan]

Nice thing to do.

 

[Future]

Awesome, but be ready for more work than it looks like. I don't think a backyard ice rink, especially a new one, is really as simple as pouring water into a frame and letting it freeze. My neighbor used to have one and there were all kinds of problems with the quality of the ice.

Having said that, I'd love to have one as I'm trying to get into actually playing hockey

 

[TheCowboy]

Awesome, but be ready for more work than it looks like. I don't think a backyard ice rink, especially a new one, is really as simple as pouring water into a frame and letting it freeze. My neighbor used to have one and there were all kinds of problems with the quality of the ice.

Having said that, I'd love to have one as I'm trying to get into actually playing hockey

They had problems maintaining or fully freezing the ice? I know every 2-3 uses I have to resurface it, which is a pain.

 

[Future]

They had problems maintaining or fully freezing the ice? I know every 2-3 uses I have to resurface it, which is a pain.

I think maintaining it was the biggest problem, but part of that was keeping it completely frozen. Idk for sure what the problem was, just that they had to do consistent work on it. Maybe resurfacing is what I'm thinking of.

 

[TheCowboy]

I think maintaining it was the biggest problem, but part of that was keeping it completely frozen. Idk for sure what the problem was, just that they had to do consistent work on it. Maybe resurfacing is what I'm thinking of.

Oh maybe they didn't use a white tarp? Keeping it completely frozen is hard with dark colored tarps.

 

[Future]

Oh maybe they didn't use a white tarp? Keeping it completely frozen is hard with dark colored tarps.

I think the issue was the the ice would get soft and then there'd be big divots/holes/chips...where I live it doesn't always stay cold enough in the winter...so if the sun got on the ice and it was 40 degrees out it would get messed up.

It's basically what happens in places like Madison Square Garden where the ice is always bad b/c the temp is constantly changing b/c of bball and other events.

 

[TheCowboy]

I think the issue was the the ice would get soft and then there'd be big divots/holes/chips...where I live it doesn't always stay cold enough in the winter...so if the sun got on the ice and it was 40 degrees out it would get messed up.

It's basically what happens in places like Madison Square Garden where the ice is always bad b/c the temp is constantly changing b/c of bball and other events.

Where you live? Aren't you in Rochester now?