How to Construct an Ice Rink in Your Yard

When the weather is great, and there are lots of things to do outside, coming up with activities for the kids is simple, but it can be more challenging during the colder months. This may be the year you’ll finally make your ice rink and enjoy it. You can make your backyard a great place for the whole family with just a few simple items and some know-how. Skating is fun and healthy, and having a local rink means you won’t have to go far to enjoy it. Instructions for building an outdoor ice surface are provided.

Consider Constructing a Classic Rink

 

It takes dedication to maintain a backyard ice rink, so it’s always in skateable condition. Remember that your ice rink needs to be shoveled after every snowfall, even if you don’t like shoveling snow off your driveway. You might want to keep things classic when constructing your first backyard rink. You may make your ice skating rink without a tarp or plastic liner by waiting for persistent freezing temperatures, packing down the snow with your feet until you get the desired shape and size, and then flooding the area with water from a water supplier.

Choose the Best Place

The slope of your yard is the most important factor to consider while building a rink. You need to know where the water line will be before you put up your boards. If you don’t, you risk having a water pool at one end of the rink while your tarp remains dry at the other. Your yard has a slope, so you’ll need to use higher boards at the lower end.

 

Any ice rink must have a reliable water supply that won’t freeze in the winter. To prevent water from freezing in the outdoor faucet, turn the water off and on at the shutoff valve before using the faucet. An additional option is to link a hose to a water supply inside. Bring it inside if you don’t want the hose to freeze up.

 

Winter evenings end quickly, so you might want to turn on the ice rink’s lights to use them after dark. It’s tempting to simply turn on whatever lights are already outside, but if you plan on playing hockey, you’ll want to make sure there are no shadows that could potentially hide the puck.

Construct a Strong Frame

Before the ground freezes, most people begin construction on their backyard rink frames in late November or early December. A backyard rink can be compared to a makeshift above-ground pool. You only need a frame, some brackets to hold the frame up, and a liner to keep the water in.

 

You can use either plywood or timber for the framework. Plywood is more affordable and simpler to work with than timber, but it doesn’t last as long. Lumber is a seasonal commodity that necessitates more room than usual to be stored away during the off-season. So that the boards don’t sag, you’ll need some brackets that can be driven into the ground. Backyard rink brackets can be purchased prefabricated or constructed by you to save money.

 

Once you have your boards in place and your brackets anchored into the ground, you should wait for consistently chilly weather to lay your liner within your frame and fill it with water. Get a thick, light-colored liner because dark liners can potentially absorb the sun’s heat and melt the ice within.

Make Fantastic Ice

The ice in your rink should be filled when two days of subfreezing temperatures are forecast. For a level playing field, fill the rink all at once with the help of a rink filling service if needed. In addition to potentially damaging your liner, layering the ice can lead to an uneven surface. You can start skating when the ice is at least 8 to 10 centimeters thick.

Regularly Maintain Your Rink

Always remember to shovel your ice rink after a snowfall. Leaving snow on the ground for too long can generate bumps and divots. When you’re done shoveling or skating for the day, give the ice a light layer of water. After freezing overnight, you’ll have a perfectly flat surface.

Conclusion

Skating in your backyard this winter requires only a few days of preparation and minimal resources. Unfortunately, the kits for building your ice rink at home may be quite pricey. In little time at all, if you follow the steps mentioned above, you and your loved ones will have an ice rink fit for a champion. It’s not as hard as you may imagine. You only require isolation, time, and chilly weather.