backyard rink

[bc eagle 0]

anyone have one here?

for people who do, this year is a horrible year for having a rink. there have been 5 snowstorms. anyone have some tips for keeping it in the best shape?

[Ngo_35 1]

I just made one for shooting around. It's not a crazy up north type backyard rink but in the city its better than nothing.

From my experience and working at the rink:

1) Shovel your snow! First use a plastic shovel followed by a broom to get everything off the ice. If possible use a leaf blower, it'll be much easier.

2) Use cold water to built depth and hot water to clean glossy finish. Hot water freezes stronger than cold (think about the science).

3)Flood in small layers especially if its not cold enough ie -5C or higher or you'll get "shell ice"

4)Chips and cracks can be filled with snow and hot water to patch them up.

5) Flood after heavy skates and leave the rink over night to freeze.

6) Pay close attention to long weather forecast but dont take them to heart.

Thats about it for now. Im sure there are guys out their with years of experience who can offer a lot more help as well.

[shifter 0]

did you make one before ngo_35?

[RadioGaGa 162]

6) Pay close attention to long weather forecast but dont take them to heart.

It's supposed to get up to +8/9 degrees by Sunday...anyone with a rink in Southern Ontario is pretty much farked.

[kovey10 0]

The most important part of maintaining a backyard rink is to shovel it. We shovel our rink every time it snows and then after we skate. If you let the snow sit on the rink for a couple days then it is a pain in the ass to get off and you're left with bumpy ice. We usually then flood the rink at night so its good by the next morning.

[Michael9 57]

http://www.modsquadhockey.com/forums/index...932&hl=rink this should help

[Hidious 0]

I'm so exhausted from shoveling all this damn snow... Still have the hardest part to do.

Rink 1

Rink 2

Rink 3

Rink 4

Rink 5

[RadioGaGa 162]

Great looking rink Hidious.

[Ngo_35 1]

Shifter: Not man this year is my first year.

Radio: I know I'm basically shafted for the next week. Just gotta maintain, maintain, maintain. Hopefully the warmer weather will melt the little bumps in the ice and when it freezes over again i'll give it a nice flood once it hits -8ish again.

[RadioGaGa 162]

Shifter: Not man this year is my first year.

Radio: I know I'm basically shafted for the next week. Just gotta maintain, maintain, maintain. Hopefully the warmer weather will melt the little bumps in the ice and when it freezes over again i'll give it a nice flood once it hits -8ish again.

Well, I don't think the high temps are supposed to last more than a couple days.

http://weatheroffice.gc.ca/city/pages/on-77_metric_e.html

So, yeah...it might just be some good natural maintenance...if you've got a good base under it...you shouldn't melt to the point of loosing the whole thing.

[Jordan 13]

Great tip, a buddy gave me before I built my first one. Use a tarp or plastic sheet as a liner, this way if warms up for a while, it will re-freeze as soon as it gets cold.

This also allows you (if the tarp rins up boards around the perimeter) build a very thick slab of ice. This makes it more resistant to warm spells.

[LkptTiger 1]

It's hard to find a heavy tarp large enough to accommodate a decent-sized rink. We actually used tar to connect and seal a few tarps together - because size does matter.

We spent a few weeks leveling off our rink/wiffleball field (depending on the season) during the spring a few years ago. Think about doing it, especially if the size of your rink or the quality of ice is limited by any dips/rises in your yard.

[bheidepr 0]

Shifter: Not man this year is my first year.

Radio: I know I'm basically shafted for the next week. Just gotta maintain, maintain, maintain. Hopefully the warmer weather will melt the little bumps in the ice and when it freezes over again i'll give it a nice flood once it hits -8ish again.

You could maybe use a propane torch to remove snow and melt bumps....

[badsk8ter 0]

Here's a great website about backyard rinks. It even includes tips from those who have built rinks and learned from their past experiences. I just like looking at all of them. Some of them are amazing.

http://www.hpurchase.com/backyard.htm

[kovey10 0]

It's hard to find a heavy tarp large enough to accommodate a decent-sized rink. We actually used tar to connect and seal a few tarps together - because size does matter.

We spent a few weeks leveling off our rink/wiffleball field (depending on the season) during the spring a few years ago. Think about doing it, especially if the size of your rink or the quality of ice is limited by any dips/rises in your yard.

As far as the tarp goes, we use the plastic rink liner made for backyard rinks. We get our liners from Nice Rink, we've tried all three of the liners and the "cheapskates" liners does the trick. Its nothing fancy just plain white plastice, but it doesn' tear and its fairly cheap too. http://www.nicerink.com/liners/

[Powerfibers 8]

I bought 6mil clear sheeting at Lowe's yesterday. 20x100' about 67 bucks. Ready to fill when the weather turns here. It is friggin raining today of all things!

[LkptTiger 1]

...the weather has turned (again).

[biff44 0]

I agree, a plastic tarp is a good idea if you are in an area where it might thaw temporarily. A big rink can hold a LOT of water--you do not want that flooding your neighbor's driveway!

I prefer to lay the (clear) plastic tarp down over some packed down snow. That way you have a white colored rink, and it will reflect the sunshine a lot better. The worst is clear plastic tarp on green grass, as the light gets absorbed and the rink melts faster.

Don't put a rink over a leaching field--they give off too much heat and will help to melt the ice on warmer days.

Don't try to put a rink over an un-level area. If the water gets deeper than say 5 inches at some corner, you are going to have to do some major shoring up of the walls.

IF you get a hole in the tarp, don't panic. Get a can of the expanding foam insulation (like "great stuff"), attach the nozzle, and put it into the hole in the plastic. Spray the great stuff between the plastic tarp and the ground. The foam will expand and cure under water and the leakwill be fixed.

Another trick that sounds bizzare but actually works: If it thaws and then you get a cold snap, put a couple fans outside to blow the cold air over the ice surface. It will refreeze twice as fast. A lot of really cold nights have still air, and you do not get as much heat transfer from the water to the air when that happens.

[hrbekroenick 0]

Thanks for all the tips everyone. I am getting married in 12 days, hopefully closing on a house in 14 days. The backyard is not ginormous, but I plan on making my first backyard rink this winter. Hopefully the Minnesota weather will allow it. Once we get in I'll most certainly be scavenging for free old wood for the boards.

[Powerfibers 8]

Thanks for all the tips everyone. I am getting married in 12 days, hopefully closing on a house in 14 days. The backyard is not ginormous, but I plan on making my first backyard rink this winter. Hopefully the Minnesota weather will allow it. Once we get in I'll most certainly be scavenging for free old wood for the boards.

Good luck on the wedding...and the rink, too!

Bob

[Powerfibers 8]

Do you guys have any suggestions as to what to do if you get snow chunks in a rink while you're flooding? A good chunk of snow fell from the garage into the rink while it was waiting to freeze up and now I have some serious chunks on the surface. It is 11 here today, so it should be frozen soon, but looks like I'm screwed. I would have thought the snow would have melted. I am afraid that if I fill over it, I will exceed my boards on the deeper end.

Thanks guys,

Bob

[Jordan 13]

Just let it freeze in place. Use one of those heavy blades with a long handle, that are meant for chopping ice on sidewalks. You can use this to level out the area, even better if you chop/scrape it to below the grade of the ice and make a small depression. Then flood that area to level, let that freeze solid.

After that, give the rink a thin flood and you will have a great surface!

[Powerfibers 8]

Thanks Jordan. I will leave it be and then scrape and fill. Looks good so far, otherwise, and I was not expected afternoon temps below 20 today, so this is good.

Patience, I have to remind myself. Usually I mess the rink up when I don't leave well enough alone.

[KryptOng 9]

My concern is for those with the backyard rinks, what do you guys do with the water when spring rolls around winter's done, how did you guys remove it?

i've been wanting to do this for a few years now in my backyard, well the side of the house which is the flattest with concrete tiles. I don't want a pool of water in the spring and potentially saturating the foundation of my home

[dumbpolak9 1]

you guys think that centeral New Jersey has a cold enough climate to make an out door rink?