Tips for Making a Backyard Ice Hockey Rink.

The 40' x 60' backyard skating rink is done and there were tons of lessons learned.

1) Start before the snow falls. My plastic is on top of packed down snow, and that pretty much ruined my chances of an easy fill. The snow melted in pockets under the water as the rink filled. It took 17 hours from the garden hose. If I had a perfectly level surface, I could have filled this with 1/2 the amount of water.

2) After the initial fill, flood the ice with giant garbage cans full of water to give a good surface to start with. After that, use a diy rink rake.

3) No matter how much the kids beg you, don't let them skate until the ice is done. I let them skate before the first flood was completely frozen, and that just gave me a surface of slush. Then the slush froze, and that gave us a surface of crusty, crunchy, trippy ice.

4) Buy a flat-bladed steel ice scraper with a long handle. Sharpen one edge with a grinder. You'll need this to fix all the damage done from #3. It will also come in handy when natural chunks form.

5) Backboards are a must if you are playing hockey. It sucks to chase down pucks in the snow.

6) Get an automatic hose reel...this was my best tool. The hose is inside my utility room. I drag it out the window and to the rink. When I was done at each stage, I was able to easily wind the hose back into the house with no mess.

For next year...don't drain the swimming pool right away when we're done in the fall. Save the water and use it to fill the rink.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Tips
• DIY
• Backyard
• Hockey
• Skate
• Skating
• Rink.

[Nicholas181995]

Did you put plastic or a tarp underneath the rink before flooding?

[GreatNorthWeb]

@Nicholas181995 Yes...I bought a 40x60 sheet of plastic from NiceRink.com. One sheet makes it easier, but you can get by with smaller pieces taped together with the most ridiculously strong duct tape you can find. This year we added boards and we are just waiting for the temperature to drop. New vid coming soon...

[armykid567]

do u have a Zamboni? 

[GreatNorthWeb]

@armykid567 ha! i wish. we have a rink rake, which is basically a garden hose hooked to a towel to spread the water evenly.

[HDxKoolAid]

MAKE A VIDEO ON HOCKEY STOPS AND BACKWARDS STOPS

[flopstarstudios]

I filled mine with some snow and THAN put water on it,will it still freeze?

[TheWizz82]

@GreatNorthWeb Ive been usin a mop with hot water for now. Gotta make a rake soon. Nice ice man

[unclejohnthezef]

nice!