How long does it take to build an ice rink?

Asked by: Peter Vanlaere

A Typical Single Ice Rinks takes 7 months to construct.

How long does it take to build an ice hockey rink?

The entire process can take almost 48 hours. The ice is only about one inch thick when everything is finished. In addition, the official size of a National Hockey League rink is 200 feet long and 85 feet wide. To make the an ice sheet with this large of a surface area requires about 10,600 gallons of water.

How many layers does it take to make an ice rink?

Three layers; base ice-water-top ice. The water in between the two ice layers will then start to freeze and expand as it does so. As it expands, it can only expand up into the fresh ice, therefore causing the “lifting” of the fresh top ice layer and making it bumpy and/or uneven again which is called “shale ice.”

How do you build a backyard ice rink?

It just means that you need a lot more lumber. Basically you just need about four to six inches of water above wherever that level line is so if you don't call a guy you're going to need more lumber.

How long does it take to flood a rink?

A – The first time you set up the backyard rink and get it ready to fill up with water it will take an average of 1 to 3 hours on “level” ground . If the ground is not level, it will require additional time to adjust the frame to make it level. uld take from 6 to 8 hours depending on the size.

How thick should my backyard ice rink be?

A – A minimum of 2” (two inches) thick for the ice to stay solid and hold the weight of a 300lb person is required. For the municipal rinks, we recommend at least 3” (three inches).

Should I fill my rink all at once?

Fill it all up at once so the water can level out – freezing in layers can create an uneven surface. The following floods should be with hot water if available. Once you have two to three inches of ice your rink will be ready!

How long does it take for backyard ice rink to freeze?

The rule of thumb among backyard rinkers is to have 3 or more days with highs below freezing. (See freeze chart below.) The longer your liner is exposed to hazards (kids, animals, pets, pests (neighbor kids)), the more likely you will develop holes or tears in your liner.

Can you flood a rink when it’s snowing?

Shariff says you should never flood during a cold snap because it produces brittle ice that easily cracks. If that does happen, Shariff says you just need to wait until the temperature rises. Then fill the cracks immediately with a mixture of of water and snow and give your rink a warm water bath to smooth things out.

How long does it take 4 inches of ice to freeze?

four days

Ice may form quickly when temperatures tumble, but it takes more time than you might think for ice to reach the four-inch thickness that experts recommend. On average, it takes four days of below freezing temperatures to form ice that is safe.

How cold is too cold to flood a rink?

Take care of your ice



The ideal temperature to flood your ice is between -7 and -20 degrees Celsius. If you try to flood your rink when it’s below -20 degrees, the ice will be brittle and freeze before it has a chance to level out.

How do outdoor ice rinks stay frozen?

The most common method of refrigeration used in keeping an ice rink frozen is an indirect refrigeration system. This is where a liquid refrigerant (often ammonia) absorbs heat from a secondary liquid (often brine) which has absorbed heat from the source.

How thick is the ice on an NHL rink?

The jersey is sometimes called a sweater because, during hockey’s early years, players actually wore sweaters and not the mesh-like jerseys of today. How thick is the ice? Ice is approximately 3/4″ of an inch thick and is usually chilled at 16 degrees fahrenheit. The thicker the ice, the softer and slower it becomes.

Why does my ice rink crack?

The short answer is that it’s normal. The moisture in your slab is acting as the glue to keep it all together. When it’s extremely cold out that moisture dissipates and can cause settling. You then go and shock the ice with a resurface and which in turn can cause cracks.

What keeps an ice rink frozen?

A large refrigeration plant (see How Refrigerators Work for a description of the refrigeration process) produces ice-cold glycol that runs through these pipes. The entire slab of concrete that makes up the arena floor drops below freezing. Then, thin layers of water are poured on the concrete and allowed to freeze.

Why do ice skating rinks not melt?

It has to do with a substance called propylene glycol, says Willy Bietak, president of Bietak Productions. His company installed outdoor rinks at Pershing Square and by the Queen Mary in Long Beach. Beitak says propylene glycol can get much colder than the freezing temperature of water and still stay a liquid.

What do they do with the ice after a hockey game?

The ice in an ice hockey rink is only removed when the regular season and playoffs are finished. When it’s time to get rid of the ice, the brinewater is warmed and circulated under the ice to begin the melting process. Once the ice has melted sufficiently, it is then broken up and carted off by front end loaders.

How do they make NHL ice rinks?

This company made its own ice making machine by retrofitting an ice resurfacer. It's onboard water tank feeds 20 sprayers that mist a 4 meter span.

What does a Zamboni cost?

As the sizes and options of the Zamboni machines vary greatly according to each ice arena’s individual needs, so does the price. The Model 100 (a small tractor pulled unit) may be in the neighborhood of $10,000.00 or more and the full-sized machines can be up to or in the low six figures.

Does Zamboni use hot water?

The machine dispenses warm water (140 to 145 degrees F or 60 to 63 degrees C) through holes at the back, where a towel smoothes it as it freezes along the surface [sources: Exploratorium, Zamboni].

How much ice does a Zamboni remove?

2,500 pounds

When the machine resurfaces the ice, it is capable of removing close to 2,500 pounds of compacted snow, while it can leave behind about 1,500 pounds of water.

What temperature is NHL ice?

“The ice temperature before warm-up is about 18 degrees Fahrenheit, but that will climb as high as 24 degrees during the game,” says King. “The NHL’s standard for maximum temperature at the conclusion of a game is 24 degrees.”

How thick is the ice on an Olympic skating rink?

The ice is built up to a thickness of 19 to 38 mm (3⁄4 to 1+1⁄2 in).