We live in Calgary, Alberta just outside of the city (between the Canadian Rockies and the Prairies). Our family tradition is to make an ice skating rink for our family to skate on each winter season. We love being outdoors and this is a super fun way to be able to get outside each day. Our whole family contributes to the success of the rink, our toddlers love making the rink come to life.
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Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you set up your own ice skating rink:
Make a Homemade Ice Skating Rink too.
1. Choose a Location
We cleared the area of sharp objects and chose a rink spot based on having a flat surface by the shed. We wanted to be close to the water source as you will need to flood the rink often.
Flat, Level Ground: Find a smooth, flat area that is large enough for your desired rink size (typically 20x40 feet is a good starting point for family use).
Free from Obstacles: Make sure the area is free from trees, branches, rocks, and other hazards.
Water location: Make sure you are close by the water source. We use an indoor hot water tap in the garage. Make sure you store your hoses indoors. If you do not have this option available, you can use buckets or homemade ice resurfacers essentially a homemade zamboni.
First skate of the year
2. Supplies Needed
We ordered most of our supplies online from Amazon. Items arrived within 1-2 days. Other items can be found at a local hardware store.
Perimeter Board: We use 6 inch by 4 inch wood beams and fastened together with brackets. Optional, you can use snow if you pile snow if you flood with water to ice it up. If you have a higher budget then you can use kits, which include liner and supports for larger boards.
Plastic Liner or Tarp: This is the inner liner that holds the water. You need to make sure the plastic liner is bigger than the perimeter of the rink. If it is too small, it will not be able to hold maximum water to achieve proper ice depth. The liner should be white in colour to increase sun reflectivity, helping to maintain cooler ice temperature. When unfolding your line, carefully inspect the liner for holes. When moving the liner into position, ensure no sharp objects are underneath the liner. Some liners include a repair kit while others don't. You can use a white heavy duty duct tape for simple repairs. For more cost effective options, tarps can also work great.
Snow Removal Equipment: For clearing snow, shovels with a metal blade work best. The metal blade can also help remove small bumps on the ice surface. Large bumps in the ice can be removed using an ice chipper. Snow blowers are also a great option when there is excessive snow build up. If using a snow blower, ensure the ice has been adequately frozen as these machines are heavy and cause ice cracking. Be extra cautious using a snowblower on the ice, as you have reduced traction.
Water Source: A hose or buckets needed for flooding the rink. Garden hoses need to be stored inside and if the water source can come from indoors it will reduce the risk of water lines freezing or rupturing. If using hose, you can use a wand attachment, or a RinkMaster ice resurfacer. There are also some cool DIY ice resurfacers that use plastic totes and insulated coolers!
Light Source: Night skating is possibly the best activity. Here are a few options to help illuminate your rink after dark. For our rink, we used a 1" wood drill bit to make holes for these adjustable poles. If your rink is built on grass, you can simply pound the stakes into the ground. With the poles installed, we hung garden lights around the perimeter of the rink. You can also use things such as portable flood lights.
Protective Netting: If you like hockey and plan on shooting pucks, this is a must! You can install permanent netting, however there are some more temporary options as well. One option is to install temporary posts and hang netting. The other option would be to buy a hockey net with a built in or optional net system!
Rubber Mat (optional): If your skating rink is a short walking distance from your changing area, you may want to consider rubber mats to walk on to protect your skate blades. Of course, you can use skate guards too. We have a small changing room and opted to use rubber matting. A great option is using 6mm rubber mats or tiles. If using mats, the 6 ft x 4 ft is a great option that can be cut to size using a utility knife. Often you can find very cost effective rubber mats on Marketplace, Kijiji or Craigslist.
3. Prepare the Site
Clear the Area: Remove snow, leaves, and debris from the chosen site.
Level the Ground: If necessary, level the ground by filling in low spots with dirt or sand to create an even surface.
4. Create Rink Borders
Install Borders: The boards need to be set up before the rink liner is placed into position. For our rink, we used 12 foot 4" x 6" beams to for the outside perimeter. We placed these beams so the 6" width was upright to ensure we could get a minimum of 3-4" of ice. Once the beams were arranged and cut to desired length, they were fastened together using brackets.
Install Liner: After the perimeter boards were fastened in place, the plastic liner is carefully unfolded and put into position. Make sure to inspect the liner for damage, as this will impact flooding. Our rink perimeter boards are roughly 35 feet by 50 feet, when ordering a liner we chose a liner that was 40 feet by 55 feet to line the rink and the inside of the perimeter board. Once in position, we used a staple gun to hold the liner in place. The staples were place on the top or outer side of the 4"x6" perimeter board.
5. Flood the Rink
Single Fill: There are a few ways to build up the ice. We typically fill the liner once and allow it to freeze. Typically, you will want to flood the liner once you have consecutive days below the freezing point. We like to also choose days, where there is minimal snow during the first flood. In Canada, we typically flood at -5 degrees Celsius.
Gradual Fill: Another approach to flooding your rink is to apply a thin layer of water (about 1/4 inch) at a time. Allow it to freeze before adding more water. Repeat the process until you reach the desired thickness (approximately 3-4 inches is good).
Use Cold Water: We tend to use cold water to fill the liner and hot water to resurface after skating. Always keep an eye out for leaks in the liner and ensure the water hose does not freeze during the process.
6. Smooth the Surface
Ice Maintenance: Once you have solid ice, an shovel or an ice chipper can be used to to smooth out any rough spots. Skating is also a great way to level out rough patches of ice. If needed, spray a fine layer of hot water over the surface to create a smoother finish.
Monitor Temperature: Ideally, you want temperatures consistently below freezing for the best flooding and resurfacing results.
7. Regular Upkeep
Clear Snow: After snowfalls, keep the rink clear of snow using a shovel or snowblower. This helps maintain the ice surface. If the snow is light and fluffy, a leaf blower works great.
Refreeze as Needed: Be prepared to flood or smooth the ice surface periodically as it may crack or develop rough spots over time. Using hot water to flood after skating makes a nice smooth finish.
8. Safety First
Inspect the Ice: Before skating, ensure the ice is thick enough to support weight. A good rule of thumb is to wait until the ice is at least 3-4 inches thick for safety. Also look for irregular ice build up and rough patches, which can cause unexpected slips and falls.
Wear Proper Gear: Use appropriate skating gear, including helmets and pads, especially for young skaters or beginners.
Optional Tips and Items:
Skating Aid: If you are just learning to skate, you may want to have some skating aids available. Here are a few options of some popular skating aides:
Changing Areas: Depending on your property, you may have the option to have an outdoor changing area. We repurposed an outdoor shed as a dressing room, which we can use to warm up and enjoy the experience of outdoor skating. Here are a few items which we used to complete our dressing room:
Big Buddy Heater - important to ensure you have good ventilation!
Staying Warm: If you are hosting multiple people over, a portable fire pit is a great way to keep your skaters warm!
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