Hi.
I'm in the process of building an ice rink/skating rink at home for the boy, the dimensions of the rink are 12.5*8.5m.
During the construction, we notice that the lawn slopes a lot more than it seemed at first. There will be about 1dm of ice in one corner of the rink and 4dm thick on the other side.
The setup consists of plywood and a large waterproof tarp so that it becomes like a pool.
How do you handle filling?
Do you fill a couple of cm at a time over a longer period?
Or can you fill it all at once?
If you fill a little at a time, do you have to wait until it is completely frozen through before you can add more water?
Many questions and considerations.
Thanks for now, Kristoffer
I'm in the process of building an ice rink/skating rink at home for the boy, the dimensions of the rink are 12.5*8.5m.
During the construction, we notice that the lawn slopes a lot more than it seemed at first. There will be about 1dm of ice in one corner of the rink and 4dm thick on the other side.
The setup consists of plywood and a large waterproof tarp so that it becomes like a pool.
How do you handle filling?
Do you fill a couple of cm at a time over a longer period?
Or can you fill it all at once?
If you fill a little at a time, do you have to wait until it is completely frozen through before you can add more water?
Many questions and considerations.
Thanks for now, Kristoffer
An important question is which temperature zone you are in. If it's 25 below zero, you probably can't leave the hose out. If it's only minus 2, you can probably just leave the hose out. There are many YouTube clips on this, and they usually just lay out the hose and let it run for an hour or two, then move the hose. Most clips I've seen obviously come from Canada, but there shouldn't be too much difference.
But the basic concept is as follows. Spray/spread water so that you have an "ice cake" over the entire area. Then when it has frozen, you can spread water in "high and low" parts.
A prerequisite is that you have frost in the ground before you start spraying. It must ABSOLUTELY not snow when you add water. Then the whole ice rink will become very grainy. I've done this on a smaller scale in a sandbox, and it snowed. It was terrible!
But the basic concept is as follows. Spray/spread water so that you have an "ice cake" over the entire area. Then when it has frozen, you can spread water in "high and low" parts.
A prerequisite is that you have frost in the ground before you start spraying. It must ABSOLUTELY not snow when you add water. Then the whole ice rink will become very grainy. I've done this on a smaller scale in a sandbox, and it snowed. It was terrible!
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· Västerbottens län
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My experience is that it's probably fine to let a thick layer freeze but the layer you then spray on should not be more than a few cm. If you spray it thicker, tensions form in the ice and it cracks when you walk on the ice, making it look like the thick layer detaches from the underlying ice.
I didn't understand the part about the hose; if you turn off the water, the hose freezes even if it's just minus 2. If you let the water run, it can be minus 25 without freezing.
You don't need at least 10 cm thick ice, a few cm is enough.
Protte
I didn't understand the part about the hose; if you turn off the water, the hose freezes even if it's just minus 2. If you let the water run, it can be minus 25 without freezing.
You don't need at least 10 cm thick ice, a few cm is enough.
Protte
When we were around 15, we flooded the outdoor rink at home, a full-size hockey rink. With a fire hose, in fact 
but the older guys said we should spray a thin layer. It was so cold then that we could go down and flood it about once an hour. Then the ice was ready in one night.
but the older guys said we should spray a thin layer. It was so cold then that we could go down and flood it about once an hour. Then the ice was ready in one night.Meant that the hose won't freeze regardless of temperature. However, the area where you fill with water will start to freeze at the edges after a while, creating a sort of "hill" where you fill the water. Therefore, you may need to move the hose much more often in colder temperatures. It's a large area that needs to be filled.
Completely agree otherwise
It is possible to create sloping ice rinks as well. When I was little, an ice rink was sometimes made in Kronobergsparken on Kungsholmen. It was sloped enough that you could skate from the upper end to the lower end without any effort. I have no detailed information about how it was watered other than a park attendant came on a flatbed moped with a hose and watered it now and then.
Nail an old rag rug to a plank and attach a string. Then drag it around while you are adding water, and you will get a smooth and even ice surface. That's what we always did in my youth when it was really cold to avoid the bump that always forms otherwise.
Hi, I have done this several times and I live in Örebro. So not too many degrees below zero to talk about.
First, I just let the water run until it levels out.
Wait for it to freeze.
Then comes the job of getting a smooth ice rink, and I can recommend hot water if you have the opportunity.
It's like using an ice resurfacer.
If you use cold water, spray a thin layer to avoid air bubbles. And I mean pretty much just a few centimeters.
If you do this for about a week, it will be great.
First, I just let the water run until it levels out.
Wait for it to freeze.
Then comes the job of getting a smooth ice rink, and I can recommend hot water if you have the opportunity.
It's like using an ice resurfacer.
If you use cold water, spray a thin layer to avoid air bubbles. And I mean pretty much just a few centimeters.
If you do this for about a week, it will be great.
Thank you for all the quick responses. The temperature here at home is between -2 to -6 at night.
I'll try to fill it up tonight until there's water all over.
Then you probably have to wait a few days for the whole "kaka" to freeze through.
And when the first ice has frozen through, I'll add a bit more and try to create a nice ice skating rink.
I'll try to fill it up tonight until there's water all over.
Then you probably have to wait a few days for the whole "kaka" to freeze through.
And when the first ice has frozen through, I'll add a bit more and try to create a nice ice skating rink.
Wow, how happy I got about this post! What memories were awakened! I remember now, thanks to the thread, that dad made an ice rink in the garden for us kids in the '70s. I drove the ice resurfacer (Zamboni) for a few years when my son played hockey, that was a few years around the turn of the Millennium.
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· Härifrån
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Hoping for some pictures!
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· Västerbottens län
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Quite simply when the ice becomes too scratched.
Or is it when you're "building" the ice rink, is it sloping a lot where you're working?
The village rink that I'm working on is watered about once a week, but it depends on the weather, at -5 it's skated much more than at -20.
Protte
PS why spend on a tarp, if it's below zero it quickly becomes watertight. DS
Or is it when you're "building" the ice rink, is it sloping a lot where you're working?
The village rink that I'm working on is watered about once a week, but it depends on the weather, at -5 it's skated much more than at -20.
Protte
PS why spend on a tarp, if it's below zero it quickly becomes watertight. DS