Brendan Isaacs' Backyard Rink 2006/07
St. Lawrence, NL Canada
30' x 60'
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Brendan writes: "We have two boys, Shawn (7) and Mark (4) and I made a rink in our backyard for the past three years. Each year, the rink has gotten bigger and better through trial and error, and tips from your website. The first year our rink was 24' x 48' and skating was good, last year was terrible because the weather didn't co-operate, but this year has been great! There has only been two days in the last four weeks when we could not skate. This year, the rink is 30' x 60' and is framed up with 2" x 6" x 12's, joined together using hinges. This is convenient for setting up, and dismantling and storage. Using a laser level, I found there was a 14-15" difference in grade over the 30ft. width. Along the lower side, I screwed 16" wide pieces of 3/8" plywood beneath the 2' x 6's. The ice is 4" thick on the top side and 16" deep on the lower side. I used 6 mil clear plastic vapor barrier and the seams are double taped using red tuck tape and but I first painted the tape white as the red color draws heat from the sun. I found the tuck tape sticks under water and used it to fix a couple of leaks before the water froze. The deep, lower side is reinforced using 2-2 1/2 ft. long pieces of rebar driven into the ground approximately 2-3 feet apart. I made an ice resurfacer out of 3/4" flexible copper pipe, hose, a piece of carpet and a piece of 2" x 4". Since most of our skating takes place at night, due to work and school, I installed four 500w halogen lights. I recently made two plywood goalie cutouts to attach to the hockey nets for practice. When we skate, we usually have the company of classmates, friends and neighbours who wouldn't normally have the opportunity to skate as regularly as they do now, (the nearest arena is a 40-minute drive away) and the caliber of skating has greatly increased in the last month. Shawn got a good start at skating the first year we had a rink, when he was five, and now has moved up to playing hockey with his friends. Before this year, our youngest, Mark, just wanted to be towed around the ice on a sled. He started out this year using a skating trainer but stopped using it last weekend saying, "It slowed him down!" He now zips up and down the ice, wanting to race, play hockey and tag with his Dad, brother, and friends. All in all, our rink has been a great hit - a great way to exercise and socialize - for both young and old alike. Your site was very helpful - keep up the good work! " Nice rink Brendan. Love the wooden goalies. |
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Last Updated on December 26, 2007.