I'm curious. Do you guys build your rinks just for your kids, or are you and some other adults on there playing some shinny too?

Rule of thumb: if your wife asks, it's for the kids. But if you don't sneak in some rink time for yourself, you're missing out.

Yes for sure. Wife is all for it, wants to have our daughter's 8th bday party at the house as a skating party with bon-fire.

I'm just concerned with the strength of the ice. In theory should we be able to get some adults on there or is too much weight an issue?

It always starts off as a project for the kids, but everyone knows that we do it for more than the kids. Especially when it's a beautiful cold sunny afternoon and the cell phone starts going crazy with phone calls and text messages. I can assure you that it isn't Dads or Moms asking if their kids can come over for a skate. Hours later, the driveway/road is blocked with parked cars, a bonfire is burning out back and the snowbanks look like a beer porcupine. Keep telling yourself it's just for the kids, someone will eventually believe you; it sure as heck won't be your wife though.

Kevin

As long as there's no water seepage around the edges of the rink, you're good. I can only think of a couple days in my 6+ years of doing this where we had to keep the adults off the rink while the kids skated. Cold weather cures all of that.

Although I love having the neighborhood kids and friends' kids over to skate, my wife and I don't have any children, so honestly, all of the work on the rink is basically for me to screw around and burn off some calories over the winter.

Frequently have passers-by stop and ask how old our kids are. They always react with a somewhat perplexed look on their face when, without missing a beat, my wife replies: "40".

Yes, my wife has 3 children in her house on most days: 11, 13 and 44. On weekends, the number of 30 & 40 year old children increases depending on the weather. Although in recent years, I have found that she has abandoned the older ones and let them fend for themselves.

These are some great responses. I love it. I'm really hoping my rink works out and I get my dad and brother on the rink for some shinny.