Hi. So I took Joe's advice and laid out my rink and found my slope.

I found that the best use of my yard will provide a 30' X 30' square rink. I started the high corner at about 5" of water and my lowest corner will have about 11" of water. This may change because I may quite possibly try to level out the yard by grading some of the earth around.

I'm going to go with plywood boards and 2 X 4 wooden stakes. I'm thinking that will hold. I do have a question about level boards. I would like to have the tops of my boards all level. What is the easiest way to do this?

I was discussing flooding with a friend who attempted a rink last year. We both couldn't figure out the best way to do the initial flood. When and how is it recommended to do the initial flood?

Dan

Hey Dan,

I'm no expert and in fact in the same boat as you, I'm building my first rink this year.

What I'm reading is that you should flood a little at a time. Wait for the temp to be a steady -10 Celsius for several days in a row and that's the time to start.

Most of the tutorials I've read says to flood 1" inch, let it freeze and then do another inch, etc.

Hope this helps. And if anyone has any other suggestions please post. I'm looking for all the guidance I can get!

Reid

Hey guys,

Actually, I completely disagree with the "fill a little at a time" method. It's completely your choice, but here's what can happen:

-You fill 3" and let it freeze.

-The next day, you drop the hose in and the warmer water immediately bores a hole in your 3" and starts to go beneath it.

-The water filling up beneath your 3" slab pushes that slab up, the same way pouring a drink in a glass pushes the ice cubes up.

-That 3" slab, as it's being pushed up, scrapes alongside your liner around the entire perimeter, pulling on it or potentially slicing a hole that you can't see.

In the last 5-6 years, I've filled north of 40 rinks, all of them using the "all at once" method. If you've timed it right (at least 3-5 days of sub-20-degrees at night and sub-32-degrees during the day), you'll have skateable ice in 4-5 days.

Wow, thanks Joe!

Like I said, I'm still learning so I'll take that advice and give it a shot when I do my first fill.