Hey all, second year rink builder here. I just got my boards up yesterday and haven't put the liner in yet. There's no snow on the ground at the moment, and I was thinking of putting the liner in and and filling over the course of the next couple days, as the temperature is typically below freezing at night, and just above freezing during the days.
My rink size is about 46'x23', I'm using 18" high OSB with wood stakes every 2 to 4 feet (closer together on the deep side), and I expect about 15" of water at the deepest end and 4" at the shallowest. This is based on last year's experience, which was successful...though this year I'm doing a little smaller build because I don't want the water in the deep end to be as close to the top of the boards :)
Anyway, there's 6-12" of snow expected in a couple days and I'm not sure what the best course of action is.
If I wait it out, I'll need to remove the snow and line + fill after the storm passes.
If I line and fill completely now, I'll have to wait a few days for the ice under the snow to freeze (enough to stand on) and then shovel the snow off the top and hope I don't run into too much slush.
Are there major alternatives to the above, or possible outcomes I haven't listed?