

Since you’ll need about three days of 20-degree temperatures for a smooth freeze and temps below 32 degrees for it to stay frozen, you probably won’t have to worry too much about whether it’s asleep for the winter. The first key is to put down the ice rink once the lawn has gone dormant. The reason is that once temperatures are consistently below 50 degrees, perennial grasses go dormant and won’t die when exposed to long-term darkness and weight. Why an Outdoor Ice Skating Rink Won’t Ruin the LawnĪs long as you time your outdoor rink properly, your lawn won’t be any worse for the wear once you pull up the rink in early spring. Overall, it’s a pretty simple operation with a lot of options.īut first, let’s address the question of the lawn. If your kids are older, letting them construct the rink can be part of the fun, and it’s a great project for exercising those problem-solving skills. Plus, just think of those early, balmy days of spring, when the rink becomes a precarious sheet of ice floating on water. They can slip and slide and work on their balancing and ice hockey skillz, and it’s guaranteed to keep them out of your hair for luxurious chunks of time. Please visit our accessories page for more information on our products.Getting the kiddos to play outside in the winter can be a tough job, but fresh air and exercise are good for their health, and getting them out of the house for a while is good for your mental health-or at least, it’s good for getting the kitchen mopped.Īn outdoor ice skating rink is just the thing to give them both exercise and wonderful memories of childhood that make you out to be the hero. Custom Ice maintenance products and accessories are designed to make owning an ice rink easier.


Keeping an outdoor ice rink looking and performing well takes a lot of work. c) Use a Rain Shuttle or Squeegee to remove any excess water.b) Let the ice melt to an acceptable level, naturally.a) Turn off the refrigeration equipment.c) Once all excess water has been removed, the refrigeration equipment should be turned back on.b) Once the rain stops, use a Rain Shuttle or Squeegee to clear off any excess water through the machine gate or man gate.a) It is best to turn your refrigeration equipment off during rainfall.b) It is best to shovel from the middle out to the perimeter.Be sure to spread the water thinly and evenly as too much water will eventually cause the ice to become too thick, impeding the performance of the chiller(s). It is best to flood in sections from side to side or end to end, back and forth continuously. Be sure to watch that the towel remains flat, ensuring even distribution of the water. When you are ready, turn the valve on the flooder to the “ON” position and start walking or skating backwards, pulling the flooder along. Make sure that the valve on the flooder is in the “OFF” position and turn on the water at its source. For the best possible results, we recommend using hot water. Resurfacing Flood – Once you have cleared away all of the snow, you will need to resurface your ice to clean away any imperfections and prepare the rink for skating.Ĭonnect your Custom Ice Rink Flooder to the end of your garden hose. Once this is done, scrape any left over snow to the perimeter and remove this snow by lifting and throwing it to the outside of the rink or over the boards. b) Snow should remain along the perimeter until all rows are completed.a) Shoveling back and forth continuously from one side or end to the other in rows, leaving the collected snow at the same opposite side or end perimeter.

Snow removal should be accomplished in 2 steps: While “scraping” it is advisable to wear ice skates as it ensures and promotes both strength and speed. You should always shovel in a consistent pattern either length wise or side ways. This works best when the shovel is angled and you shovel from one side or end of the rink to the opposite side or end. We recommend using a steel or metal shovel to “scrape” the top layer of snow. The best way to do this is with a snow shovel and some old fashioned elbow grease! She will still beĭropping snow on your rink and it will need to be removed in order for the ice to be resurfaced and utilized. Just because your ice is refrigerated, doesn’t mean that your battles with Mother Nature are over. Below you will find some simple steps to keeping your ice in terrific shape all season. Much like a natural ice rink, you will still need to properly maintain your Custom Ice rink on a regular basis to keep your ice looking and feeling great.
