How to Make Hockey Rink: Backyard Edition

Hockey is an energetic and thrilling game to play regularly. It is a good form of cardio and practicing your critical decision-making skills. If you play hockey more often or are a hockey player at the start of your career and want a hockey rink to practice daily.

Refrain from fretting; learning how to make a hockey rink is no hassle if you follow the proper steps and materials. Your hockey rink in the backyard will save you extra money for daily rink visits and traveling time. This lets you practice more and take your hockey skills to the next level.

Let’s learn how to build a hockey rink using the space in your backyard with simple steps and less costly materials.

How to Make Hockey Rink in Backyard?

There is no more thrilling pastime than rolling your feet on frozen crispy ice to make a goal; it becomes more exciting when you have your ice rink in the backyard.

This DIY project is quite rewarding and walk with you in the longest run. So, let me guide you to turn your backyard into a personal wonderland using easing, easy steps.

Step 1: Planning and Preparation

First, you need to plan a strategy for how things will work. Study, take notes, and measure whatever needs to start the process. If you properly prepare, working on the project will become simpler. But keep an eye on the cost of building a hockey rink.

Choose the Right Spot: Look around your backyard to see if the surface is flat and strong enough to hold a rink. The selected area should have a proper drainage system and ventilation ducts.

Size Measurements: Size matters significantly in a hockey rink; you need a spacious plot to turn it into a hockey rink. At least you need 20 feet by 40 feet; these are the minor measurements in college rink; otherwise, the bigger, the better.

Gather Material: Then comes gathering the material drill; you will have wooden boards, a liner, stakes, and a water source. Use plywood i.e; plywood or 2×6 lumber) create the rink’s walls; the liner is essential to prevent water from seeping into the ground. Lastly, you will need a hose to fill the water inside the rink structure.

Step 2: Constructing the Frame

Then comes constructing the frame; in this part, you have to gather all the pieces and fix them together to give the shape of the rink.

Lay the Foundation: Layout the perimeter of your rink using skates and strings; this will help you to form a clear foundation for your base.

Install the Boards: Place the wooden boards along the perimeter, creating a rectangular enclosure, and use screws and nails to secure the panels at the corners. They should be leveled and sturdy; a smooth surface allows smooth play.

Add Support: Support is essential to prevent the boards from bowing outwards when water-filled; install additional skates inside. Presse them along the board to keep them in place.

Step 3: Installing the Liner

First, roll the liner inside the frame and let it cover the entire surface. It should reach upwards with the frame boundaries to contain water. Securing the liner is necessary; you will use clips and staples to keep the liner in place with the board.

Related: Are Hockey Rink Cold

Step 4: Filling and Freezing

Water the Rink: Evenly distribute a thin layer of water over the rink using a hose. Using the refrigeration system allows the coating to freeze on the surface properly. Repeat the same process until you have achieved a solid base of ice.
Maintain and Layer: To keep the surface intact, gradually add thin layers of water to build the ice thickness. More layers of ice are better than one single thick layer.

Step 5: Adding the Finishing Touches

Create Boundaries: once the ice is set, use spray paint to add lines and marking zones on the ice, including the goal lines. Also, keep a center line, faceoff circles, and goal lines; you can use temporary markers to draw an outline and then make it permanent with spray paint.
Install Goals and Nets: You can buy goals and nets prepared from a sports hardware store. Install them as per the instructions in the manual. Hence, your setup of the backyard hockey rink will be completed.

Step 6: Maintainance

Once the rink is built, maintaining it is also essential regularly; it will elongate the life of your rink setup. Use a shovel to remove snow from the surface; otherwise, it will stick, making the surface uneven.

From time to time, keep adding a thin layer of water to fill in the cracks and keep the surface even. Always check the surface of the ice and its thickness after heavy snowfall or thaw.

Conclusion

Now you know how to make a hockey rink in your backyard. This project is laced with creativity and the thrill of sport. Make sure you choose an even surface and compare for the quality but low-cost material; second-hand material also works best if in good shape. Maintain your hockey rink regularly to get the best playing experience.

So are you ready to turn the space in your backyard into a beautiful winter wonderland?

FAQs

Water is sprayed in thin layers over the surface of the sand or gravel base. One by one, layers are frozen until they reach the desired thickness. A refrigeration system and insulation layer keep the ice in shape.

The standard size of the hockey rink is the same as the NHL rink, measuring 200 feet in length and 85 feet in width. However, you can modify it according to the available space for personalization.

The thickness of the ice rink is essential for the balanced condition of the game. The standard thickness of the NHL ice rink is 0.75″; usually, rinks follow the same thickness standards.

How to Make Hockey Rink: Backyard Edition