Advice: Backyard Ice Rink

[biggman71]

What's up guys! I just joined this site mainly to ask these questions, but I love it so far and will definitely be around!

I live in Rochester, NY and it is my first time ever building a rink in my backyard. Our weather is consistently hovering around the freezing weather of 32 degrees it seems like and it is starting to concern me. The warmest it will ever get in December is 42 degrees and there are a few of those days scattered throughout the month. We have some days under 32, while others are 32-38 for the daily high average. The daily low temperature never exceeds 31 degrees though and it gets down to 13 on some days.

My concern is whether or not this will be a problem that the daily high hovers around and above 32 degrees, but the low temperature is consistently freezing. We have a white tarp so hopefully it will not melt or cause any problems when skating during the day with temperatures slightly above freezing point.

I will give you a closer look at our extended weather outlook for december: http://www.accuweather.com/en/us/rochester-ny/14614/december-weather/329674?monyr=12/1/2014&view=table Is there a date that looks good for me to lay the tarp down and fill it with water? Should I wait till January?

I appreciate your help everyone!

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Didn't you guys just get 2 meters of snow ? How are you going to build a rink ?

 

[biggman71]

Didn't you guys just get 2 meters of snow ? How are you going to build a rink ?

No that was Buffalo, we only got a light dusting of snow. I already built the outside boards for the rink I just don't know when to put the tarp and water out. My problem is going to be the days above 32 degrees but the nights are into the 20's and sometimes teens. I'm worried the ice will melt during these days.

 

[nyiguy21]

I live further south of you in New York, but have had those similar temperature issues. Had a rink last year that worked well and the best advice I could give to anyone is to use a white tarp(you're good on that) and spray your initial layers at night. With the white tarp, I have skated in up to 35. It does start to get a little slushy once you start playing on it for a while. As long as you have built a solid base of ice, you should be good with those quick spurts of above freezing weather. When it would get up to near 40, I would just stay off of it for the day, and then when the sun went down I'd play at night.

 

[biggman71]

I live further south of you in New York, but have had those similar temperature issues. Had a rink last year that worked well and the best advice I could give to anyone is to use a white tarp(you're good on that) and spray your initial layers at night. With the white tarp, I have skated in up to 35. It does start to get a little slushy once you start playing on it for a while. As long as you have built a solid base of ice, you should be good with those quick spurts of above freezing weather. When it would get up to near 40, I would just stay off of it for the day, and then when the sun went down I'd play at night.

That's great advice man I really appreciate it. I'm going to make a rule for myself and others for no skating over 35 degrees. I'm hoping I have some luck this winter with this!

 

[jnk96]

If you create really thick ice (stay out a night and spray layer for layer or something), you could skate on it, the top inch or so might get slushy, but the base will stay. So that'd be fine. But if the ice isn't thick at all, it'd probably be risky to skate on it over 0°C

 

[Leaf Lander]

If you get a few weeks of cold temps nightly have a light rink liner you should be bake to maintain ice for 3 months

 

[VaughanBender72]

is it better to put hot water on the ice or cold water on the ice to make it thicker.