Which Backyard Ice Rink
Concept Is For You?

When you're deciding which backyard ice rink concept is best suited to your needs, you have several options to consider.

Old Fashioned Rink Style (Traditional Method)

The construction of this ice rink does not require any liner or boards.

Making ice this way is the most difficult and time consuming. However, as long as you have enough consistent cold winter weather to support this rink concept, the final result of this ice is excellent. The ice will be as good as any ice on any outdoor rink which allows Mother Nature to freeze the ice.

The advantages for an old fashioned (traditional) outdoor skating rink:

• it is the most economical
• it is the most cost effective solution

There is a significant disadvantage to a traditional backyard ice rink:

• they will require a lot of maintenance as the ice surface tends to become imperfect a lot easier and a lot more often than the other rink types due to weather and temperature changes during the winter season.

If you do not have an ice rink budget, want ice and don't mind the labor, this backyard ice rink concept will provide you a typical outdoor skating rink.

If you like this backyard ice rink concept and want to find out how to build it, visit my page on how to build a rink using the Old Fashion Backyard Rink Style.

Liner Method

The construction of this ice rink requires a liner and boards. You have the choice of making or buying the boards.

Making ice using a rink liner is pretty simple and less time consuming than using the Traditional Method.

You will absolutely have to invest a small amount of money, but you’ll incur the cost in the first season and you can reuse most of the materials purchased through the following years, with little or almost no cost thereafter. The cost is also much less than the Refrigerated Method (explained below).

There are many advantages to using the plastic liner method and making your own (or buying your own) rink boards:

• Firstly, since you can flood your rink board perimeter with a lot of water at once, you could build up your ice thickness much more quickly, saving a lot of time in making ice.
• Secondly, if the climate suddenly changes during your winter season and the temperature rises to the point that your ice melts somewhat or completely, you will get your ice back as soon as the temperature drops!
  
  If you have a traditional ice rink you would patiently and anxiously have to wait for a good snow fall and then you would have to pack snow and flood all over again! With the traditional method in this situation, you would experience a lengthy period where your family could not skate on your rink.
• Thirdly, you’ll get much more skating time during the winter months. I make my rink with a liner and I have always had ice from the 3rd week of November to mid-March -- with or without a snow fall! That is pretty good!

I also set up my rink structure by October and avoid spending too much time outside making ice during the really cold month of November.

If you feel this is the backyard ice rink concept is for you, and want to find out how to build it, visit my page on how to build a rink using the Liner Method.

Refrigerated Method

If your budget is unlimited and you want the most professional looking outdoor skating rink or backyard hockey rink, then this surely is the right backyard ice rink concept for you!

If you feel this is the backyard ice rink concept is for you, and want to find out how to buy it, visit my page on the Refrigerated Method.

It is very important to figure out which backyard ice rink concept will be right for you over the next couple years ... so plan carefully!

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