Plastic Rink Tarp

Typically, rink tarps are very suitable for backyard ice rinks. They are made from a medium- or heavy-duty form of plastic - polyethylene, or simply 'poly'. Apply your rink tarp up and around your rink boards.

You need to choose the right plastic that is best suited to the requirements and conditions for which it is intended.

If you decide you need a long-lasting plastic, then choose a rink tarp instead of a plastic ice rink liner. Both rink tarps and ice rink liners are readily available in the USA and Canada.

White tarps come in medium duty (10x10 weave, 8 mil thick) and heavy duty (14x14 weave, 12 mil thick). Both are very adequate for the job, and should last several seasons. You can also find ultra heavy duty white tarps up to 20+ mil thick, for a price, of course.

Poly Tarp Binding

Tarps are reinforced around the edges, with grommets installed anywhere from 18 inches to 36 inches apart.

This makes for a bulky edge with holes in it, which is why you are well-advised to purchase a single ice rink tarp that is big enough for your ice rink.

Some people have been seen scattering 10 small tarps over the space intended for the ice rink. We don’t recommend it.

With enough patch tape, you could fasten two tarps together covering the grommets. We don’t recommend this either. There's no guarantee that the job would be leak-free. The worst time possible to discover that leak is when the temperatures are finally below freezing and you're trying to get your rink filled with water so you can finally start skating on your backyard rink. Another very bad time is during a brief thaw, as your rink begins to empty itself...

If you are hoping to get a jump-start on the skating season and want to set up your rink just before the weather is completely frozen, purchase a SINGLE white tarp that is 3-4 feet larger than the projected size of your backyard ice rink. Here’s why:

• The extra length and width will go up and over the boards
• The single ice rink tarp will contain the water until it freezes. Then you can add multiple layers of ice until you finally have a thick and glossy slab of ice
• If the weather warms up temporarily and the ice softens or melts, it stays in the rink until it refreezes.

You will have averted a LOT of problems and headaches by using one large tarp.

Fixing Rink Tarp Leaks

No matter the strength or thickness of the tarp, the chances are good you may encounter a leak eventually, whether in the first year or the fourth. See Ice Rink Liners for various repair methods.

Off Season Storage

• Remove ALL water and moisture, if possible.
  Drain and squeegee, and then air out the tarp or otherwise safely dry it.
• Fold the tarp to a width of 10 feet, and then roll it onto a 3" PVC pipe.
  This way there will be less pressure on the creases, helping to prevent cracking.
• A good rink tarp should give up to 4 years of service to skating and hockey fans in the USA and Canada as long as it gets excellent care and handling.

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