Ice Rink Sizes: From Small Practice Areas to Larger Drills Spaces
- The average skating surface is around 23m wide and 45m long.
- Small rinks, e.g. 4×3 m, can practice stickhandling and shooting.
- Medium sizes, e.g. 6×3 m, add space to train skating and passing.
- Larger rinks, like 6×6 m or 10×5 m are great for drills, goaltending, and scenarios.
Proper Maintenance Tips for Ice Rinks
The water between the ice layers will freeze and expand, causing the lifting of the fresh top layer and making it uneven again. This is called “shale ice.” If possible, use warm water to flood the area. The warm water melts the surface, correcting imperfections, and allowing it to freeze smoothly.
Standard Ice Hockey Rink Measurements
- The official hockey rink dimensions for Olympic or International Ice Hockey is 98.42 feet wide by 200.13 feet long (30 meters by 61 meters).
- The difference between the NHL rink and the Olympic rink is that the Olympic rink is 2,696.79 square feet larger than the NHL rink.
Backyard Rink Building and Maintenance Guidelines
- You should try and use a liner that is at least 5 mil thick for the backyard rink.
- It takes from 6 to 8 hours depending on the size for a backyard rink to freeze.
- To keep your backyard hockey rink smooth: Shovel snow off regularly, use a garden hose to flood when above freezing.
Ice Rink Depth and Construction
- A minimum of 2 inches thick ice is required to hold 300lb person weight.
- For municipal rinks, 3 inches is recommended.
- To build on unlevel ground: Use a tarp to cover the area before filling, fill all at once to level out. Once you have 2-3 inches of ice, the rink will be ready.
Key Considerations for Rink Building
- The key is proper planning.
- Decide how much time to commit and money to spend.
- To start, mark out length plus 5 feet for length.
- Further back placement of goals allows more room for skills and fun.
- Finally, cover the whole rink with a tarp during the day, remove at night when temperatures drop.