Construction of Indoor Hockey Rinks
- Walls, Roof, Goals, and Sticks
- Ice Formation Process
Metal pipes laid inside cold concrete produce freezing temperatures to create the ice surface. Water is frozen in thin layers until the rink is an inch thick. The texture allows players to skate.
Outdoor rinks rely on freezing air temperatures. Indoor rinks use cold concrete to create the ice hockey rink. An advanced refrigeration system pumps freezing brine water through pipes in a large concrete slab called the “ice slab.” When cold enough, layers of water are applied to the “ice slab” to form the ice rink surface.
Indoor Ice Rink Construction Process
- Refrigeration Systems
- Concrete Slab and Brine Cooling
Under the ice sits a large slab of concrete cooled by an intricate system of pipes. The pipes flow very cold liquid called brine kept near 0° C. Water sprayed on the concrete freezes to build up thin layers creating a smooth ice surface for skating.
Maintaining ice rinks requires advanced physics and engineering. Precise control of temperature, humidity and water quality produce durable ice. To keep the concrete slab cold, the brine is pumped through miles of piping laid inside the concrete. This similar to refrigeration technology in refrigerators and air conditioning.
Building a Hockey Rink at Home
- Homemade Rink Construction
- Backyard Rink Building Tips
You can build a homemade rink with boards or pack snow, flood with water, and allow freezing. Polyethylene plastic tiles connect like puzzles to form a smooth, skateable surface. Kits with components to build a rink are available. Small rinks for 1-2 players cost around $1000.
Building a backyard rink is a great way to play hockey at home with friends. Unfortunately you can’t just toss a rink up, there is a right way to build a rink and many wrong ways.
This article will help you learn how to properly build a rink suitable for your family.