I live in a warm climate, will this rink work there?
The rink works on the principle of water freezing below 32○F (0○C) to create ice. People that live anywhere other than the northern states and Canada should stop right here - unless you are ordering for a friend or relative who lives in those areas. Anything south of New York, Ohio, Iowa etc is probaly too warm.
*We are not geography experts, so we cannot tell you if the area that you live in is cold enough in December, January and February to allow you to have a good solid ice sheet. You have to check your area’s weather records for those months.
Do you offer rink refrigeration systems?
Sorry - No.
How does the Arctic Ice rink work?
Just about everybody who has tried to build their own ice rink knows that the “vision” you started out with and the result you got were probably far apart. Now you’re looking for an easier solution.
The Arctic Ice™ solves your construction problems by providing you with a "complete" kit that allows you to easily and quickly build that framework to hold the water. Everything is in one box including the frame components, the liner and a special cap system to protect the liner from skate and shovel cuts. No need to use tools or buy truckloads of lumber. We include a detailed set of instructions and an instructional video to show you how one is set up.
There are other outdoor rink systems out there - how does yours compare?
Because of the long list of advantages offered by our rinks and our continuing research and development, we are confident that Arctic Ice™ best meets the needs of customers for a low cost, "complete" and easy to assemble kit that will last several years.
There is another rink by Aviva called "Arctic Ice" but it is round in shape - one size. we do not sell it
Does the ground have to be 100% level?
If the "top" end of yuor rink are 8" + higher than the "low" end, then do not buy our rink! You will have major headaches, the least of which is that the water will not freeze all the way though
We “highly” recommend that before you buy, you carefully measure the slope (slant, tilt, grade, drop, or whatever you want to call it) of your rink area to make sure that you select the most level site.
Arctic Ice™ rinks can be built on somewhat uneven ground. The instructions with the kit show you how to level the border to compensate for the drop. It's basically easy to do - but the greater the drop, the more preparation you will need to do. Backyard rinks can have a maximum 8" drop from the "high" to the low side. (See page on leveling)
When is the best time to set up the Arctic Ice™ rink?
You can set up the “frame” any time, but do not install the liner until the weather is “freezing”. Otherwise the liner is exposed to damage from falling tree branches, kids and animals, etc.
How long does it take to set up Arctic Ice™?
For the"backyard" rinks, it will take an average of 1-4 hours on "level" ground to assemble the kit and get it ready to fill with water. If the ground is "unlevel" it will require additional time to adjust the frame to make it level. (See page on leveling).
Should I use hot or cold water?
Cold water is best to fill up the rink. If you have a “snow” base the cold water will reduce the chance of melting the snow underneath the liner.
Should I use hot or cold water?
Cold water is best to fill up the rink. If you have a “snow” base the cold water will reduce the chance of melting the snow underneath the liner.
To surface the ice, you can use any temperature water. Some people recommend warm to hot water to make a smoother, harder surface.
Does Arctic Ice™ ruin the grass?
No! Neither the PVC tubing nor the PVC liner will affect the grass. The grass is dormant during the winter. The only way the grass is ruined is if you leave the plastic liner on the ground too long after the winter is over blocking out the sun.
How do you paint the lines?
We currently do not offer paints to make the lines. In the Fall of 2010 we will introduce a special tempera paint kit with instructions
How thick does the ice have to be?
A minimum of 2" (two inches) for the ice to stay solid and hold the weight of a 300 lb person.
How fast will the water freeze?
For a depth of 2 inches*, these are some general guidelines:
-20̊F ----------------- 20 hours 15̊F ----------------- 2.5 days
-15̊F ----------------- 1 day 30̊F ----------------- 5 days
0̊F ----------------- 2 days 32̊F ----------------- Water will not freeze
* the deeper the water, the longer it will take to freeze. If it’s too deep, like 18", it may not freeze at all.
NOTE #1: There is nothing, repeat, nothing you can add to the water that will make it freeze faster.
NOTE #2: If you build on a slope (see above) one end of the rink will have a deep end and a shallow end (like a pool). dependeing on where you live and the depth of the deep end, the water may not freeze.
What happens if there is an air pocket?
Just break open the top of the pocket, fill the hole with slush, smooth off and allow to freeze.
Should I build an Arctic Ice™ rink on the ground or on snow?
Yes to both. It's easier to build the kit on a good snow base because all you do is hollow out a space and insert the kit assembly, but in many parts of the country there is not a lot of snow. No problem - just set up on "clean" ground. You can also set up on surfaces such as tennis and basketball courts.
Will skates cut up the liner?
Only if you break through the ice. We have a liner protection system around the sides using a flexible cap that snaps over the frame to protect the liner from shovel and skate cuts. Your Arctic Ice™ includes a liner repair kit. Replacement liners and protective caps are also available.
How do you maintain or resurface the ice?
You can spray or flood a very thin layer of water using your hose. For bumpy areas we suggest softening it up with hot water and then smoothing it out with a flat piece of metal like a trowel. Cracks can be filled with warm water and smoothed over. For more professional results, buy high quality ice resurfacer (example IceMaster™)
How much water is required to make a rink?
Use the following simple formula:
1. "Volume" of your rink in cubic feet is: Length x Width x Depth (Depth will be a fraction of a foot. eg. 3" = 0.25 ft)
Example: an 18'x 25' rink 3 inches deep would be 18 x 25 x 0.25 = 112.5 cubic feet
1 cubic foot = 7.48 gallons
2. Multiply the number of cubic feet by 7.48 gallons.
Example: a 18' x 25' rink with 112.5 cubit feet will require 112.5 x 7.48 = 841 gallons
How big are NHL and Olympic size ice rinks?
NHL 85' x 200'
Olympic 100' x 200'
What happens at the end of the winter?
When it starts to thaw, most of the water will evaporate over a few days - or, if you still have a lot of water because of a "heat wave", open up the rink at the lowest level and slowly let the water drain off. Carefully take the rink apart, dry off all the parts and put them back in the box until next year. To avoid ruining the grass remove liner before the spring.
If you have any other questions which have not been answered here, or on the website, please feel free to contact us.
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