Photos of expansion project

[DrDave]

When we were kids back in North Dakota we would find a nice flat spot in our lawns, then create a dike around the area by raking leaves and dirt around it. Then start spraying water on it until we had enough ice to allow skating. If we flooded it before dark, in the morning it would be frozen solid. The city also created large rinks the same way.

 

[newday3000]

I built a temporary extension off my deck for a 20' x 20' flat surface (level helps a lot when freezing the rink). Lay down a plastic tarp with wood to create a lip around the outside, leave a bit of snow packed on top of the tarp, wet the snow and let it freeze over night (lot's of hills and valleys). Then add water each night to fill in the valleys until you have a flat ice surface. That's it. lasts about 2-3 months and I flood it once or twice a week. I also do aquarium water changes that I drain outside to flood the rink (warm aquarium water melts any bumps in the ice and levels it perfectly). May add boards next year for hockey.

 

[koiguy1969]

when we were kids my dad had a 2 x 8 frame that he screwed together and a thick heavy guage plastic liner ...we would till under the garden rake it smooth, put the frame and liner together fill and freeze..it was only a 20'x20' but it was cool!

 

[DrDave]

It is a lot easier today with the plastic. 50 years ago, we didn't have the luxury of it.

 

[D&RW]

I was born in Kenosha Wisconsin and definitely think of myself as a northerner. My family moved so much it's not easy to claim a home, but Oregon is it for me. I love it here. But stories about being a kid up in Wisconsin and the north do cause me to wax nostalgic. Even though we moved south when I was little there's still a lot of it in my blood.

So your stories about creating ice skating rinks for yourselves, kids and families are way cool. Right on.

 

[koiguy1969]

yeah.. im talking about 35-40 years ago. late 60s early 70s im not quite your age.

 

[stroppy]

would love to see some photes of your rinks ...we dont get it cold enough here for very long ...what brilliant ideas :banana:

 

[D&RW]

I would too.

 

[newday3000]

Just started freezing mine today. going above freezing in a couple days so I won't make much progress until it stays cold. I'll post some pic's.

 

[D&RW]

Been sick. Some kind of virus. Every time i move my head I get dizzy & nauseated. seen it a lot in patients when i worked ED. inner ear infection. goes away by itself, but leaves you feeling drunk until it clears. I hate being sick. yuk.

 

[D&RW]

My neighbor and I went looking for rocks on Friday. We finally decided on a paver stone 16X16X2. When wet, these stones match pretty nicely and they overlap perfectly, i.e. 2 in on inside and one outside. I'm going to trim them with my circular saw so they butt up to one another on the front side.

 

[koiguy1969]

its gonna be nice!!!

 

[koikeepr]

MUCH better! That's exactly right. Just make sure you can't see that liner on the inside of the pond with the proper overhang. I look forward to seeing how it all comes out.

How do you plan on attaching these capstone pavers?

 

[D&RW]

Attaching the capstones? I hadn't even thought about it because it doesn't seem possible. If I terminated the liner at about 1/2 of the width of the top of the wall I could glue the back half. But I haven't fancied that idea because what if a mod was needed. Like what mod you ask. Well, frankly I can't see what benefit would be gained from attaching anyway.

 

[DrDave]

Gravity should do nicely.