How to fill an ice rink in the yard with your own hands

With the onset of the first winter days, most people think about their pastime. After all, in winter you won't be able to go outside and sit by the river bank with a book in hand or, for example, go on a picnic with friends. In such cases, it remains only to pay tribute to the old grandfather's entertainment. It can be snowman modeling, roller coaster riding, as well as ice skating. That's about the latter and will be discussed in this article.

Ice skating has always been a primordially Russian tradition, so all our ancestors went out on the ice every year to enjoy their skating skills. In our time, practically nothing has changed, except that the rollers have become more and more closed, where there is no snow or frost. But you want to at least sometimes experience these childhood memories, to ride in the cold, simultaneously throwing snow on your friends. For such purposes, you can create your own skating rink, for example, at your summer cottage with your own hands, which will always be fun and comfortable.

At first glance, it may seem that filling the ice rink with your own hands is an impossible task for an ordinary person. But this is only at first glance. In fact, you don't need to have any special skills to create your own ice rink. It is enough just the initial skill of handling tools and the desire to create something very beautiful that will bring joy to everyone, namely: a skating rink in the country or in the yard in a private house.

Next, a step-by-step algorithm for pouring an ice rink on the site will be described, after reading which everyone can repeat absolutely all actions. Let's start!

Where can you make an ice rink: which section is suitable

In order to start pouring the roller, it is necessary to correctly determine the place for work. After all, if the place does not meet certain criteria, then the skating rink will turn out to be crooked and difficult for people to access.

Since the skating rink will be located in the local area, it is necessary to clearly calculate the entire outcome of events. Absolutely all factors must be taken into account, of which:

- distance to the nearest living quarters;

- terrain relief;

- distance to the nearest water source and much more.

If we correlate all these factors, then in most cases the most the best option is the backyard of a private house. This is because in the backyard, as a rule, all conditions are created for filling the rink. For example, a flat surface, constant access to water resources, monitoring the condition of the ice rink, and much more.

Video: skating rink in the country

In principle, the ice rink can be filled on any area that has a relatively flat surface without foreign objects on it, and also has open access for visitors (it is not surrounded by old buildings, the territory is not guarded by special services, etc.). It is desirable, of course, that the surface of the earth be as dense as possible, so as not to consume a large volume of water, and the ice does not crack over time, but it can be done on a softer surface, for example, on a lawn. In such cases, you will have to follow some tricks, which will be described in more detail below.

By the way! In Soviet times, asphalt was the most common surface under ice. Thanks to such a very rigid base, the rollers were poured very quickly, and the ice also withstood very heavy loads.

How to fill the ice rink - step by step instructions

When the place has already been selected, you can proceed directly to the very process of pouring the rink. In fact, there is nothing supernatural here, you just need to follow the brief instructions below.

First you need mark and clear the area from snowdrifts, as well as from other objects that can interfere with the process of filling the rink. This can be done with an ordinary shovel or snow plow. You should remember only a few points: the site should be relatively flat; a small layer of snow should remain on the surface of the earth (approximately 3-5 cm); if holes appear, then these places must be covered with snow as tightly as possible.

Next, the most important points begin, which should be very strictly observed. The one snow layerthat was left on the ground, needs to be compacted very strongly... This can be done using heavy equipment or using an ordinary shovel, simply by tamping snow with it. The denser the surface is, the more reliable the ice will be. In this state, the site should stand in the frost for at least a day, so that the snow becomes even denser.

When the platform is leveled and the snow has hardened, you can start the first pouring of the ice rink outside. Using an ordinary garden sprayer, you need to lightly spray the entire area with ordinary water with a temperature of no more than 5 degrees Celsius, otherwise the snow will melt very quickly, creating artificial pits.As soon as the ice crust hardens, you can repeat the same operation again in order to consolidate the effect.

You can already see the foundation of the future ice rink! It will be much easier further. To fill the rink with high quality, you must use a special T-shaped tube structure, which can also be built by hand.

It can be done as follows: a pipe with a diameter of 25 mm and about 150 cm in length is taken, a large number of holes are drilled in it (the more, the better!), The pipe is wrapped in soft matter, the water supply pipe is welded, after which water is supplied to the device and the plot is being filled. Pouring with such a device is a pleasure. All that is needed is to lead him along, while the water is distributed in a very even layer over the surface.

Thus, it is necessary to fill the ice rink about 3 times to make the ice as strong as possible. Most the last layer of the ice rink must be filled with hot water, so the ice will be of high quality and even.

Note! If small pits appear during re-pouring, you just need to fill them with water, then pour the surface again, thereby giving it a smoother appearance.

That's it, the ice is now almost ready to use! It is only necessary to make the sides of snow or boards on the sides, slightly decorate it and bring it into a more acceptable form, so that guests will receive even more positive emotions.

Video: how to fill the ice rink - instructions for beginners

How to organize rink lighting

The lighting on the skating rink plays a very important role, since the main time for skiing is in the evening.

To make the lighting, you must first of all take care of the electrical supply to the rink. To do this is quite simple: you just need to run a wire from the house to the rink, make a switchboard on the spot, and you're done. But for greater reliability, it is still better to use the services of an electrician, because no one has canceled safety.

When a power source appears on the site, you can think about lighting sources. The best option in this case would be to install several outdoor LED spotlights. They allow not only to provide the site with high-quality light, but also decently save electricity.

Ordinary LED strips located around the rink can serve as another option. But they should be used only if low lighting is required, which will only warn visitors against various kinds of obstacles. In addition, they are able to create a kind of romantic atmosphere in which it will be very pleasant to spend time with your loved one.

How to decorate an ice rink

The most enjoyable thing is to ride a skating rink when true beauty reigns around it. To do this, you need to decorate it.

The simplest decoration option is to create a variety of colors on and around the rink. This can be done in a variety of ways - from the use of ordinary light elements (garlands, LED strips, etc.) to more complex decorations using trees, snow women, etc. The simplest option, nevertheless, would be to install garlands and LED strips. But if someone wants to make a real paradise out of their skating rink, then you can use your imagination and transform it with absolutely any thing, everything that comes to mind.

The main thing in this situation is not to violate the integrity of the rink and not to create dangerous situations with decorative elements. And if all the conditions described above are fully met, the skating rink in your yard will become the most popular place in the immediate vicinity, where everyone can come every evening (of course, if the creator of the rink himself wishes).

Ice rink care

When the ice rink is completely ready and more and more people are gathering on it, over time it has to be carefully maintained.After all, the more people ride on it, the faster the ice surface collapses, thereby bringing discomfort during skiing. So how do you care for the ice rink?

First of all, it is necessary to constantly monitor the integrity of the ice. This is the most basic requirement. It can be carried out in various ways, but the most optimal of them is periodic re-pouring of ice. This can be done using the same device that was made during the first attempts to fill the rink on your own site. You just need to apply a few new ones over the old layers of ice. The roller will then become smoother.

Over time, cracks appear on the surface. With them, the situation is a little different. Using an ordinary garden hose, you need to pour water into them, but not completely, so that the crack does not go further as the water expands. After freezing, the excess can be cut off with a knife.

It is also necessary to periodically monitor the cleanliness of the site, as well as the integrity of the lighting system.

Let's sum up

That's all you need to know to create a real ice rink on your street or site. This technique is not only suitable for home use, but also for use on a larger scale. If you wish, you can make an ice rink with a size of several square kilometers!

When all the work is completed, you can not only enjoy skating on your own, but also call all your neighbors and friends, who will certainly appreciate the work that was not in vain.

After all, your own skating rink is not only fun, but also profitable! You can go out on the ice at absolutely any time and skate as much as you like, no one will forbid or ask you to pay extra for extra hours. Therefore, if you are tired of sitting at home in winter, you should think about filling your own ice rink in the yard.

Video: how to fill a skating rink near the house with your own hands

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