Backyard hockey is a blast, but building a rink is rough. Do-it-yourself jobs take forever and other ‘kits’ are crazy expensive. We invented a tough, slick rink that anyone can set up. It’s shaped like a real rink to play like a real rink. Our patented technology was invented by a PhD-level engineer from MIT and Caltech to be better and cheaper. Get the fire pit ready and have the kids text their friends. Game on!
Before finalizing your YardRink purchase, it is important to assure that your yard doesn’t have too much slope. Your yard should have no more than 10” of slope in any direction. If you are unsure about the slope of your yard, we can help. Please e-mail us at CustomerCare@YardRink.com to learn more.
Currently, YardRink offers our Starter Rink, which is 35’ x 17’, a perfect size for young skaters/hockey players. We are planning to introduce larger size rinks next season.
Whenever you want! Don’t worry if the ground is already frozen or the first flakes have fallen. YardRink requires no stakes or brackets, so you don’t have to set it up weeks ahead of filling the rink. For the easiest installation, we recommend setting up your YardRink on a day with low wind, on or close to the day that you intend to begin filling the skating surface. YardRink setup is incredibly quick and easy, requiring no measuring or tools. So, you can be filling the rink roughly an hour after you start the setup. The skating surface may take a few days to freeze, depending on the weather.
Our Starter Rink (35’ x 17’) costs $995, plus shipping and handling.
Absolutely. Unlike most rinks, YardRink can be assembled on frozen ground (or sport courts, paved areas, etc.) because there are no stakes or brackets to sledgehammer into your yard. Pick an area with less than 10” of slope for optimum performance.
The YardRink tarp is like no other backyard rink tarp in the world. It is custom manufactured for YardRink and is an important part of YardRink’s revolutionary design.
The tarp has rounded corners and is shaped just like the rink itself.
It wraps around the outside of the panels, so it stays clear of pucks, skates and shovels. The ice runs right up to the wall for a clean ice-to-wall interface. There is no excess ‘tarp slush’ to slow your play.
Grommet-reinforced eyelets run along the entire outside edge of the tarp, spaced several inches apart. These eyelets are used to attach the tarp to the links on each panel, using cable ties that we provide.
Once assembled, there is no excess tarp flapping around in the wind or requiring ‘caps’ to hold it in place.
8 mil thick; triple laminate HDPE/LLDPE rip-stop construction.
Bright white to minimize solar absorption.
Woven-in lines and centering marks guide panel placement during setup.
Because the tarp wraps around the outside of the panels, unlike most rinks, it is unlikely to get a hole along its edges that could result in a leak. To minimize the chance of punctures or rips occurring while the tarp is being spread, we do recommend raking and inspecting the area where the tarp will be placed. Be sure to remove all sharp rocks. If a leak does occur, your local hardware store will have tape that adheres under water and which should do the trick to fix any small hole.
YardRink panels were designed to let your back yard hockey game feel similar to playing in a rink. We started from scratch, and ended up with a few key ideas:
Design straight and gently curved panels, so that rinks of various sizes could be built with properly rounded corners.
Make the panels super easy to lock together, with two thumb screws each (no tools required).
Allow them to be filled with water and then frozen, so your rink's walls are super solid, with a bit of nice rebound off of them.
The result: A smooth, 1-ton steel-belted wall of ice. There's no need for stakes or brackets, so you can set the rink up on frozen ground.
And remember, the tarp goes on the outside, so it doesn't interfere with pucks, skates, sticks or shovels.
Constructed of lightweight, high strength, UV resistant plastic.
Can I order YardRink if I live outside the U.S.?
We’ll work with you to try to make that happen. Please e-mail us at CustomerCare@YardRink.com.
YardRink is shipped via UPS Ground service. Unlike other backyard rinks, they do not get dumped at the end of your driveway on a heavy pallet. YardRink kits arrive in boxes that are delivered to your door like any other UPS package. The boxes are each light enough to be carried easily by two people.
The Starter Rink ships in 7 clearly labeled boxes: four boxes contain curved panels; two boxes contain straight panels; and one box contains the tarp, cable ties and a simple, one-page laminated set up and take down card. We designed YardRink to be ridiculously easy to assemble, and that starts with the way our parts are ‘boxed up’: just panels, a tarp, and cable ties – that’s it!
In most locations in the contiguous 48 states in the U.S., shipping takes just 3-5 days once an order has been processed.
In most locations in the contiguous 48 states in the U.S., shipping costs for our Starter Rink are typically between $150 - $200.
We recommend a minimum ice thickness of four inches.
Once your YardRink is set up for the season, little to no maintenance of the rink itself will be required. We recommend periodically checking to see that the Tarp remains securely fastened to the Links of the Panels by ensuring that all the cable ties are in place and pulled tight.
As for the rink’s skating surface, regular ice maintenance is recommended. Tips and suggestions for optimizing your ice’s skating surface can be found at the following websites (note, clicking on the links below will take you to a site that is not affiliated or controlled by YardRink; the content, security and/or privacy of these sites is neither verified nor warranted by YardRink):
https://www.odrbuilder.com/category/maintenance-repair/ice-maintenance/
http://www.backyard-hockey.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=4
Instruction with illustrations are provided in the one-page set up and take down card that come with your rink. Here's the summary:
Rake and level: Important -- Choose a location in your yard big enough
for the rink and with no more than 10” of slope in any direction. Remove all sharp rocks.
Spread the tarp: Lines and marks should face up. Hint: In windy conditions, place a few partially-filled panels on the tarp to hold it in place.
Place the panels: To form the long walls, align the bottom inside edge of the straight panels with the blue lines woven into the tarp. Form the corner walls by placing the curved panels. Note: Short lines on the tarp indicate the center of each side.
Connect the links: Start at any panel: remove the two thumb screws. Next slide that panel rightward to position its two links behind neighboring
links. While pulling the adjacent panels together snugly, insert and fully tighten both thumb screws. Repeat this procedure for each successive pair of panels.
Attach the tarp: Wrap cable ties to pull the tarp tightly toward the link. For the most secure rink, use a cable tie for every eyelet. The free end of each cable tie can be tucked behind the link and eyelet.
Fill the panels: Use a hose to fill each panel using the fill ports. Each panel holds about 7 gallons, and typically takes less than 40 seconds to fill.
Fill the rink: Note, we recommend a multi-layer freeze. First, fill the rink until the water line in the deepest area reaches the top of the indentations at the lower end of the panels (about 4 inches). Allow this layer of water to completely freeze. Then, add a few inches of water at a time, allowing each layer to completely freeze. Fill the rink until there is at least 4 inches of ice everywhere in the rink.
Enjoy!
Instruction with illustrations are provided in the one-page set up and take down card that come with your rink. Here's the summary:
Drain the rink: Choose a spot to start draining your rink. Near that spot cut several cable ties and carefully fold down the free tarp, releasing a controlled flow of rink water. If needed, work your way around the rink cutting additional cable ties and carefully folding down the tarp.
Empty the panels: Once the rink is empty, cut all remaining cable ties and unfasten all thumb screws. Save the thumb screws for use next winter! (New cable ties will need to be ordered.) Tip over each panel to empty it.
Stack the panels: For off-season storage, stack panels head-to-toe. (You may wish to use the shipping boxes.) If your tarp is in reusable condition, allow it to dry thoroughly before folding.
Store the disassembled rink for reuse next season: Store your YardRink in a garage, or other suitable area, to enjoy next winter!
Of course! We currently offer YardRink in our Starter size (35’ x 17’). We are planning to introduce larger size rinks next season. To upgrade to larger sizes, you’ll simply order more straight panels and a new, larger tarp.
