Backyard ice rinks vary wildly by price, with an average cost of $3,000, though some cost upwards of $31,300. The price depends on the size of a rink and whether the rink is DIY, prefab, or professionally installed.
A backyard ice rink can be a fun place where you, family, and neighbors spend long, cold days having fun. But before you jump into constructing your own, it's important to understand the various build options available to you so you can plan an appropriate budget. You can pay as little as $50 if you use existing snow to build a small 10-by-10-foot ice rink, whereas hiring a pro to assemble a 30-by-60-foot prefab unit may cost about $6,300.
The price range for building a backyard ice rink ranges from $50 up to $25,000 because there are so many factors that go into determining the total cost. In this article, we’ll cover some of the most important cost factors, and help you nail down an estimate for your winter oasis.
On average, you can expect to pay around $2 per square foot for your ice rink installation, which means the larger your rink, the higher your total will climb.
The size of your backyard ice rink affects its build price because larger rinks require more materials and more labor to install. For example, if you build a small, 10-foot by 10-foot rink using raw materials, you'll pay about $200 to complete the build. On the other hand, a 30-foot by 60-foot rink using the same materials will set you back about $3,600 due to the need for more lumber, a larger liner, more fasteners, and more water. The cost table below includes average pricing for professional ice rink installation by rink size.
| Rink Dimensions (Feet) | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| 10 x 10 | $200 |
| 10 x 20 | $400 |
| 15 x 30 | $900 |
| 20 x 40 | $1,600 |
| 30 x 60 | $3,600 |
| 36 x 72 | $5,180 |
| 48 x 96 | $9,200 |
| 85 x 200 | $34,000 |
Whether you build your own ice rink from scratch or hire a professional installer to assemble a prefabricated kit, the cost of materials will make up between 10% and 50% of the total, depending on the type of rink you install, its size, and the quality of materials.
Generally, it's cheaper to buy raw materials and build the rink yourself or hire a handyperson to assemble it for you. If you opt for a kit, you'll enjoy premium sidewalls and liners, but you'll also pay more.
When building a backyard ice rink on your own, your shopping list will include a few essential materials, which are listed below, along with the rough cost for each item.
| Material | Typical Cost |
|---|---|
| Lumber | $50–$500 |
| Liner | $100–$700 |
| Fasteners | $25–$200 |
| Water | $1–$300 |
If you’re just looking for a simple ice rink for children to skate on, you may not pay anything for accessories. On the other hand, if you’re building a rink for you and your neighbors to play ice hockey on, you could pay $4,000 or more to build your dream backyard ice rink. The table below includes some typical pricing for common accessories you might want to consider.
| Accessory | Typical Cost |
|---|---|
| Benches | $300–$1,000 each |
| Bumper caps | $5–$10 per linear foot |
| Ice hockey goals (per pair) | $1,000–$2,500 |
| Ice marking paint | $100–$200 |
| Outdoor lighting | $350–$500 per fixture |
| Rubber flooring | $8–$16 per square foot |
| Storage for padding | $200–$1,000 |
Depending on where you live, your municipality might require you to pull a building permit for your ice rink build. If you do need one, you can expect to pay between $25 and $200.
In most cases, small, temporary ice skating rinks won’t require a permit, but if you’re building dasher boards, installing light fixtures, installing benches around a permanent ice rink, or laying a foundation for any part of your project, you’ll need to budget for this expense. You can ask your local building department or a local general contractor if permits are necessary.
The labor cost to install a backyard ice rink is going to account for between 50% and 90% of the total, in most cases, or between $1,500 and $2,700. Labor costs could rise to $15,000 or more for a high-end, oversized ice rink suited for hockey, curling, or another sport.
The steps involved in building a backyard ice rink involve preparing the area, staking out the rink, building the frame, installing the liner, and filling the rink with water.
Note that you might also choose to call back your ice rink installer at the end of season to tear down your rink. This generally takes 2 to 3 hours to complete and generally costs $120 to $400, based on handyman rates.
There are several ways to build a backyard ice rink, from a no-materials project that requires just snow and water to a professional build complete with refrigeration lines. The table below includes the average costs for some of the most common build methods.
| Type of Ice Rink | Typical Cost |
|---|---|
| DIY ice rink | $200–$1,800 |
| Ice rink kit | $2,000–$8,000 |
| No-materials ice rink | $1–$500 |
| Professionally-installed rink | $3,000–$34,000+ |
A DIY ice rink built from scratch will cost you between $200 and $1,800, in most cases.
Building a DIY backyard ice rink involves purchasing all the individual materials you'll need, including sidewalls, a liner, and fasteners, and then assembling the rink using general instructions. You'll end up with a better finished product than a no-material ice rink, but it can take considerable time and effort to plan out and build your rink.
Assuming you have the space, the only limit to the size of your ice rink is your materials budget. However, this type of project is best suited to rinks no larger than 30 feet by 60 feet.
An ice rink kit ranges in price from $2,000, if you plan to complete the installation yourself, up to $8,000, if you buy the kit but have a pro install it for you.
If you aren't a master of DIY projects, an ice rink kit offers a fair compromise between do-it-yourself affordability and professional quality. These kits offer everything you need to assemble a backyard rink, except for water.
A no-materials ice rink is the most affordable, but least impressive option, costing between $1 for the water alone and $500, depending on the kind of ice you use, and if you place a tarp under your rink.
If you want to spend as little money as possible on your backyard ice rink, you can use what nature provides to complete most of your project. Rather than traditional materials like lumber and a liner, this type of job requires nothing more than moderately heavy snowfall and water from a nearby spigot.
Because you won't have rigid support for the base or sidewalls of your rink, this type of project is best limited to smaller sizes, such as 10 feet by 10 feet or 20 feet by 20 feet.
Depending on the size of your rink and the project complexity, you might pay as little as $3,000 for a small, handmade rink, or up to $34,000 or more for a refrigerated rink.
Building a backyard ice rink can take considerable time and effort when you add up all the planning, purchasing, and assembling that goes into the project. If you plan to build a larger or more complicated rink, such as a refrigerated unit that will extend skating season by several weeks, we recommend that you consider hiring a local professional rather than take on the task yourself.
Installing a backyard ice rink is a large–and often–expensive commitment, and the costs don’t stop at the initial labor. There are some ongoing expenses you should keep in mind to ensure that your new wintertime feature fits within your budget over time.
Maintaining the ice in your backyard rink can involve some work and additional costs over time, too. For example, if you install a refrigerated ice rink to extend the skating season; if you hire a professional to smooth the ice, so skating is more enjoyable; or, if any repairs are needed, you can expect to pay monthly or yearly for ongoing maintenance.
The typical costs for these services are as follows:
Professional smoothing: $50–$200
Liner repair: $50–$250
Monthly electricity costs: $250 per month (refrigerated rink only)
Refrigerant replacement: $100–$500
Many homeowners, who install an ice risk in their backyard, will opt to upgrade their setup to make it more enjoyable, and some need to prep their land before installation. Following are some common add-ons you might want to consider when installing a backyard ice rink.
Land preparation: Before starting work on an ice rink, you should take a careful look over your backyard. If the area is overgrown or full of debris like dead leaves, hire a local lawn and landscape company to clean things up.
Tree trimming: If your rink will be under a larger tree, it might also be a good time to call a local tree trimmer to make sure no branches are in danger of falling over your build.
Warming station: Planning on spending hours outside with friends or family playing hockey? You may want to install a small warming hut, as well. This will increase costs by thousands, but it can lead to much more enjoyment.
Gear storage: After you’re done skating or playing outdoor sports on your rink, you may want a small temporary or permanent storage shed to house your wet gear. You could also use the storage space for pool equipment if you have a synthetic or natural swimming pool, which makes better use of the space in the long run.
Exterior lights: Fancy a night-time hockey or curling game? Consider setting up temporary or permanent lights around your rink to play through the night.
The cost of materials is about $1,800 for a 30-foot by 60-foot rink, and you'll pay a handyman or ice rink installer $65 to $125 per hour to assemble the rink. Assuming it takes about 8 hours to build, the total cost would be about $3,600, on average. If you take on the job yourself, you can save around $1,800 in labor costs.
Building an ice skating rink in your backyard is not a terribly difficult thing to do, but it does take time and effort to plan out the project and complete the build. You'll need to pick a spot in your yard for the rink, clear it to ensure it's level, measure out the rink, and buy all the necessary materials for assembling it. You'll need to do some simple math to make up your supplies list, and you'll have to follow some general instructions that you can find online.
As far as the actual construction itself, you need to be as precise as possible to avoid trouble later on. For example, when constructing the frame and sideboards, you want to ensure the boards are as close to the ground as possible. Leaving gaps only as wide as a finger can cause your liner to bulge under the frame and possibly tear when you start filling it with water.
You can save quite a bit by DIYing an ice rink installation, but hiring a professional is usually worth the money if you want to save time and frustration.
| Backyard Ice Rink Considerations | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| Materials for 30 x 60 feet | $1,800 |
| Handyperson or ice rink installer | $65 – $125 per hour |
| Savings on labor if you DIY | $1,800 on average |
| Average cost of labor | $1,500 – $2,000 |
The best ways to save money on a backyard ice rink include opting for a no-materials project, using leftover materials for a DIY project, or completing a self-install of a prefab kit.
If you do the no-materials route, you'll use snow to create the floor and walls of your rink. It will take a lot of physical labor to move and pack snow, but your only real expense after time will be the cost of filling your rink with water.
If you want a more finished ice rink at a lower cost, check your shed or ask neighbors for leftover or scrap lumber, lining material, and fasteners. Assuming you've got a pile of 2x4s, some stakes, heavy plastic sheeting, and a couple of boxes of nails, you may not have to spend another dollar, except for the cost of filling the rink with water.
Another way to save money but enjoy the most finished look is to buy a prefabricated ice rink kit and install it yourself. Many manufacturers boast about how easy it is to put together their kits, with some claiming you can install an ice rink kit in as little as 5 minutes.
If you already have a backyard feature for the other seasons, like a basketball court, it might be possible to build your rink on top of it—just check with your installer to make sure the added weight won’t damage the court. This can save you some yard space, as well as the cost of leveling another area of your yard.
Whether you should buy or build a backyard ice rink depends on how much time, skill, money, and patience you have to put into the project. If you want a professional-looking rink, a refrigerated rink, or you need land leveling or complicated add-on services, it’s best to hire a pro. If you’re only looking for a fun winter project to enjoy a little ice skating, feel free to tackle the project yourself.
The ice in a backyard ice rink should be at least 4-inches thick. This will allow for some surface damage and smoothing without having to worry about your skates cutting through the ice and damaging your liner. This thickness is also ideal to give the ice enough strength to support children and adults without cracking.
A backyard ice rink will usually take a few days to freeze, even if temperatures reach below zero. This is because the ice will be at least 4-inches thick, and will freeze from the outside in. Allow for up to a week for the water to freeze before you put weight on it to prevent cracking. You should always check the ice for unfrozen spots before using it, though, as freezing times can vary based on the temperature in your area.
