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more demanding than the relatively main- tenance-free cement floor. Te sheet reflects the characteristics
of the floor on which it is built. Cement floors are poured level and sand floors are meticulously leveled before each sheet installation. Sand floors must be saturated before freezing to build on a solid sheet that is free of air. Minimal air insulates the surface, adding load to the refrigeration; excess air creates entire areas that must be removed and replaced due to skates crashing through the ice surface frozen from the top down. Similarly, very fine coats of water seal a cement floor, mini- mizing air in the all-important bonding coat and those coats below the paint. A Supreme Sheet features a fabulous,
W
e all have one. It is our most critical product. Yet the variety in the quality of ice sheets is
limitless. Outdoor sheets are a combina- tion of love and art, subject to the vagaries of the weather; for this reason, outdoor sheets generally receive a pass from this author. One would think that indoor sheets, being in a “controlled” environ- ment, would be fairly uniform. Once again, logic fails us. Deep grooves,
wet spots, missing/faded/erroneous ice markings and thick corners are the bane of the conscientious iceman’s existence. Furthermore, the “controlled” environ- ment of each and every ice sheet is somewhat different. Variations in floors, refrigeration, humidity control, water and radiant heat load are just some of the critical issues with which we contend to provide the Supreme Sheet!
BUILT FROM THE BOTTOM UP
All acceptable ice surfaces should be void of liquid within two to three minutes of resurfacing. Standing water is unaccept- able for skaters, pucks or curling stones to glide across. Te cure for this is to reduce the temperature to induce freezing. Tis can be done by reducing glycol tempera- ture, reducing the heating system or both. Conversely, the Supreme Sheet simply glistens after resurfacing. Te water is frozen within one to two minutes of resur- facing. Te ice begs to be skated on!
10 If it were only as simple as controlling
the ice temperature! Like any other supe- rior product, the Supreme Sheet is built from the bottom up. Any deficiencies at any point in the process will result in a less-than-supreme sheet. Knowing a facil- ity’s deficiencies can lead to corrective action, even if the opportunity to correct the issue only arises once a decade or less for a year-round sheet (when the sheet is removed). Te subsoil and subfloor heating system
comprise the bottom of the product. Located 12 to 24 inches below your sheet, a subsoil that does not absorb water and never freezes is the goal. Yes, an out-of-sight, often out-of-mind system can wreak havoc on the quest for the Supreme Sheet. Monitor the subfloor temperature and keep it at least 4 degrees above 32 F. Tis insures that heaving from subfloor freezing will not be a problem. Just above the subfloor heat grid is, or should be, a layer of rigid insulation. In the early rink years, this was thought to be enough to prevent permafrost, but is now seen as a smart assist to a well- functioning subfloor heat system. Above the insulation is a vapor barrier, which has either a cement floor with refrigeration pipes or pipes in sand above it. While I know many figure skaters who enjoy the
“springiness” of their jumps on a sand floor, I have yet to meet a veteran rink manager who prefers a sand floor. Te mainte- nance of the sand floor is exponentially
well-maintained paint job. If the floor is painted, it should be scrubbed and all paint touched up for crisp lines and logos. If the ice is painted, a Supreme Sheet is likely attained by veteran painters, either in-house or hired subcontractors. Te mis- takes learned by many years of trial and error are too numerous to elucidate. Trust me, watching a well-oiled veteran crew of ice painters perform their art is some- thing to behold (and much easier on your back than trying to do it yourself!). Te remainder of the ice surface installation is a routine spraying of light coats of water.
MAINTENANCE MATTERS
As soon as the sheet is skated on, the maintenance begins. If you don’t dedicate time and energy to edging, shaving and burning out the lines, your ice will be less than supreme. Edging is required because the resur-
facer blade is beveled from side to side, as seen from behind the conditioner. Te ingenious bevel, which eliminates deep grooves during each pass of the resurfacer, also precludes a deep shave along the boards. Te edger rips the accumulated ice down, which is then followed with a dry shave with the dasher board side end of the conditioner blade adjustment screw lowered two to three turns. Remember to turn it back up before resurfacing away from the boards! As for edger models, I have recently
become partial to the AGM battery- powered edger. I can run it with people in the building without fans running. Fresh blades and fresh batteries allow this edger to serve me well.
ISI EDGE WINTER 2014
H
the
SUPREME SHEET
by Ed Peduto
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