Amanda Knapp
Transforming an ice rink into a basketball court is no easy feat, but it's a common challenge for arenas that host both basketball and hockey teams. The process involves a large team of professionals and a range of specialised equipment. The first step is to prepare the surface by cleaning it and filling any holes or cracks. Then, interlocking mats made from rubber or fibreglass-foam composite are laid over the ice, followed by deck boards topped with basketball-ready parquet. The basketball court is made up of hundreds of heavy wooden pieces that are carefully locked into place. The process is then reversed after the basketball game to prepare for the next hockey game.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Ice rink to basketball court transformation time | 90 minutes to a full day |
| Ice | Remains frozen underneath the basketball court |
| Basketball court | Laid in sections |
| Made of interlocking mats, deck boards, and basketball-ready parquet | |
| Consists of 285-300 wooden pieces, each weighing 175-190 pounds | |
| Ice rink | Requires a smooth, flat surface |
| Requires a proper draining system for melting ice | |
| Requires ice rink liners to create a barrier between the ice and the court surface | |
| Requires walls and glass panels that can be removed |
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What You'll Learn
The ice is kept frozen and the basketball court is laid on top
Arenas that host both basketball and hockey games have to switch between the two setups quite frequently. The process of converting the ice rink to a basketball court and back again is a challenging task that requires a large team of professionals.
The ice rink is formed on top of a concrete slab embedded with temperature control mechanisms and miles of pipes filled with brinewater (an antifreeze agent). The slab is maintained at 16 degrees Fahrenheit by chillers to freeze the water pumped onto the slab into a layer of ice. This ice is kept frozen throughout the hockey season, and the basketball court is laid on top of it when needed.
To convert the rink to a basketball court, the walls and glass panels are first removed. Then, interlocking mats made from rubber or a fiberglass-foam composite are laid over the ice. On top of that, deck boards topped with basketball-ready parquet are placed. The basketball court is made up of around 285-300 wooden pieces, each weighing between 175 and 190 pounds, for a total weight of 26.5 tons. This weight is enough to keep the basketball court in place without sliding on the ice.
The process is reversed after the basketball game to prepare the surface for hockey again. The basketball court is removed, and the ice rink is once again exposed. This quick transformation process allows arenas to accommodate both basketball and hockey games during overlapping seasons.
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Mats and deck boards are laid over the ice
When it's time to switch from ice hockey to basketball, the ice rink isn't melted or removed. Instead, it is covered with mats and deck boards to create a basketball court. This process is done in sections, with each piece of the basketball court weighing between 175 and 190 pounds.
The first step is to lay interlocking mats made from rubber or a fibreglass-foam composite over the ice. These mats provide a layer of insulation and protection for the ice below. On top of these mats, deck boards topped with basketball-ready parquet are laid out. This process is similar across arenas in the US.
The basketball court is made up of around 285 to 300 wooden pieces, each weighing between 175 and 190 pounds, totalling 26.5 tons. The pieces must be placed in a precise, stair-step pattern with all the lines in place. Each piece requires four people to lock it into place, and then a sledgehammer is used to tighten it.
This system ensures that the basketball court is stable and secure, providing a suitable playing surface for basketball players. It also helps to maintain the temperature of the ice below, keeping it frozen while the basketball game takes place above.
In some cases, the ice rink may be covered with insulated plywood or foam puzzle piece covers instead of the more permanent deck boards. This allows for a quicker transformation and can be useful when there are time constraints, such as during playoff games involving multiple teams.
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The basketball court is made of 285 wooden pieces
Arenas shared by basketball and ice hockey teams need to be converted quickly and efficiently. This process involves transforming the ice rink into a basketball court and back again.
The basketball court is made up of 285 wooden pieces, each weighing 186 pounds, totalling 26.5 tons. The process of setting up the basketball court begins with workers laying interlocking mats made from rubber or a fibreglass-foam composite over the ice. On top of that, they lay deck boards topped with basketball-ready parquet. The wooden pieces are placed in a stair-step pattern, with all the lines in place, and each piece is locked in by four people using a sledgehammer to tighten it.
The wood used for the basketball court is typically maple hardwood, specifically hard maple (acer saccharum), which is sourced from the Upper Midwest, including Wisconsin and Michigan. This type of maple is harder than other hardwoods, has a tighter grain, and is lighter in colour. The maple floor pieces are graded by the Maple Flooring Manufacturing Association into first, second, and third grades, with the grades sometimes being used to create a specific look for the court. For example, using first-grade wood in the centre and third-grade wood around the perimeter can create a picture frame-like effect.
The basketball court is smaller than the hockey playing surface, measuring 94 feet by 50 feet, while the rink is 200 feet by 85 feet. This size difference allows for the basketball court to be assembled on top of the ice. The ice itself is formed on a slab embedded with temperature control mechanisms, such as pipes filled with brinewater (an antifreeze agent), to keep it frozen. Special insulated plywood is laid out over the ice, and the hardwood basketball court is pieced together on top, with each piece weighing between 175 and 190 pounds. This plywood helps maintain separate temperatures for the court and the ice below.
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Ice rink liners are used to separate the ice and court surface
Arenas with basketball and ice hockey teams often share a stadium. The process of transforming a hockey rink into a basketball court involves several steps and a large team of professionals.
Firstly, the rink's walls and glass panels are removed. Then, interlocking mats made from rubber or a fibreglass-foam composite are laid over the ice. Next, deck boards topped with basketball-ready parquet are placed on top of the mats. The basketball court is made up of 285-300 wooden pieces, each weighing 175-190 pounds, totalling 26.5 tons. The pieces are locked into place by four people, and a sledgehammer is used to tighten them.
In some cases, the ice is kept frozen underneath the basketball court, and the court is simply laid on top of it. This was the case at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, where the Kings hockey team and the Clippers and Lakers basketball teams shared a stadium. The ice remains in a slab underneath the basketball court, with the court placed in sections on top.
However, when converting a basketball court into an ice rink, a crucial step is to use ice rink liners. These are large, heavy-duty plastic sheets that create a barrier between the ice and the court surface. They are laid out on top of the court surface, covering the entire area, and are secured with weights or stakes. This step ensures that the ice rink surface will be smooth and even.
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The ice rink is smaller than the basketball court
The process of converting an ice rink to a basketball court and vice versa is a challenging task. It involves a large team of professionals who handle the transformation, which can take anywhere from 90 minutes to a full day. This process is commonly performed in arenas that host both basketball and ice hockey teams, such as the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
The basketball court is smaller than the ice rink, measuring 94 feet long and 50 feet wide, while the rink typically spans 200 feet by 85 feet. To accommodate the smaller court dimensions, the walls and glass panels of the rink are removed first. This reduction in size allows for the creation of a more confined playing area, suitable for basketball.
After removing the rink's boundaries, the next step is to lay out insulated plywood or deck boards over the entire ice surface. This step is crucial as it serves a dual purpose: keeping the basketball court warm and preventing the ice underneath from melting. The insulated surface acts as a barrier, maintaining the necessary temperature differential between the court and the ice.
On top of the insulated plywood, the basketball court is carefully assembled. This typically involves piecing together upwards of 285 to 300 wooden pieces, each weighing around 175 to 190 pounds. The heavy weight of the court ensures that it remains stable and doesn't slide on the ice beneath. The entire process is meticulously executed to create a safe and regulation-compliant basketball playing surface.
Converting an ice rink to a basketball court requires careful planning and execution. The process begins with addressing the size difference between the two playing areas. By removing the walls and adjusting the playing surface, the space is transformed from the expansive ice rink to the more intimate basketball court. This size transformation is a critical aspect of the conversion process.
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Frequently asked questions
The process involves laying interlocking mats made from rubber or fibreglass-foam composite over the ice. On top of that, deck boards topped with basketball-ready parquet are laid out. The basketball court is made up of around 285 wooden pieces, each weighing around 180 pounds, totalling 26.5 tons.
The basketball court is removed, and the ice rink walls and glass panels are put back up.
The ice is formed on top of a concrete slab at the beginning of the hockey season and remains in place until the last hockey game of the year. The slab is maintained at freezing temperatures by chillers.
Depending on crew size and efficiency, transformation times can range from 90 minutes to a full day.
