Kristian Ferrell
Basketball and ice hockey are two very different sports, and their playing surfaces reflect that. A basketball court is smaller than a hockey rink, measuring 94 feet long and 50 feet wide, compared to the rink's 200 feet by 85 feet. To convert a basketball court to a hockey rink, the glass panels and walls are removed, and special insulated plywood is laid out over the entire ice surface. This plywood keeps the basketball court warm while also keeping the ice cool. The hardwood basketball floor is then pieced together on top of the plywood, with the court made up of around 300 pieces of wood, weighing around 175-190 pounds each. The process can be completed in as little as 90 minutes with a large enough crew.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Basketball court size | 94 feet long and 50 feet wide |
| Hockey rink size | 200 feet long and 85 feet wide |
| Transformation process | Walls and glass panels are removed, insulated plywood is laid out over the ice, and the basketball floor is pieced together on top |
| Ice maintenance | Ice-bearing concrete slab embedded with pipes filled with brinewater (an antifreeze agent) |
| Ice temperature | Maintained at 16 degrees Fahrenheit by chillers |
| Transformation time | Depending on the system and crew size, can range from 90 minutes to a full day |
| Basketball court weight | More than 25 tons |
| Basketball court pieces | Upwards of 300 pieces of wood |
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What You'll Learn
- Ice-bearing concrete slabs are embedded with pipes filled with brinewater to freeze the ice
- Basketball courts are smaller than hockey rinks, so the walls and glass panels are removed
- Special insulated plywood is laid out over the ice surface to keep the basketball court warm
- The basketball floor is made of heavy plywood and hardwood to prevent it from sliding on the ice
- Arenas lay interlocking mats made from rubber or fibreglass-foam composite over the ice for basketball games
Ice-bearing concrete slabs are embedded with pipes filled with brinewater to freeze the ice
Arenas that host both basketball and ice hockey games have to transform quickly from a hockey rink to a basketball court. This is achieved by first removing the walls and glass panels of the hockey rink. Then, special insulated plywood is laid out over the entire ice surface, and the hardwood basketball floor is pieced together on top of the plywood. The basketball court is heavy enough to stay in place, weighing more than 25 tons, and it also keeps the court warm while the ice underneath remains frozen.
To convert the basketball court back to a hockey rink, the process is simply reversed. The basketball court is disassembled, and the insulated plywood is removed to expose the ice rink. The ice-bearing concrete slabs, which sit below the rink's skating surface, play a crucial role in maintaining the ice. These slabs are embedded with miles of pipes filled with brine water, an antifreeze agent, which is maintained at extremely low temperatures, typically around 16 degrees Fahrenheit.
The brine water is pumped through these pipes, ensuring that the ice-bearing slab remains just below 32 degrees Fahrenheit. This temperature is crucial to freeze the thousands of gallons of water spread onto the slab, creating a layer of ice. The slab also allows for the expansion and contraction of ice as temperatures fluctuate. Underneath the slab is a layer of insulation that prevents the ground below from freezing, which could otherwise lead to structural issues such as cracking.
When it is necessary to defrost the skating surface, the brine water is heated and pumped through the pipes in the ice-bearing concrete slab. This process efficiently heats the underlayer of the ice, making it easier to break up and remove, preparing the surface for alternative uses or maintenance.
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Basketball courts are smaller than hockey rinks, so the walls and glass panels are removed
Basketball courts are smaller than hockey rinks, so the first step in transforming the space is to remove the walls and glass panels that enclose the hockey rink. This opens up the space and creates a flat, open area that can then be prepared for the basketball court.
The ice hockey rink is typically around 200 feet long and 85 feet wide, while a basketball court measures 94 feet by 50 feet. This significant difference in size necessitates the removal of the surrounding structures to accommodate the basketball court dimensions.
Once the walls and glass panels are removed, the next step is to lay a special type of insulated plywood over the entire ice surface. This plywood serves two important purposes. Firstly, it acts as a barrier between the ice and the basketball court, ensuring that the court remains stable and does not slide on the ice. Secondly, the insulated plywood helps maintain two different temperatures on its surfaces. The top surface can be kept warm for the basketball court, while the bottom surface stays cool to prevent the ice from melting.
The basketball court is then assembled on top of this plywood base. The court is typically made up of hundreds of heavy wooden pieces that interlock to form a sturdy and seamless playing surface. Each piece is carefully placed and locked into position, creating a secure and level basketball court.
The entire process of converting a hockey rink to a basketball court can be completed relatively quickly, often within a few hours or even 90 minutes, thanks to efficient systems and a dedicated crew. This transformation showcases the versatility of modern arenas, allowing them to host a variety of sports and events while meeting the specific requirements of each discipline.
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Special insulated plywood is laid out over the ice surface to keep the basketball court warm
Arenas can switch from hosting hockey games to basketball games in a matter of hours. This is achieved by first removing the walls and glass panels that surround the hockey rink. Then, special insulated plywood is laid out over the entire ice surface, and the hardwood of the basketball floor is pieced together on top of the plywood. The basketball court is made up of 285 to 300 pieces of wood, each weighing between 175 and 190 pounds, for a total weight of more than 25 tons. This process is reversed after a basketball game to prepare for a hockey game.
The special insulated plywood serves the dual purpose of keeping the basketball court warm and the ice cool. The ice rink underneath is maintained by an ice-bearing concrete slab embedded with miles of pipes filled with brinewater, an antifreeze agent. The slab is kept at 16 degrees Fahrenheit by chillers to freeze upwards of 10,000 gallons of deionized water pumped onto the slab, creating a layer of ice.
Some arenas, such as the Xcel Center in St. Paul, do not completely cover the ice surface when hosting basketball games. Instead, they remove the black squares that cover the ice while leaving the white squares, creating a checkerboard pattern. This results in a visually interesting effect but also poses safety hazards, as seen in a metal show where people started crowd surfing on the floor panels.
Prior to the invention of the interlocking mat system, basketball players would play directly on top of the hockey rink, leading to many injuries, frostbite, and lopsided scores.
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The basketball floor is made of heavy plywood and hardwood to prevent it from sliding on the ice
Arenas that host both basketball and ice hockey games have to transform quickly from hockey rinks to basketball courts and back again. This process involves laying out insulated plywood over the entire ice surface and then piecing together the hardwood basketball floor on top of the plywood. The basketball floor is made of heavy plywood and hardwood, weighing more than 25 tons, to prevent it from sliding on the ice.
The ice rink is first covered with interlocking mats made from rubber or a fibreglass-foam composite. Then, deck boards are laid on top, followed by the basketball-ready parquet, which is made up of around 250-300 wooden pieces, each weighing around 180 pounds. The entire process can take anywhere from 90 minutes to a full day, depending on the crew size and efficiency.
The ice surface is maintained by an ice-bearing concrete slab embedded with temperature control mechanisms including miles of pipes filled with brinewater, an antifreeze agent. The slab is kept at 16 degrees Fahrenheit by chillers to freeze upwards of 10,000 gallons of deionized water, creating a layer of ice. This system allows the ice to remain frozen even when covered by the basketball court, preventing it from melting.
While the basketball court is in place, the ice is kept intact underneath, and the temperature is controlled to maintain the integrity of the ice surface for subsequent hockey games. This involves the use of refrigeration compressors and piping to keep the concrete under the ice cold. The basketball court itself also plays a role in keeping the ice cool, as the insulated plywood helps separate the warm court from the frozen ice below.
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Arenas lay interlocking mats made from rubber or fibreglass-foam composite over the ice for basketball games
When it comes to converting an ice hockey rink to a basketball court, the process is quite straightforward. Arenas will first remove the walls and glass panels surrounding the rink, leaving a flat, frozen surface. Then, they will lay down interlocking mats made from rubber or fibreglass-foam composite. This composite material acts as insulation, keeping the basketball court warm while allowing the ice underneath to remain frozen. This is especially important in arenas where the ice is located in a warmer part of the building, such as the fifth floor of a busy train station.
The interlocking mats also provide a level surface for the basketball court, ensuring a smooth and even playing area. On top of these mats, deck boards are laid out, and finally, the basketball-ready parquet is placed. This process is known as "the puzzle" due to the intricate way the pieces fit together. Each wooden piece must be carefully placed in a stair-step pattern, with all the lines matching up perfectly. It takes four people to lock in each piece, and then a sledgehammer is used to tighten the puzzle together.
This entire process can take as little as 90 minutes with an efficient and large crew. However, it can also take up to a full day, depending on the crew and system used. The final basketball court consists of upwards of 285 pieces of wood, each weighing around 186 pounds, adding up to approximately 26.5 tons of plywood.
This innovative method of converting ice hockey rinks to basketball courts allows for greater flexibility in arena usage. It is no longer necessary to have separate venues for each sport, saving time, resources, and space. This shared usage of arenas by professional basketball and ice hockey teams is common in many cities across the country.
The transformation process is not limited to basketball courts and ice hockey rinks. Some arenas can also accommodate other sports, such as ringette, broomball, and bandy, by utilising different flooring setups and equipment. The versatility of these arenas enables them to host a variety of events and cater to diverse sporting needs. This adaptability showcases the wonders of modern technology and the ingenuity of arena management.
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Frequently asked questions
The process can be completed in as little as 90 minutes to a full day, depending on the crew size and efficiency. The ice is not melted off, it remains frozen for the duration. Instead, the basketball court is laid on top of the ice.
The basketball court is laid on top of interlocking mats made from rubber or a fibreglass-foam composite. On top of that, deck boards topped with basketball-ready parquet are laid down.
The basketball court consists of 285 wooden pieces, each weighing 186 pounds, totalling 26.5 tons. Each piece is locked into place by four people, and then the crew uses a sledgehammer to tighten it.
The ice is maintained by an ice-bearing concrete slab embedded with miles of pipes filled with brinewater (an antifreeze agent). The slab is maintained at 16 degrees Fahrenheit by chillers.
To convert an ice rink to a basketball court, the walls and glass panels are removed, and special insulated plywood is laid out over the entire ice surface. The hardwood of the basketball floor is then pieced together atop the plywood.
