How thick is the ice in a standard ice hockey rink?

The ice in a standard hockey rink is typically only about an inch thick. Source: HowStuffWorks "How Ice Rinks Work" (which has a bunch of other good information on rinks as well). This make sense when you think about it. read more

The ice in a standard hockey rink is typically only about an inch thick. Source: HowStuffWorks "How Ice Rinks Work" (which has a bunch of other good information on rinks as well). This make sense when you think about it. read more

An ice surface that is too thick requires more energy to keep frozen and is prone to getting soft on the top. A surface that is too thin is also dangerous because skaters risk cutting straight through the ice. It takes between 12,000 and 15,000 gallons (45,000 to 57,000 L) to form a Hockey rink surface. read more

The ice on a hockey rink is approximately 3/4" thick. The thicker it is, the slower is is to skate, and that is not good. read more