Synthetic ice is becoming more and more popular as families are forced to stay home because of the pandemic. The great thing about synthetic ice tiles is that they allow hockey players and ice skaters to skate on the surface in ice skates much like they would if they were on ice. Synthetic ice flooring is easy to install, rugged, tough enough for ice skates, and lasts for a very long time. It is no wonder why so many people are asking about it and interested in putting it to use in their own homes. How much does it cost to get synthetic ice installed in a home? Well, it all depends on where you go and how you have it installed.
Table of Contents
The Cost of Real Ice
If you look at things from the perspective of how much it would cost to install and maintain an ice rink made of real ice it is pretty obvious that synthetic ice is a much more economic choice. Real ice has to be kept frozen in order to be of any use for ice skaters. This means that a whole room would have to be kept refrigerated to freezing temperatures. The cost of building a rink alone could cost upwards of hundreds of thousands of dollars, not to mention the ongoing costs of the electric bills. On top of the ongoing costs, the upkeep of an ice rink can cause problems with the environment by using chemicals that evaporate into the atmosphere.
Synthetic Ice
Synthetic ice is made from special polymer plastics that can endure lots of abuse from ice skates and practice. Over the years it has evolved and become more effective and user friendly. At one point in the history of synthetic ice in order to keep the flooring slick and ice-like people had to add lubricants and other additives to the flooring so that the skaters could glide across the surface just and not skid. Modern-day technology has allowed developers to create a type of synthetic ice that is self-lubricating and does not need any extra pollutants to keep it slick. The synthetic ice of today is much more durable and ice-like than ever before. Although there are a difference and a drag aspect that makes it a little harder to skate on the flooring than real ice, it is only slightly.
The Price Varies from Place to Place
Sniper’s Edge Hockey has the best deal on synthetic ice and all other hockey training aids. Some places charge as little as $0.28 per square foot and some as much as $4.74 per square foot. It all depends on where you go, and what you are looking for. If you are looking for somebody to install the ice panels for you, it will cost considerably more for that. Unless you purchase your flooring from a place that offers a package deal. Whatever way that you decide to go, make sure you do your research and see the kind of company that you are buying your items from. Although synthetic ice is a general commodity, not all brands are the same and some of them can be utterly useless. You want to find a product that is easy to install and will be moveable if you need it to be moved. You also want it to be able to endure lots of hardcore practice and be able to accommodate as many skaters as needed to play a real game.
The Best Value is Synthetic Ice
The best way to go when it comes to hockey training is to install a synthetic ice flooring solution where skaters can practice just like they would on ice. Although dryland hockey tiles are a good solution as well, they don’t allow players to practice on ice skates. Being able to practice on ice skates is a nice breath of fresh air for ice skating lovers. With a little bit of critical thinking and a great attitude, anybody can install synthetic ice in their home and practice like a pro.