Ice Rink Liner Guide: Thickness, Sizes and Key Terms

Whether you are a beginner rink-builder or a seasoned pro, here are the key things you need to know about rink liners.

A rink liner has one main job: to hold water so it freezes into a solid block of ice.

Secondarily, it needs to contain melted ice during thaws, so it can refreeze when temperatures drop.

Sounds simple right? Here are a few important details to understand.

What Size Liner Do You Need?

This is the question that trips up most first-time builders. Your liner is not the same size as your rink. It has to climb the inside of your boards and lap over the top so you can weight it down, which on a standard 2x10 frame means about two extra feet on every side. Order the exact size of your rink and it will not reach.

Mil vs Layer

• Always use a 6 mil white rink liner.
• Some competitors sell a 7 layer liner that is still only 5 mil thick — this is misleading.
• Thickness (mil) matters far more than layers.
• RinkMaster's extra 20% thickness (6 mil vs 5 mil) makes liners more durable.
• Thinking of a hardware-store tarp instead? Read tarp vs rink liner: can you use a regular tarp?

What Does "Mil" Mean?

• A mil is a unit of plastic thickness equal to one‑thousandth of an inch.
• 6 mil liner = 0.006 inches thick. For reference, swimming pool liners are about 30 mil thick.
• RinkMaster liners are always 6 mil.
• Heavier gauges like 8 mil aren't worth the cost — skate blades, not thickness, are the real enemy of liners.

What Does "Layer" Mean?

• Refers to the number of sheets in the plastic's construction.
• Very different from "mil" (thickness).
• More layers provide no advantage in rink liners.
• In fact, some liners use low-grade filler materials between outer layers.
• RinkMaster uses only virgin resin throughout — no fillers.

Key Terms and Definitions

• Virgin Resin
  • Pure, unused plastic.
  • Stronger and more durable than recycled blends.
  • All RinkMaster liners are made with virgin resin.
• Patch Tape
  • Heavy-duty adhesive for sealing holes or slices.
  • Prevents water loss that causes shell ice.
• Seamed Liner
  • Made by fusing two sheets together.
  • Seam can become a weak point.
  • RinkMaster liners are always one continuous sheet, even at widths up to 60 feet.
• Shell Ice
  • Occurs when water leaks through holes and forms a thin frozen layer over an air pocket.
  • Weak and crushes under weight.
• UV Protection
  • Built-in additive that prevents liner breakdown from sunlight.
  • All RinkMaster liners are UV protected.
  • Store liners in a dark place if reusing.

Tips for Extending Liner Life

• Choose a solid white liner, no patterns.
• Keep the surface clear: remove sticks, leaves, and debris. Sunlight can burn holes where debris sits.
• If reusing a liner:
  • Store in the dark during summer.
  • Patch holes carefully with quality patch tape.
• Understand limitations:
  • Once rinks soften in spring, keep skates off.
  • Sharp blades will slice through the plastic easily, no matter the thickness.
• Consider a new liner each year to avoid leaks and shell ice.