How many brackets for a backyard rink
It depends on how deep the water gets. Iron Sleek, a bracket maker, publishes a chart that runs from one bracket every 8 ft for shallow water to one every 2 ft at 16 to 18 in. Below, that chart turns into a bracket count for your rink size. The chart is one maker's, so treat the count as a starting point.
Your count
- 12 along the sides, one every 8 ft
- 4 corner brackets (1 per corner)
- No ground stakes needed at this depth
Open this rink in the calculator for water, liner and fill time.
The spacing chart
From the Iron Sleek 20 × 30 kit page, which says the chart assumes 2 × 12 lumber and that spacing for all depths below 14 in should be 4 ft with plywood. The last column applies the chart to the rink above.
| Water depth | Spacing | Ground stakes | Corner brackets | Your rink |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| under 8 in | 8 ft | No | 1 per corner | 16 total |
| 8–10 in | 6 ft | No | 1 per corner | 22 total |
| 10–12 in | 4 ft | No | 2 per corner | 34 total |
| 12–14 in | 4 ft | Required | 2 per corner | 34 total |
| 14–16 in | 3 ft | Required | 2 per corner | 46 total |
| 16–18 in | 2 ft | Required | 2 per corner | 64 total |
The chart says "1 corner bracket" or "2 corner brackets". I read that as per corner, because the 20 × 30 kit ships 4 corner brackets for 4 corners. That is my reading, so check it with the maker.
How the count works
Each side gets a bracket every spacing length, rounded up to whole spans, minus one because the corner brackets take the end positions. Corner brackets are added on top. Take a 40 × 20 ft rink with 4 in of water. That is the 8 ft tier. The long sides need 4 brackets each (40 ÷ 8 is 5 spans, minus 1) and the short sides 2 each (20 ÷ 8 is 2.5, so 3 spans, minus 1). That is 12 along the sides plus 4 corners, 16 in all. At 9 in the spacing drops to 6 ft and the same rink needs 22. At 13 in, with stakes, 4 ft spacing and 2 brackets per corner give 34.
Counts by rink size
| Rink (ft) | 4 in water 8 ft spacing | 9 in water 6 ft spacing | 13 in water 4 ft + stakes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 × 30 | 14 | 18 | 30 |
| 20 × 40 | 16 | 22 | 34 |
| 30 × 60 | 24 | 30 | 50 |
| 40 × 80 | 30 | 42 | 64 |
Against the kit counts
The same maker lists a 20 × 30 ft kit with 16 brackets and 4 corner brackets, and a 50 × 80 ft kit with 48 and 8 (20 × 30, 50 × 80). I did not find the water depth the kits are sized for, so the table compares them with the 6 ft and 4 ft tiers.
| Kit (ft) | Kit ships | Chart at 6 ft | Chart at 4 ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 × 30 | 16 + 4 corner | 14 + 4 corner | 22 + 8 corner |
| 50 × 80 | 48 + 8 corner | 42 + 4 corner | 62 + 8 corner |
Both kits land between the two tiers. If your water gets deeper than the kit assumes, expect to buy more brackets.
Things to check
- Deep rows need tall boards. A 2 × 12 is 11.25 in tall, so water of 12 in or more does not fit behind one board. Those rows only apply to taller or stacked boards. That is my observation, not the maker's. See board height.
- Count at the deep end. Use the depth at the low corner. On a slope that is deeper than the average, see the sloped yard guide.
- Stakes instead of brackets. Stake spacing from other guides is on the materials list.
- Price. The cost estimate prices brackets together with liner, boards and water.