How to make a Homemade Zamboni
A simple, affordable way to make a homemade Zamboni to keep your backyard ice rink smooth.
I live in “The State of Hockey,” Minnesota, where backyard ice rinks are common. Whether it’s a flooded homemade rink or a pond in the backyard, Minnesotan’s love to get outside to skate and play hockey. But after a few skates around the ice, the ice surface gets choppy and needs resurfacing. Take your backyard rink to the next level by following this step-by-step guide to build your very own homemade Zamboni.
Homemade Zamboni Instructions
Equipment
- Hacksaw
- Tape measure
- Flat head screw driver
- Power drill
- Drill bits
Materials
Zamboni
- 1 1 ½” 10’ ABS Pipe
- 1 1 ½” 3 way connection PVC DWV All Hub Double Wye Fitting
- 2 1 ½” 90° ABS Elbow
- 2 1 ½” 45° ABS Elbow
- 1 1½” x 1¼" Rubber Coupling. DWV Flexible PVC Coupling
- 1 2” PVC plug I used a 2” plastic wing nut test plug. Overkill, but I couldn’t find a PVC plug that would fit.
- 1 1 ½” Hose Connection Valve PVC Schedule 40 Slip x Slip Ball Valve
- 1 roll Pipe thread tape
- 1 8 oz. Can ABS Black Cement
- 1 8 oz. Can ABS Cleaner
- 1 5/8” Garden Hose
- 1 2×3’ Bath Towel
- 8 ½” Stainless Steel Screws
Instructions
Buy Materials
- I spent over an hour in the Home Depot plumbing aisle testing the fittings to make sure everything fit together. The material list provided will be a big time saver for you!
- Tip – Test connecting the parts in the aisle to make sure you have the right sizes, it’s easy to grab the wrong size. Don’t trust the shelf labels, double check sizing to make sure everything fits.
Cut Pipe to Length
- Use hacksaw to make three cuts to get the 4 ABS pieces needed to build the Zamboni.
- Make 2, 24" Side Pipes. Measure and mark ABS pipe to make 2, 24" pieces of ABS pipes to make the side pieces of the triangular bottom of the Zamboni.
- Make 1, 37½” ABS Base Pipe. Measure, mark & cut 1 37½” ABS pipe. This is the base piece of the triangular bottom half of Zamboni, out of which water will flow onto towel/ice.
- Use remaining pipe for the "handle" of the Zamboni, about 34-35”assuming you had a 10’ ABS pipe to start.
Connect ABS Pipes to Connection Joints
- Clean ABS/PVC pipe connection points using ABS cleaner.
- Apply cement to connection points, starting from the base pipe and working your way up to the handle.
- Connect base pipe to 90° ABS Elbow, connect one elbow on each side of the 37½" base pipe.
- Connect 45°ABS Elbow to 90° ABS Elbow, connect one elbow on each 90° ABS Elbow.
- Connect side pipes to each of the 45° ABS Elbows.
- Connect 3 way connection PVC to each side pipe
- Connect remaining ABS pipe to 3 way connection PVC. This will be the handle.
- Plug middle hole in 3 way connection point using PVC plug.
Build Hose Connection Point
- Wrap hose coupling thread with connection tape.
- Connect PVC ball joint to hose coupling by screwing wrapped coupling into ball joint threaded receiving end.
- Connect rubber coupling to PVC ball joint. Use flat head screw driver to tighten. This rubber coupling will allow you to easily attach the ABS Piping Zamboni to your hose.
Make Zamboni Base
- Drill ~14 holes in base ABS pipe using ¼" drill bit. This is for water to flow out of Zamboni base.
- Connect towel to base using stainless steel screws. Start on one end of the base ABS pipe, screw one end of the towel to the base pipe. Work your way down the base, connecting the towel to the base pipe with screws. Tip – leave an inch of space between water holes and drilled towel connection to allow water to flow out of pipe.
Chipper using the Zamboni 
Blaire & Chipper Resurfacing the Ice
Tips | Go Full Dad Mode with your Zamboni
- Couple Up – Use a removable rubber coupling connector to easily connect/remove Zamboni from hose. This helps with storage and its easier to rollout a 100 foot hose without a Zamboni attached.
- Protect your Pipes – Turn on/off water to outside valve as needed. Turning off the water to the outside hose when not in use prevents pipes from freezing. Follow your standard winterizing protocol.
- Storage – Store all materials inside so they don’t freeze. It is easier to rollout a warm hose than a frozen one.
This was my first attempt at a homemade Zamboni and I’m loving taking care of the ice to allow them to get outside and skate. Looking forward to enhancing the rink with hockey nets and lights soon, more to come! Feel free to share your questions or comments as you build a rink &/or Zamboni of your own.
Thanks for reading,
Britt
Want more How-To’s? Check out my Fix it page, featuring my most popular, “how to install double barn doors” post.
About Post Author
Britt
Hey I’m Britt. I run Full Dad Mode to help people like you make the most of life. I share helpful DIY how to's and recipes designed to make busy lives easier. Click here to sign up for email updates to stay up to date on the latest tips and from Full Dad Mode!
