Resurfacing The Ice

After every skating session, you see a machine like this coming out to resurface the rink. I love watching the effect of the resurfacing, where the cut-up ice surface is replaced with a thin, shimmering, layer of water that rapidly freezes to leave the ice fresh and smooth.

Apparently the resurfacing machine - most commonly a Zamboni or Resurface Corporation model - runs a three-step process. First a thin layer of ice is shaved off the surface of the ice. Next, water is sprayed onto the surface to loosen debris, and immediately vaccuumed back up into the resurfacer. Finally hot water is laid onto the ice and spread by the towel at the back. The coolant of the rink ensures that before long, the water freezes to a clean, strong and bump-free surface.