Cooling Floors & Heater Floors
Key Features
Traditional concrete floors with modern Electro Fusion (EF) welded pipework, or the revolutionary ICEGRID modular system which offers flexibility for year-round, seasonal, or temporary rinks.
Consultancy and remedial services using thermal assessment to diagnose and resolve issues, ensuring reliable, long-term rink performance.
Our Cooling Floors & Heater Floors Range
Concrete Cooling Floors
Traditional concrete cooling floors have been in existence for many decades with very few changes to their design. Advancements in electro fusion plastic welding have removed the risks of leaks that were common in earlier systems.
A modern concrete floor is built with a structural slab, heater floor, vapour membrane, insulation, slip pane, reinforced concrete with an embedded pipe matrix, and finally the ice layer. Each stage is monitored with pressure and water tightness testing to ensure the integrity of the whole system.
ICEGRID Modular Cooling Floor
ICEGRID is a modular cooling floor manufactured from HDPE, designed in Germany, TÜV certified, and distributed and installed exclusively by Ice Tech in the UK, with availability for some overseas projects. It is recommended where a failed concrete floor requires overlaying, in new builds with year-round ice or for temporary rinks both indoors and outdoors.
ICEGRID has been installed at several Winter Olympic Games including Beijing 2022 and has been chosen for the 2026 Games in Italy. It is used in more than fifteen percent of UK rinks, with the first installation in 2003 still in service. For temporary use it has been installed at Somerset House in London and Winter Wonderland in Nottingham amongst several other temporary projects. ICEGRID is cheaper to construct than concrete, quicker to install, removable and relocatable. It delivers excellent ice quality through closer pipe centres, is more efficient than a concrete floor, and finance is available to support purchase.
Heater Floors and Frost Heave
An ice rink floor works much like an industrial cold store. Glycol circulates at sub-zero temperatures through the pipes set into the slab, cooling the surface so water above can freeze. Beneath the slab sits insulation to protect the sub-structure or ground below.
If insulation is breached, or water penetrates the concrete at the rink perimeter, groundwater can migrate and freeze into expanding ice lenses. Over time these lenses push upwards in a process known as frost heave, which can cause uneven ice, structural damage, and even force rinks to close.
To prevent frost heave, heater floors are constructed beneath the rink. These may be sand-filled or screed layers with glycol pipes maintaining a temperature between 6-10c, controlled by thermo-probes. Some rinks use electric heater blankets instead. Long-term maintenance of heater floors is essential, as failure can result in extremely costly repairs.
Specialist Consultancy and Remedial Solutions
Frequently Asked Questions
What types of cooling floors do Ice Tech UK provide?
We install both traditional concrete cooling floors and the ICEGRID modular cooling floor, offering permanent and temporary solutions to suit different rink projects.
How are concrete cooling floors built today?
Modern concrete floors use electro-fusion welded pipework to eliminate leaks and are constructed in layers that include a heater floor, insulation and reinforced concrete with an embedded pipe matrix, all pressure-tested for reliability.
When is ICEGRID the preferred option?
ICEGRID is recommended for overlays on failed concrete floors, new rinks with year-round ice, ice shows and arena events like Disney On Ice, and temporary indoor and outdoor installations. It has been proven at the Winter Olympic Games and is used in over fifteen percent of UK rinks.
What role do heater floors play in an ice rink?
Heater floors prevent frost heave by keeping the substrate beneath the slab at a controlled temperature. They may use glycol-filled pipes or electric heater blankets and require ongoing maintenance to avoid costly failures.
What support is available if frost heave occurs?
We provide specialist consultancy to investigate and resolve problems such as lifting ice sheets, moving barriers, or displaced concrete, using thermal assessment and targeted remedial solutions to restore safe operation.
