On the Level

Now that the digging was done (at least in the hole), it was time to make sure all the sides were more or less level.  The sides that I had driven the excavator over had sunk a bit making the 4x6 edges out of level. They would need to be shimmed up to allow the additional layer of 4x4s that I add in the winter for the ice to fit right.  If the sides are out of level there would be gaps between the boards allowing water to escape and making it very difficult to make ice.  Additionally the ice would appear to "slant" as one side of the frame would be lower than the other.  It was off again to Lowes to get some bricks and landscaping fabric.  While shopping for bricks, a lady came up to me and told me that they were cheaper at Home Depot.  I bought the landscaping fabric and went to Home Depot.  Indeed the bricks were cheaper and in addition, their previously-sold out stock of landscaping fabric had been replenished.  I bought landscaping fabric from them too.  I'll have to return the ones I bought from Lowe's later.

Andrew and I got back into the yard and started leveling the pit board by board.  We started at the corner with the entry to the deck and moved around the court board-by-board making sure that all was level.  The far end was out of level by more than two inches!  After checking level, we shimmed the joints of the boards by digging out and placing two cinder blocks and a brick under them for added support.  Hopefully this will prevent settling later on.

All shimmed up, it was time to lay out the fabric.  I wanted to put the fabric up the sides as well as on the bottom since 1) dirt was on the sides and therefore weeds, and 2) I wanted to prevent sand from escaping and/or dirt from getting into the court.  Using staples from my staple gun, I affixed the end of the fabric just above the bottom of the top board.  Then I laid out the fabric across the bottom to the other end.  I used left over deck nails to pin the fabric to the bottom so it would not blow away or otherwise move.  This was one of the easiest and straightforward part of the process so far.  The rink has been transformed from a mud pit to a deep mud pit to something that now resembles a shallow swimming pool.  So as of now, We are ready for the sand to be delivered tomorrow.