When it comes to hockey tiles there are a couple of different types of them. It all depends on the way you use the term as to whether or not you can ice skate on them. Synthetic ice hockey tiles are made for ice skates, but dryland hockey tiles are not. If you don’t know the difference, you should take a moment to read this article so that you understand.
Synthetic Ice
Synthetic ice has been around since the 1960s and has evolved a lot since then. At first, the flooring had to be constantly lubricated by an outside source so people could skate on it without skidding. Modern-day technology has allowed developers to invent a new version of artificial ice that has its own lubricating system built into the polymer. It is within this new technology that ice skaters can enjoy the art of ice skating on synthetic ice almost the same way that they can on real ice. It’s mostly alike but not exactly because there is a bit of a drag when people skate on it as opposed to the smooth effortless glide that true ice has to offer.
Dryland Hockey Flooring
Although dryland hockey flooring is similar to synthetic ice, it is very different in a lot of ways. Yes, it is a slick as real ice when a player shoots a puck across it, and the way that the blade of the stick slides without much resistance when it comes into contact with it, but it is different. Synthetic ice was created for ice skaters, and dryland flooring was not. You can’t ice skate on dryland flooring without hurting something. Imagine trying to ice skate on the kitchen floor of your grandma’s old house. It would be a lot like trying to ice skate on dryland tiles. It just doesn’t work, it’s not made for that.
Tiles and Panels
Here is the part where you can see the difference in the wording of products. If you look for hockey tiles, you will most likely find tiles of sorts, but it is the type of tile that counts. There are tiles and panels when it comes to hockey flooring. Tiles are generally smaller in size, typically around one square foot per each tile. However, the panels are bigger. Panels can be anywhere between 2 feet by 4 feet to 8 feet by 10 feet. It all depends on where you shop for your products and the size of the area you would like to cover with the flooring. Generally, dryland hockey flooring comes in tiles, and synthetic ice comes in panels but it can go either way. You can find synthetic ice hockey tiles all over the hockey market. So, what this means is that yes, you can ice skate on hockey tiles, but it depends on the type of hockey tiles that you are referring to.
Ice Skating
Ice skating has been around for a long time. In fact, researchers have been able to find evidence of ice skates made out of animal bones over 5,000 years ago. Today, the way that ice skates glide so easily over the ice is that the ice skate blades cause a little bit of heat from the friction that they crate while sliding over the ice. The heat melts the ice just enough to become a natural lubricant for the skater. This way the ice skate blades easily maneuver through the ice and gracefully allow the skater to move forward without much resistance. Scientists have been able to almost duplicate the lubrication process with synthetic ice, but it is still not perfect. In any event, synthetic ice is an amazing invention that helps hockey players and skaters around the world every day.
