Drainage well on loamy soil. How to make a site drainage on clay soils with your own hands. From materials for surface systems you will need

Important Points

The geofabric serves as an additional filter that prevents large debris from entering the drainage system. It is believed that in clay soils its use is optional.

The lack of slope will lead to stagnant water and silting of the drainage line. The slope is from 1 to 7 centimeters per meter of pipeline.

The backfill layer should not be less than 15 centimeters. This rule is relevant for both gravel and sand or soil.

The depth of the main canals is from 40 centimeters to 1.2 meters. Less or more depth will make the system inefficient.

If you are faced with the problem of high levels of humidity on the land, then it is possible that you need to drain it, which you can handle on your own.

This should not be neglected, because such a phenomenon can lead to unpleasant consequences.

Such circumstances develop if the site is located in a lowland or at a high level of groundwater adjacency.

What is drainage and what are its functions

There is a certain system that combines trenches and pipes, which are located around the perimeter of a certain area of ​​the land. It's called drainage. Draining the soil by installing system elements will solve many problems associated with water drainage. For example:

• your plants will not sink in the mud, and the harvest will be much better;
• paths and paths will finally cease to be associated with swamps.

In a word, you will have the opportunity to enjoy your stay outside the city.

Remember, the correct drainage device is the key to the safety of the foundation of summer cottages, which is ensured by the safety of building materials. In what cases is such a system really needed? When the soil is washed out, it swells or swamps, and cellars and cellars are flooded from time to time.

Types of drainage systems and their features

In order to properly organize the removal of excess moisture from the land, you need to clearly understand what is the difference between its types, and what features each of them has.

So, drainage can be surface type or deep. You can deal with the first option on your own, because the work is relatively not difficult. As for the deep type of construction, you need to think about it at the stage of building a house.

Surface drainage The plot can be one of two types:

• linear - special trays are laid directly on the surface, which are slightly inclined to the water intake or the main storm sewer well. For security purposes, they are closed with bars. decorative look. On the garden plots sand traps are often installed, making them even more efficient. Thus, stones, debris and sand do not enter the wastewater, respectively, the system is not so heavily clogged. The main condition for the full removal of excess water from the soil is the deep occurrence of groundwater;

• point - dehumidification function in this case performs a system of water collectors or storm water inlets. Pipes are laid underground, through which water flows into the general drainage, and then into the water intake. Such devices are installed under drainpipes on the street or, if it is a land plot, then at its lowest level.

Deep drainage regulates water balance through perforated pipes. They are laid directly under the ground and absorb excess moisture.

Do-it-yourself site drainage on clay soils

I would like to repeat that the surface water drainage system allows you to get rid of its excess, which flows down from the roofs, accumulates near the paths and terraces. Before you do the drainage of the site with your own hands on clay soils , you need to decide on its type (point or linear). The difference is that in the first case, water is diverted from specific areas of a small area, and the second is appropriate if it is necessary to prevent the fertile soil layer from being washed away.

So, the arrangement of surface-type drainage begins with drawing up a diagram of what happens, taking into account the places where water stagnates. The system consists of a main trench and auxiliary ditches where liquid from puddles will be discharged. Drains from downpipes are directed to the main trenches. By the way, the pit must be dug under a certain slope, which will ensure the gravity direction of the water towards the water intake. Do-it-yourself drainage of a site on clay soils implies providing a slope of 0.002.

After trenches 0.5 m wide and approximately 0.7 m deep have been dug, the walls should be formed at an angle of 30 degrees. The water inlet must be located below the level of the entire system. Thus, it will be possible to ensure the interception and removal of excess moisture, and this will also reduce the level of groundwater. Considering that do-it-yourself drainage on the site in this way is not entirely aesthetically pleasing, special trays are now provided that are laid in trenches, after which they are covered with a lattice-type lid.

What should happen

Installation of a deep site drainage system

Depth of pipes in the ground

For the arrangement, it is necessary to use perforated pipes and roll materials. According to standard scheme, first the water must get into the collecting drains, after that - into the main ones. And then into the well, and only after that it is dumped into the water intake. Their role can be played by ditches along roads, rivers, streams, ravines or storm sewer systems. Be sure to equip inspection holes.

So that the installation of the water drainage system is not done in vain, it is necessary to correctly calculate the depth of the pipes, which is very difficult to do without the help of surveyors or hydrogeologists. These specialists will make all the necessary measurements to determine where the groundwater is located.

Drainage scheme for a site with a deep system

In order for the drainage of the site with your own hands to perform all its functions, it is important to use pipes specially designed for this. Their peculiarity lies in the fact that on the surface there is a network of holes 1.5-5 mm in diameter. If earlier pipes made of ceramics or a mixture of asbestos and cement were used for these purposes, now there are polymer pipes designed specifically for hydromelioration, their diameter ranges from 50-200 mm. Some models are even equipped with a filter shell.

Interested in how to properly drain the site? It all starts with digging trenches 40 cm wide, the depth depends on where the groundwater flows.

Then a layer of sand and crushed stone is poured into the finished channels, which acts as a pillow, on top of which the necessary pipes are laid, they must also be covered with a mixture of crushed stone and sand.

The trench should be filled with half of its height, the free space is filled with loam, the final stage of installation is the embankment of the upper, fertile layer of the earth.

In the deep system, as well as in the surface, wells must be constructed. They are designed to control the drainage process and clean clogged hollow objects of round cross section. For this, reinforced concrete rings or piece waterproof products can be used, to some extent it depends on the installation depth of the system.

Mistakes that should not be made when installing a cleaning system at their summer cottage

The most common mistake that is made when trying to design the drainage of a site with your own hands is neglecting the design stage. The fact is that, first of all, it is necessary to understand the current situation in detail, namely: to analyze the land plot and determine the nature of groundwater. Without taking into account some details, you can come to the conclusion that they will enter the basement of your house, negatively affecting the foundation.

Ground and melt water can cause serious trouble. This is especially true for loamy and clayey soil areas, since this type of soil prevents the passage of water, which leads to decay of plant roots. In this case, you can do the drainage of the site on clay soils with your own hands.

Since clay and loam do not pass water well, it accumulates in the soil, because of this, the roots of plants begin to rot. At the same time, covering with a fertile layer of soil does not correct the situation.

If a drain or drainage system is not equipped on peat soil or clay, then a little rain is enough to country house or cottages turned into a swamp. It is impossible to work on such land for a long time, in addition to this, there is a high probability that the foundation will flood or freeze when the cold sets in.

Do not place high hopes on waterproofing, as frozen water can destroy its integrity.

As mentioned above, in this case there is only one way out - the creation of a drainage system.

Preparatory stage

Before proceeding with the choice of the type of drainage system, it is necessary to subject the site to a thorough analysis, namely:

• determine the structure of the soil;
• find out what is causing the high humidity.

According to the results of the analysis, the type of drainage system is selected. Next, you need to draw up a plan that indicates where and at what depth the various elements of the drainage type system will be located. After that, construction can begin.

Types of drainage systems

For soil in which clay predominates, reservoir, surface or deep drainage options can be used. In some cases, it makes sense to use several types together in order to increase the efficiency of drainage. Let's consider each type in detail.

Surface type drainage systems

This type is ideal in cases where the site is located on a natural slope. For drainage, channels slightly deepened in the ground are created, through which water flows independently into the drainage well. They can be laid on any flat surface, for example, along the perimeter of a building, near a sidewalk or around a lawn.

Gutters are laid in the channel, from above they can be covered with a protective grate.

Deep drainage systems

If it is necessary to divert a large amount of water on clay soil, it is recommended to give preference to deep drainage systems. They are systems of underground pipelines that serve to divert water to places of accumulation.

Deep systems may include from one to several main drainage channels directed to a common catchment area. Their depth of occurrence varies from 1 to 1.5 m, while the width does not exceed 50 cm. Drainage pipes are installed in the channels. Auxiliary lines are connected to the main line, collecting water from the soil surface.

How the trench of deep drainage systems is arranged is shown in the figure.

The figure indicates:

• A - a layer of fertile soil (thickness 20 cm);
• B - backfill soil (20cm);
• C - this layer is covered with crushed stone (30cm);
• D - pipe with a diameter of 110mm;
• E - geotextile coating;
• F - "pillow" of sand;
• G - soil.

Formation drainage systems

This type of drainage, as well as the previous type, belongs to the deep ones. It is used when it becomes necessary to drain groundwater from the structure (foundation). It is installed directly under the building. The drainage system is a layer of rubble, from which water is diverted into pipes laid around the building.

It should be noted that the size of this system must exceed the area of ​​​​the building under which it is located.

List of tools and materials

To independently create a drainage system on clay-type soil, you will need to prepare the following tools:

• shovels (they are used for laying ditches);
• level (to check the slope);
• stretcher or wheelbarrow (with their help, soil is carried out);
• hacksaw for cutting pipes;
• marking cord.

From materials for surface systems you will need:

• geotextile, it serves as a filter for water that will enter the drainage system;
• to create a sprinkle and a pillow, you need sand and gravel;
• gutters made of concrete or plastic, as well as sand traps and storm water inlets;
• cement.

If you plan to make a deep system, you will additionally need special (perforated) plastic pipes with a diameter of 100 to 110 mm, as well as elements for connecting them.

Video: How to make soil drainage in a country house in the garden

If you do not want to make a storage well with your own hands, into which water will flow from the drainage in an area where there is clay soil, the tank can be purchased ready-made (the price for it is quite affordable).

Self-creation of a surface system

The sequence of actions is as follows:

• trenches are dug, according to the plan of the drainage system. In this case, a slope should be observed towards the place of disposal of drainage water. This action is greatly simplified if the site has a natural slope. It is enough to dig a trench 80 cm deep and 40 cm wide;
• at the bottom of the trenches, a “cushion” is made of sand, which is covered with a layer of gravel, if desired, turf can be placed on top, after which the system can be operated.

If it is planned to install a gutter in the trenches, then they can be made less deep. In this case, the gravel is poured cement mortar, on which gutters and other elements are installed (storm water inlets, sand traps, etc.). From above, the gutter is closed with a special protective grate, which can play the role of decor.

Self-creation of a deep system

The arrangement of this type of drainage system will take more time. Its creation begins with the installation of a collector well, after which they begin to lay the main and auxiliary highways.

The depth of the trenches should be 1.2 m for the main drainage system and about a meter for auxiliary (additional) channels. The width is sufficient 50cm, both for the first and second.

It is important that the main channels reach the drainage well. Auxiliary trenches should have a slope of about five centimeters per meter. The bottom of the trench is covered with sand to create a pillow. On top of it, as well as along the edges of the trench, geotextiles are laid, after which the channel is covered with a 20-centimeter layer of crushed stone.

At the next stage, perforated plastic pipes are laid. Do not forget to check the level of the slope.

Where the pipes are turned, as well as at intervals of 25 meters, revision wells are installed.

At the last stage, the pipes are covered with gravel, wrapped in geotextiles, after which the ditch is leveled to the same level as the soil.

As you can see, it is quite possible to do the drainage of a site on clay soils with your own hands, even if it takes some time, but in any case, the cost will be lower than attracting builders for this purpose.

Flooding of a site with groundwater and meltwater can be a real disaster for its owner. Precipitation can also contribute to the violation of the soil structure. It is especially bad for the owners of land consisting mainly of clay or loam, since clay greatly retains water, hardly passing it through itself. In these cases, the only salvation may be a properly constructed drainage. For such soil, it has its own characteristics. Therefore, we will consider how to make drainage of the site with your own hands on clay soils.

Plants suffer from an excess of moisture in the first place. Their roots do not receive the amount of oxygen necessary for development. The result is deplorable - the plants wither at first, and then completely disappear. Moreover, this also applies to cultivated plants, and to lawn grasses. Even in cases where clay is covered from above with a layer of fertile soil, water will be difficult to drain.

The comfort of work on the site is also important, because in the absence of a drain, even a little rain can turn clay soil into a swamp. It will be impossible to work on such land for several days.

When the water does not leave for a long time, there is a risk of flooding the foundation and freezing it when cold weather sets in. Even very good waterproofing is sometimes not able to protect the foundation from destruction, since it itself can be destroyed by frozen moisture.

We conclude: drainage of the site from groundwater is simply necessary. And if it has not been done yet, then you should not postpone its construction.

Preparation for the construction of the drainage system

Before choosing the type of drainage system, you should analyze your site.

Attention is drawn to the following points:

• Soil structure. In our case, clay is considered, which is not able to quickly pass water;
• Source of high moisture. This may be frequent precipitation or groundwater lying close to the surface;
• The type of drainage is selected or several types are combined;
• A plan is drawn up for the location of drainage trenches, revision and catchment wells. The plan indicates the depth of the drains, the dimensions of all elements of the system, their slope relative to the soil surface. The plan will allow you to quickly find the location of all elements of the system.

After such preparation, they begin to build the drainage of the site with their own hands on clay soils. Let's consider what kind of drainage happens, and which one is better suited for a clay area.

Types of drainage systems

Drainage on clay area can be surface, deep or reservoir. Sometimes it is advisable to combine several of these types to achieve the greatest drainage efficiency.

Surface drainage

If the site has even a slight natural slope, this creates additional advantages for surface drainage. Water flows by itself through the channels laid on the site to the designated place. Such channels are located on the surface of the soil, slightly deepening them into the ground. Surface drainage of a site on clay soils can be laid on almost any level ground: along paths, around a building, along the perimeter of lawns, near recreation areas and in other places.

Reservoir drainage

This type of drainage is created even before the construction of the foundation begins. The soil deepens below its location by at least 20 cm. The soil layer is also removed wider than the place where the foundation passes. Crushed stone is poured into the bottom of the pit with a layer of 20 cm, and along the perimeter there are drainage pipes. All moisture penetrating under the foundation is collected in pipes, from where it is discharged through separately laid pipelines to the drainage wells.

Tip: The depth of the reservoir drainage should exceed the depth of the clay soil. In this case, drainage will be most effective.

This type of drainage is quite laborious, therefore it is used less often, although it is useful for clay soils.

Care drainage system consists only in its cleaning and pumping out water from the collector well. If everything is done correctly, then no clay on the site can overshadow your mood and destroy the plants you grow.