Drainage at home by hand on clay soils. How to make drainage of the foundation of the house with your own hands on clay soils

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.

A constant problem for some owners of private houses is the flooding of the adjacent land plot ground water. The special composition of the soil leads to this complication. If a large proportion of the soil is clay, then the earth tends to erode. To avoid the described problem, it is required to organize a drainage system on clay soil.

Types of drainage systems on clay soil

Drainage on the soil, which mainly consists of clay, is superficial, deep or reservoir. Although in some cases, in order to increase the efficiency of drainage on eroded soil, it makes sense to organize a combined system.

The creation of surface drainage is resorted to when the territory of the site has a pronounced slope in one direction. As a result, the water runs off on its own along the channels made in the ground and goes to a certain zone. Ways to remove excess moisture are organized in the upper layer of the earth.

It is customary to lay a surface drainage system in places devoid of irregularities: at the paths, next to the walls of the building, along the perimeter of green lawns and near recreation areas. Drainage elements in these areas should be plastic or concrete gutters that carry water to drainage wells. The function of the last links of the system is to accumulate or utilize excess moisture.

Grooves to create surface drainage are made shallow

Deep drainage is a network of channels and pipes built into them, located at a depth of 1 meter and directing water to wells. The width of the trenches for draining excess water is about 50 cm.

A trench for deep drainage is covered with waterproofing material, and a layer of gravel is poured onto the bottom

Between the channels in the soil with a high content of sedimentary rock, it is supposed to leave no more than 11 meters of free space. At what distance from each other to lay the pipes of the drainage system depends on the type of soil and the depth of the dug trenches.

Table: distance between drains depending on their depth

The reservoir network of drainage channels is considered a subspecies of the deep drainage system, since it is organized at great depths. The need to create reservoir drainage arises when the foundation of a building, which stands on a damp clay site, is flooded.

The channels of the reservoir drainage system are laid directly under the foundation, deeper than its lowest point. The system includes a crushed stone embankment, the task of which is to direct water into pipes placed around the perimeter.

Seam denage pipes are laid in a ditch under the foundation below the depth of its laying

The device of a drainage network in the soil with clay

Only thanks to the construction of the drainage system, clay soil can be dried and made fertile in almost a year. The fact that the land really needs a drainage network can be verified by conducting a test. It consists in digging a hole 50-60 cm deep in the ground and filling it with water. A signal of the need for arrangement at the site of the drainage system is the poor permeability of the soil, that is, the presence of any amount of water in the created recess for a long time.

If water stands in a dug hole for a long time and does not leave, then you need to make a drainage system

When creating drainage in an area with a high content of clay, attention is paid to such aspects as:

• the cost of organizing a network of drainage channels;
• the area of ​​the flood zone;
• the degree of soil moisture by precipitation, melt and groundwater.

Having considered these conditions for arranging drainage, they decide which method of laying channels to choose - superficial (cheaper) or buried (complicated and expensive). The owners of land plots, who guessed to combine both options for the drainage system, do the right thing. This approach to draining the soil allows you to achieve better results.

The drainage system is created using geotextile fabric and perforated ceramic, asbestos-cement or PVC pipes. The grooves for removing excess moisture from the soil are first loosened and filled with sand. After that, pipes are laid in them, covered with rubble, and then covered with geofabric and another layer of sand. The earth is laid on top of the entire system.

The protective layer of gravel is wrapped with geotextile to protect it from silting.

Scheme of drainage on clay soil

The drainage system, created independently, is a network of lines communicating with each other, laid in an area where excessive soil moisture is observed. Excess water from the soil can flow out through pipes with an internal diameter of 100 to 988 mm. Products that remove excess moisture are wrapped in filter cloth and covered with crushed stone so that debris does not get into them.

At the points where the pipes connect or go the other way, inspection wells are mounted, which facilitate the cleaning of the system and provide an opportunity to monitor its operation. The collected water is transferred to a special well at a distance of 40 meters from the site, a ravine or a reservoir. Sometimes pipes that draw excess moisture from clay soil are led into a concrete ring, which is covered with a lid to prevent debris from entering it.

Instructions for creating water drainage channels

Before starting work on organizing the drainage system, you need to stock up on the following inventory:

• bayonet and shovel;
• garden cart (to bring materials and take out the waste soil);
• hacksaw (for cutting pipes).

From the materials you will need:

• geotextile matter;
• polymer pipes with perforation;
• crushed stone;
• sand.

To lay a network of channels in clay soil, the following actions are taken:

1. A drawing of the drainage system is made on paper.

   

   The drawing shows a scheme for laying drains and the location of wells, inspection hatches and other elements of the system

2. Marking out the land. Drainage pipes must not be laid closer than 50 cm from the fence of the territory and 1 m from the foundation.
3. In the ground under a natural slope, ditches are dug 1 meter deep.

   

   Trenches should be dug at a slight slope towards the storage collector or gutter.

4. Sand is poured into the ditches with a layer of 10–15 cm, and crushed stone is placed on top of it.
5. Pipes wrapped with geotextile fabric are laid on the sand and gravel layer, connecting them with each other with tees and crosses.

   

   Drains are wrapped with a layer of geotextile to protect drainage holes from clogging with particles of wet clay.

6. They test the canal network, waiting for rainy weather or specially watering the area with water from a hose, and evaluate the rate of water outflow (slow removal of excess moisture is a sign of a lack of side trenches).
7. The laid pipes are covered with sand and covered with a layer of previously excavated earth, forming in the center (in case of soil subsidence) a small hillock, which will disappear over time.

   

   From above, the ditch is covered with previously removed earth, leaving a small mound on the surface to compensate for soil subsidence in the future.

8. Pipes are brought to a reservoir or a well created from concrete rings or a large plastic container.

In the future, the drainage system is supposed to be monitored - to clean the channels and pump out water from the main well.

Video: do-it-yourself drainage system

If the drainage system is properly organized in the clay area, then there is nothing to worry about. From now on, clay in the composition of the soil will not interfere with growing plants in the garden and will allow you to keep adjoining territory clean.

If you encounter a problem advanced level humidity on the land, then it is possible that you need to make it drain, 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 correct device drainage is a guarantee of the preservation of the foundation of summer cottages, which is ensured by the preservation of building materials. In what cases is such a system really necessary? 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. Sand traps are often installed in garden plots, which makes 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 - the function of drainage in this case is performed by 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 the 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.

The accumulation of melt or precipitation water on the site leads to many unpleasant consequences. To solve this problem, drainage structures are used, the functionality of which is especially important for clay soil, which does not conduct moisture well. Walkthrough on installing a drainage system with your own hands, read below.

Drainage for clay soil

Before organizing drainage in a site with clay soil, it is important to know the features of such soil. Pre-spend small test. To do this, you need to dig a hole about 60 cm deep, pour 6-7 buckets of water into it. If after a day the moisture is absorbed into the soil without residue, then the site does not need a complex drainage system. In this case, stormwater or bulk drainage is sufficient. Clay soil will not completely absorb water and therefore the site requires more careful arrangement.

As a result of the fact that clay does not conduct moisture well, accumulations of water, puddles form in the upper layers of the soil. Excessive humidity leads to the destruction of the foundations of buildings, the death of plants and the creation of an overly humid atmosphere in the territory. Therefore, drainage is necessary and allows you to drain the clay soil, preventing unpleasant consequences.

For the organization of drainage, factors such as:

• the amount of incoming moisture in the form of precipitation, melt water, automatic irrigation, etc.;
• the area of ​​the territory in need of drainage;
• financial opportunities that determine the type and quality of materials used for drainage.

The combination of underground and surface drainage allows you to drain the soil, providing normal conditions for plants and save buildings. At the same time, the buried option involves digging deep ditches, using pipes, crushed stone, geotextiles, and building a well for diverted water. All this requires financial costs and requires careful calculation of parameters.

Surface drainage is shallow channels that are directed towards the well to collect water. From above, the recesses are covered with gratings and are easy to use. The system of such ditches does not require the use of pipes, since special material is laid on the bottom of the trenches. Thanks to this, moisture is transported to the well, and does not remain on clay soil.

The combination of surface and buried systems is optimal for clay soil. Each option requires the development of a diagram that indicates the location of ditches, a well and other elements. In this case, it is necessary to take into account the sequence of installation steps, because the drainage must perform its function quickly and efficiently.

Drainage device

To drain clay soil, surface and deep drainage is used. The first option can be a tray type or with a sand cushion. In any case, trenches are dug towards the well to collect water. The width of the ditches can be about 30 cm, and the depth is up to 50 cm. At the same time, a slight uniform slope towards the well is observed. For areas with a natural slope, this is not necessary.

For a tray surface system, special boxes or plastic trays are installed in the trenches, through which water will be transported to the well. In the case of a sand cushion, a small layer of sand should be poured onto the bottom of the ditches, the size of which is slightly larger than with the tray method, then crushed stone almost to the edges of the recess. On top, you can pour multi-colored gravel or lay a layer of turf.

Deep drainage involves the creation of ditches into which layers of rubble, pipes for drainage, and geotextiles are laid. In the allotted place, a well is installed in the recess to collect water, pipes are laid on a layer of sand and geotextile in trenches, and then crushed stone is poured and the edges of the canvas are wrapped. The well should be located at the extreme point of the site, and all ditches should be directed towards it.

Drainage scheme

Before starting work on creating drainage, the location of all elements of the system should be noted on the site plan. The well should be placed in the far corner, the ditches run along the perimeter of the house or other buildings, connect into one trench and lead to the well. When planning deep system it is worth considering that it is impossible to lay pipes in clay soil where heavy equipment and cars drive. As a result, the soil will sag and damage the drainage. That's why the best option is surface drying, which contributes to the rapid removal of moisture.

The diagram indicates the direction of each trench, as well as the slope of the ditches. If the site is located on a slope, then it is enough to simply dig ditches of the same depth to the well itself. On a flat surface, the calculation of the slope is carried out taking into account the norms.

The slope of the pipes is indicated by fractions, which are difficult for an ignorant person to understand. For example, 0.007 or 0.02. In fact, these numbers mean the ratio of the desired slope of the pipe to its length, expressed in meters. If you need to set a slope of 0.007, this means that for 1 linear meter of pipe, the height difference should be 7 mm. And if the slope is 0.02, then at one meter the height difference will be 2 cm. This difference in slopes is due to the fact that pipes of different diameters require a different minimum slope. And the larger the diameter, the smaller the slope. For example, pipes with a diameter of 9–11 cm are always used for diversion drains. Minimum slope for them is 0.02. This means that the slope of each meter of drain must be at least 2 cm.

After calculating all the parameters, materials are selected and the dehumidifier is installed. For surface drainage, plastic trays are used, which are installed taking into account the required slope and direction.

Do-it-yourself site drainage on clay soils - step-by-step instructions for installing various systems

Surface-type drainage can be organized with your own hands, using a diagram and selecting materials. simple system, consisting of trays, a well and other elements, will ensure the timely removal of moisture. Surface drainage is supplemented with deep or backfill, which enhances the efficiency of drainage.

Deep drainage: step by step instructions

Pipes are needed to create deep drainage. For the main line, elements with a diameter of 110 mm are used, and pipes with a diameter of 60 mm are optimal for additional ditches. The well is constructed from concrete rings or a special polymer container is inserted into the recess. Crushed stone fraction 20-40, coarse sand, geotextiles are also needed to create a drainage complex.

The complex of works includes the following actions:

1. For a well, a hole should be dug, the depth of which is 2–3 m. concrete rings set from the bottom. The finished container is mounted in the same way. Sand is poured at the bottom with a layer of 20 cm, and then crushed stone by 30 cm. There should be holes for incoming pipes in the rings or walls of the finished container. The height of their location is equal to the depth of the pipes in the ditches, that is, about 100 cm from the upper edge.
2. Next, you need to dig trenches according to the scheme. Their width is 50 cm, and the depth is 120 cm in the main line and 100 cm in the side lines. The main channels reach the well, while the slope is 5 cm per 1 running meter pipe length. At the bottom of the ditches, sand should be poured with a layer of about 20 cm, and then geotextiles should be laid. The edges of the canvas should be higher than the edges of the pit. Next, crushed stone is poured in a layer of 20 cm, perforated pipes are laid in compliance with the slope.
3. Docking of pipes among themselves is made by coupling or bell-shaped connections. In the area of ​​​​turns and on straight sections, inspection wells must be installed every 25 cm. The height of such elements should ensure their elevation above the soil level. Revision wells are necessary to monitor the condition and clean the system.
4. Crushed stone should be poured onto the pipes so that the filter material completely covers them. Next, wrap the geotextile. The space remaining in the trench is covered with sand, and a layer of turf or decorative gravel is laid on top.

Installation of surface drainage

Deep drainage is designed to remove moisture from the soil, and the surface system helps prevent water stagnation in the upper layer of clay soil. Rain moisture or melt water is immediately discharged into the well, transported through special chutes. This allows you to remove water from the roof of buildings and avoid the appearance of puddles in the area with clay soil.

For a surface system, the direction of the ditches should be marked on the site plan, which should lead to the well. The slope is the same as for deep drainage. Next, the following actions are carried out:

1. According to the scheme, small trenches are dug, which are well rammed. It is necessary to observe the slope of the ditches towards the well or water collectors. If the site has a natural slope, then the depth of the channels may be the same. The depth of the trenches in this case is up to 80 cm, and their width is 40 cm.
2. At the bottom of the trenches, sand is poured with a layer of 10 cm, and then the same amount of crushed stone of a fraction of 20–40. Next, you need to pour concrete mortar onto the filter material and immediately install trays to remove water.
3. At the end of each channel line, grit traps should be installed using the same installation method as for the gutters. Rain inlets under the drainpipes of buildings are mounted according to the same method. All parts are well connected to each other, forming a single system. Next, the trays need to be covered from above with special gratings.

Drainage operation

Proper organization of a drainage system of any type is the key to comfort on a site with clay soils. Rapid removal of moisture after rain avoids the formation of puddles, high humidity and the destruction of the foundation of buildings. And also drainage is practical in the area where there are plants that do not tolerate stagnant water. In this case, drainage ditches should be provided around these plants.

During the operation of the deep and surface versions of the systems, it is necessary to regularly clean debris, leaves, grass and sand. This keeps the drainage efficiency. You also need to take into account the following features of operation:

• revision wells, sand traps should be regularly cleaned of contaminants;
• damage to buried pipes requires their timely replacement;
• before completing the installation of the structure, you need to check it by pouring several buckets of water into pipes or trays. Moisture should quickly enter the main well;
• in clay soil it is impossible to lay pipes in areas subjected to heavy loads.

To create drainage with your own hands, you should use only high-quality pipes and trays, durable geotextiles, crushed stone of the middle fraction and coarse sand. Couplings and other connections are important to be carefully fixed, which will avoid leakage of moisture in the wrong place.

Video: how to make a drainage storm drain

For a site on clay soil, a drainage system is necessary, as it allows you to eliminate excess moisture. Wherein clay soil can settle, which requires careful design of the pipe layout.