Do-it-yourself clay castle for a well made of reinforced concrete rings. Clay castle for a well from concrete rings How to build a castle around a well

A clay castle is used along the perimeter of the well in order to protect the source of drinking water from getting into it perched water, as well as other dirty water through the walls of the well shaft.

If the depth of the structure is sufficient, it is not necessary to install it, but for shallow structures it plays an essential role, which cannot be dispensed with.

General information

The device of a clay lock of a well is a rather laborious process and it is necessary to prepare a significant amount of material for it. At the end of the work, pollution is necessary so as not to worry about water quality.

Instructions for creating a clay castle usually consist of 3 steps, although adjustments can be made to it:

1. A trench is made along the perimeter of the well shaft with dimensions: width - 500-600 mm, depth 1500-1800 mm.
2. Clay is poured into it, which must be periodically compacted.
3. A small blind area is made on top of the castle with a slope away from the well, its height is 150-200 mm.

Below we will consider how to make a clay castle around a well in more detail.

Technology

1. For a clay castle, it is necessary to take material of natural moisture. When it is taken out of the ground for later storage, it should be soaked in water and covered from above.

You can check the condition of the clay by trying to mold something from it, the material should not crumble and slip between the fingers. It may be necessary to add 10-20% lime to it in order to neutralize the increased sand content in it.

Tip: crush a piece of clay and see if it holds its shape, does not spread between your fingers and does not fall apart to see if the material is ready for use.

1. The best result will be with careful tamping of clay in the formwork. For this they take wooden shields and set so that the thickness of the lock is 150-200 mm. When the pit is not wide, and there is enough material, its walls usually serve as formwork. It is necessary to ram the clay in layers 200-300 mm high.
2. Place a geotextile fabric outside the castle, which will prevent the erosion of the structure by groundwater.

Tip: when the pit is not wide, you can not put the formwork.

1. A clay castle is made like a blind area for a house. Its width is from 1 m, and it may not necessarily be deep, from 0.5 m. Although it is better that the dimensions are larger.
   If from a pipe, it should also be insulated with a lock, regardless of the depth of its installation. It is possible to cover the clay from above with geotextile, placing cobblestone or paving slabs on top of it.

Tip: protect the clay pavement from above with geotextiles or pave it.

From the foregoing, it became clear that clay is a traditional and promising material in terms of waterproofing various structures, in particular the well shaft from ground moisture. Its price is cheap, since it can literally be found underfoot, and working with it does not require special qualifications, skills and sophisticated tools, although laborious.

Can clay be substituted?

On the market today you can find enough companies offering to replace clay with a mixture of sand and gravel or just sand. At the same time, it should be understood that they simplify the work for themselves, but not for the consumer.

Tip: it is better to make a clay castle around the perimeter of the source - the well will only benefit from this.

Clay is a material that is impervious to water, although it can get wet superficially. Because of this, in winter, during severe frosts, one can sometimes observe a slight movement of the well rings.

At the same time, the material does not allow surface water to penetrate and moisten the soil, therefore, despite the variety of mixtures for locks, they are not able to replace clay.

Protection of well rings against displacement

To prevent displacement of the well shaft from concrete rings, make an additional fastening using stainless plates with anchor bolts. Plastic nonwoven materials that do not rot have also proven themselves well.

Start laying them from the ground, and finish 200 mm below the second seam. Thus, you will receive additional protection against the ingress of perch water, and prevent clay from spilling due to non-tightness of the seams.

Tip: To reduce the adhesion coefficient of clay and rings, use non-woven plastic materials that do not rot.

How to properly compact clay

The work should be carried out in several passes, after laying 150-200 mm of clay. Sometimes, precisely because of poor-quality sealing, it often had to be redone all over again. Ready clay for the castle should have a moisture content of 15-30%, which should not be forgotten.

Tip: Use for the best tamping effect with a small footprint but significant weight.

Now you need to remember when to make a clay castle. It is not installed immediately after the manufacture of the well, it is necessary to allow the soil around the perimeter to settle and settle.

Otherwise, cracks in the ground will render the castle useless. You can do the work yourself with your own hands or with an assistant, or you can turn to professionals for help.

Conclusion

The clay castle on the well protects the source of drinking water from the ingress of water into it, thereby maintaining the quality of the liquid. It is not necessary to replace clay with other materials, as they are inferior to it in all characteristics. In the presented video in this article you will find Additional information on this topic.

Hello. He planned to dig his own well in the country. He brought the rings and hired workers to dig the mine. Now they tell me that in addition to the rings, I need some kind of clay lock for the well or a soft blind area. Should I listen to them - maybe I don’t need any lock? And if needed, then advise me what to choose: a lock or a blind area?

Scheme of a clay castle for a well

Your workers gave good advice. The device of a clay castle or a soft blind area - will provide reliable waterproofing of the mine of a new source. A plastic layer or soft membrane, installed at the level of the second ring, cuts off the well from rain and soil suspensions, while maintaining the original quality of the water accumulated in the mine.

If you refuse the castle or blind area, then all the dregs from upper layers soil will rush into the well, seeping through the cracks between the rings. As a result, all efforts to equip the source will be in vain - water from such a well will go only for technical needs.

Which is better: a lock or a blind area?

The price of a clay castle consists of the cost of raw materials and work. At the same time, raw materials can be obtained from the ground, and the work of diggers is relatively inexpensive. Therefore, the main advantage of the castle is the low cost and walking distance of this waterproofing technology. After all, all the components are already present at the construction site, and you can dig a pit with your own hands.

But will such a lock be effective? It depends not only on the efforts of its creators, but also on the quality building material- clay, as well as from the moisture content of the soil in which the well is built. Poor-quality clay that does not have proper plasticity will crack sooner or later and will not be able to hold dirty groundwater. And excessively wet soil will provoke heaving deformation in the castle, even from the best clay. Indeed, in winter, excess moisture will turn into ice, which will swell the clay bedding, violating the tightness of the castle.

Is it worth the risk, paying attention only to the cheapness of the arrangement, but not to the quality of the insulating layer? And is a clay castle needed for a well at all, taking into account the shortcomings voiced. It's up to you.

The price of the blind area is comparable to the cost of arranging the castle. For construction, we need a reliable waterproofing film pressed against the ring in a ballast way - sand bedding. That is, in addition to paying diggers, you will have to fork out for film and, possibly, sand.

However, despite some high cost, this version of waterproofing has very enviable advantages, namely:

• High speed arrangement . After all, immediately after the completion of the construction of the well in the zone of the second ring, only the blind area is mounted - the clay castle can be installed only after two or three years, when the soil surrounding the mine is finally compacted.
• Almost absolute reliability . No matter how the soil swells, the membrane will not let a single milliliter of dirty liquid into the mine. And no reference to plasticity - for sand, this parameter is completely unimportant.

In a word, if you value reliability, get ready for additional expenses.

How to make a clay castle?

Work on the arrangement of the clay castle should begin only after the shrinkage of the soil - after 2-3 years from the moment the construction of the well was completed. To form a waterproofing bedding, you will need washed clay or greasy loam in a volume of up to 5 cubic meters. After all, the depth of the clay castle of the well, according to sanitary standards, cannot be less than 200 cm, and the thickness - the distance from the walls of the shaft to the edge of the pit - 50 cm.

The construction of the castle itself is as follows:

The quality of the castle depends on the efforts of the person kneading the layer of clay. The more thoroughly you wash it, the more reliable the waterproofing will be. Therefore, before filling the pit, the clay is crushed in small concrete mixers, abundantly wetting with water, or mixed with construction mixers.

How to equip a soft blind area?

The construction of the blind area begins after the installation of the rings is completed.

To form it, you will need the following consumables:

• Sand - 2-3 cubic meters. It can be obtained while digging a well shaft.
• PE film or polymer coating for waterproofing pools 150 cm wide and up to 500 cm long.
• Metal tape - width 5 cm, length 300-350 cm.
• Self-tapping screws and dowels.

After digging the well, the question remains: where to put the clay. It would be best to equip a blind area for the well. You can do the work yourself. So they strengthen the well and make a concrete castle.

Sanitary rules and regulations give an exact definition of a clay castle. This is a structure that is a formwork for a well, the width of which is 1 m and the depth is 2 m. The clay must be tightly compacted. At the same time, the material for arranging the blind area is not suitable for everyone. Clay and greasy loam must be well kneaded. Sand, gravel, sandy loam cannot be used for the castle. The allowable amount of sand in a clay castle is 5-15%.

Discussions constantly arise around the question of the need for blind area equipment. Sanitary standards say that the clay castle should be in combination with other blind areas. They create a ring with a radius of 2 m. 10 cm should be retreated from the walls of the well.

Additional devices for the clay castle:

• Stone;
• Concrete;
• Brick;
• Asphalt.

Before equipping the blind area, the well must stand for at least 1 year. During this time, natural shrinkage of the soil takes place. So in the future there will be no voids and frail areas.

Soft blind area performs not only an aesthetic function. It will protect the lock from defects during use.

In non-compacted areas, water can accumulate in the future. Soil dwellers and rodents fall into such traps and die. So in drinking water decomposition products may enter. The duration of shrinkage is determined by the type of soil.

Do not rush to equip a waterproof lock before the water supply is carried out. After that, additional waterproofing should be done. For land prone to seasonal heaving, a clay ring cannot be equipped.

Preparation for arranging a clay castle for a well with your own hands

The main task of the clay castle is to protect the structure from precipitation, ground water and other contaminants. But at the same time, not only water is protected, but also the well itself. So the construction will last longer.

Pros of using a clay castle:

• Structural strength;
• It is not necessary to process the seams of the well every year;
• Low installation cost, because improvised material is used;
• Clay does not affect the composition of water.

But there are also some disadvantages. The sediment of the castle is significantly reduced by the presence of sand. It is also worth noting that the deformation of the well can be formed by an increase in the clay layer at the level of freezing.

There are a number of contraindications that do not allow the installation of a clay castle. To begin with, you should give time for the shrinkage of the soil. It will take at least 1 year. If you neglect this rule, then depressions will appear in the structure.

It is impossible to replace clay with other types of soil. They do not have the necessary plasticity and will begin to crack over time.

If there are no contraindications, then you can safely proceed to the arrangement of the castle. The material for manufacturing is oily clay with a small amount of sand. To improve plasticity, the primer should be soaked before use. Ideally, the soaked material should overwinter.

How to make a clay castle around a well

Many do not advise performing a clay castle. But you should refrain from performing this design when you do not know how to properly build a castle around the well. Wrong execution technology can really ruin the entire structure.

Clay is an excellent waterproofing material. But at the same time, she is prone to heaving. During freezing, the clay begins to change shape, which negatively affects the shape of the structure. This can lead to deformation of the lock.

Rules and sequence, how to make a castle:

1. We dig a pit from a well with a depth of 30 cm. The distance from the well should be 1-2 m. This site is made for a blind area.
2. We select the earth around the well. We move down 40 cm from the wall of the well. Over time, we begin to make the hole narrower, starting from the junction of the second and third rings.
3. Next, you need to properly install the "shield". To do this, the resulting hole is stuffed with soaked and frozen clay. It should be left on top 10-15 cm to the seam between the second and third ring.
4. Then you should make a shield. This is a fence 180 cm high. The material of manufacture is reinforcing bars and geotextiles. The shield recedes from the walls of the well by 10 cm.

After these processes, they begin to equip the clay pillow. A dense layer of material should be made. It is also important to monitor the width of the pillow and the circumference.

If you do not follow the necessary parameters, then the process will have to be repeated several times until the desired effect is achieved.

After that, it is necessary to make a clay blind area, laying out the material in the prepared pit. But at the same time, the slope from the wall of the well should be observed so that the water flows down calmly. A tile is installed on top of the blind area.

Creating a soft blind area around the well

After the clay castle, they proceed to create a blind area. They perform a protective function so that when wet, the castle does not turn into dirt. At the same time, powdering the structure with sand and gravel will not give the desired effect. That is why it is necessary to equip the blind area.

Stages of creating a blind area:

1. The castle needs to be waterproofed. To do this, use geotextiles or any other material with insulating properties.
2. Next comes the laying of the selected material. In this case, a slight slope from the well should be observed so that the precipitation flows down.

However, there are ways to further strengthen the structure. To do this, after laying the insulation, formwork is installed. After that, a concrete screed is made. And only after the material has hardened do the final work.

The coating is paving slabs or stone. These materials have best performance strength and durability.

Clay castle is effective protection well. If installed correctly, the design will last a long time. To do this, you must follow all the rules and stages of the execution technology.

Where to use a clay castle for a well (video)

When the well is ready, they begin to think about where to put the clay. For this purpose, a blind area is equipped. The device of the clay castle is quite simple, but it is important to follow all the rules and sanitary norms, because not every soil can make a blind area.

Clay castle, clay blind area or soft blind area

The main function of all these structures is to protect the well from the penetration of surface water into it during rains and snowmelt.

clay castle

This is a structure around a well of well-packed clay or rich loam, up to 1 meter deep and up to 0.5 meter wide. Ordinary loams and sandy loams are not suitable for a clay castle. Why is it better not to make a clay castle? In our climatic conditions, the soil is in the freezing zone and it swells strongly (frost heaving). The soil frozen with rings expands and tears the rings apart, as a result of which cracks form between the rings and dirty water from the surface penetrates into the well. To prevent the rings from coming off, steel plates and staples are used. But fastening the rings usually does not help. The fact is that the forces acting during heaving can deform even powerful fastening structures.
clay castle cost 7 500 rub.

clay pavement

To drain surface water from the well, we recommend doing clay pavement. Given the possibility of heaving, its thickness should be 10-30 cm, and the diameter should be 1 meter. It is not worth making a thicker blind area, since in this case it approaches the construction of a clay castle. Clay blind area requires a protective coating that will avoid dirt when water gets on it.
The cost of clay pavement 4 500 rub.

Soft blind area

For the construction of a soft blind area, fertile soil is removed to a width of 1 meter around the well, waterproofing is laid and sand is poured over it. This blind area allows the soil around the well to naturally compact and settle. Hidden cavities and voids will not form around the well, where surface water and debris can accumulate. With this method, no heaving of the soil will break the seam, because it is covered with a dense, loose-fitting film that can adapt to the movement of the soil. Soft blind area works if there is no water in the sand. Otherwise, the sand will freeze and act on the rings like any other heaving soil - extrude to the surface.
The cost of soft blind area 5 000 rub.

The well must be protected from the ingress of melt and rain water, perched water. The moisture accumulating on the surface does not meet sanitary and hygienic standards - it contains biological contaminants, pesticides, dangerous chemical compounds. To protect the source shaft, a special layer is mounted - a lock, it removes surface water from the well. A suitable material for making such an interlayer is clay.

On the well there is a clay castle made of concrete rings.

What is a clay castle

A clay castle is a waterproofing structure that is mounted around the foundation of residential and household buildings, a cellar, a well, a well. It should limit the flow of water to the building.

The choice of clay for the device of the lock is determined by the properties of this material: it also consists of small flat particles, which, upon contact with water, swell and adhere to each other more closely. Moisture cannot pass through the thickness of the material and chooses a different path.

Why do you need a clay castle for a well and is it needed at all

The device of the clay lock prevents water from running off the surface of the earth along the outer walls of the well and seeping through the seams between the rings. Due to this, the liquid that has not been purified does not enter the source shaft.

A layer of clay waterproofing will remain waterproof only if the material is properly selected and installed. For the lock, you should use clean, oily clay. If there is an excess of sand in the mixture, it will not give the necessary waterproofing effect, since the sand is not intended for the construction of waterproof structures.

A waterlogged mixture of sand and clay is prone to frost heaving, which occurs due to the freezing of water in it. Increasing in volume, such a lock can damage the structure of the well.

How the right clay castle works

The clay lock mounted around the perimeter of reinforced concrete rings works as a water seal. A thick layer of clay prevents rain or domestic runoff, as well as small debris, from entering the well shaft. However, this effect can only be achieved using quality material with a minimum amount of impurities. They reduce its waterproofing properties and deprive the structure of its protective properties.

Advantages and disadvantages

The advantage of a clay castle is the low cost of its arrangement. During installation, they are mainly used natural materials- clay, a small amount of sand, pebbles. Another advantage of such a waterproofing structure is durability.

At right choice materials and compliance with the technology of their laying, a layer of clay will maintain strength and integrity. Such a water seal will reliably protect the source from moisture seeping into the soil from the surface.

The disadvantage is the complexity of arranging the castle. The soil must be laid in layers of small thickness and carefully compacted. material should be used High Quality, without the content of impurities, while it can be difficult to find a clay with the desired characteristics in nature or to purchase it.

Disadvantages and advantages of clay locks on a well.

What clay is suitable

For the construction of the castle, dense, greasy clay of a high degree of viscosity should be used. Loam or sandy loam should not be used to create a waterproofing pad, since these types of soil do not have the required density and water resistance.

How to improve

You can improve the quality of clay by placing it in water for several days. This will allow it to acquire the required moisture content and viscosity. In addition to this, the mixture can be left outside during the winter months. In this case, the clay gradually freezes and then thaws, becoming more plastic. Before building a castle, slaked lime can be added to the material in a ratio of 1:5.

What can replace

In some cases, clay is replaced with loam, but it does not have a pronounced water resistance due to the presence of impurities - it often contains silt or fine gravel.

You can replace clay with soft waterproofing material. At the same time, it is forbidden to use bituminous or other oil-containing materials, since in the process of their decomposition, oil products can get into well water.

How to do it yourself

Scheme of a clay castle for a well made of concrete blocks.

To build a clay castle for a well from concrete rings should be after the ground around the hydraulic structure has settled and stabilized. The soil around the reinforced concrete rings is taken out to a depth of about 2 m, the width of the pit is 1 m.

The bottom of the trench should slope away from the well walls and be narrower than its diameter at ground level. Before laying clay, the bottom of the trench must be covered with a small layer of sand or pebbles. It is permissible to lay sand on top of the geotextile - it will strengthen the bottom of the trench.

The clay mixture before laying in the pit should be moistened and thoroughly washed to a plastic state. The optimum moisture content of the material for the manufacture of the castle is 15-30%.

The prepared mixture is placed in a trench with a layer no more than 15-20 cm thick and intensively compacted. The layers are compacted with a heavy tool with a small sole area. They are laid out one by one until the surface of the castle is level with the surface of the ground. A roller is arranged around the well above the level of the castle so that rainwater flows from the walls of the mine.

Carefully compacted clay does not allow moisture to pass through, but its surface becomes viscous after rains. To ensure the convenience of using the source, a nearby blind area or a pebble layer around the well will help.

So that swelling of the clay does not affect the integrity of the well shaft, concrete rings are wrapped with a layer of non-woven material. In this case, the soil near the walls will be able to move freely up or down without affecting the structure of the well.

Repair and recovery from groundwater

A properly installed clay castle does not need to be repaired annually, but it should be inspected for cracks or sagging. Defects in the castle are filled with clay and re-compacted.

In some cases, due to improper installation or after prolonged use, the structure begins to leak water, then the clay castle needs to be repaired. If the exfoliation of the clay mass from the well shaft or soil is detected, it is necessary to repair the upper layers of the water seal. To do this, exfoliated clay is removed, and the resulting space is again filled and compacted. Repair is preferably done with new material.

If the joints of the shaft rings let water through, the lock should be replaced. To do this, it is necessary to completely raise the clay filling the trench to the surface, and lay out the resulting space with new layers of carefully compacted material.