Content
Such a hydraulic structure as a well, equipped on its personal plot, makes it possible to satisfy all the household needs of the owner. But in order to be able to approach it in any weather, and not to clog the mine with surface waters, garbage, it is necessary to correctly equip this territory. The blind area around the well is within the power of everyone; there are many ways to make it. To decide on a specific option, you need to familiarize yourself with the advantages and disadvantages of the most common types.
Why do you need a blind area around the well
The presence of a blind area around the sewer manholes and wells allows you to reliably protect them from the ingress of not only atmospheric precipitation, but also chemicals. It is necessary to eliminate stagnation and accumulation of water near the walls of hydraulic structures. In addition, the blind area prevents the depressurization of the joints under the influence of moisture.
The main task of building a well in a country house, a personal plot is the production of clean drinking water. That is why you need to have an idea of how not only to correctly install concrete rings in the mine, but also to make the approach to the source convenient and safe. And the most important thing is not to let the water get dirty, especially during the spring thaw. If the melt water mixes with the well, then it should not be consumed until summer.
The danger of wastewater lies in causing serious harm to human health in the form of the development of all kinds of diseases, since together with them the remains of fertilizers, feces, wood ash, sand, small chips and other debris get into the well. The hand-made blind area of the well ensures the purity of drinking water and an unobstructed approach to the water source at any time of the year.
Installation of a blind area around the well
The blind area is a waterproof coating, concrete or asphalt, of paving slabs, built around hydraulic structures. It can be up to several meters wide and 1-3 rings thick. The device of such a protective blind area from rainwater and floods has a lower (underlying) layer and an upper (moisture-proof) layer. To enhance the effect, it is also good to lay a mixture of sand and fine gravel under the bottom layer.
The main advantage is a long service life, from 10 years. They have a sufficient margin of safety and a high degree of resistance to corrosive changes.
Blind area options around the well
You can make a blind area of a sewer well using one of the materials: clay, reinforced concrete, concrete mass, waterproofing and sand. To do this, you need to familiarize yourself with the main points of the device of each of the options.
Solid varieties of blind area for wells:
- Clay, consisting of a layer of well-compacted clay, which is placed in a depression of specific dimensions. This method is relatively inexpensive, the material can be easily obtained, but the disadvantage of this method is the appearance of dirt on the surface of the natural flooring, sticky and slippery if water gets on it. To exclude injury and make the clay blind area comfortable to use, it is also necessary to additionally provide for a protective coating.
- Concrete. For manufacturing, you will need to make a wooden formwork installed on a layer of gravel according to the size of the future blind area. To extend the service life of the concrete blind area, a reinforcing mesh is used before pouring the working solution. In addition, an important point is the presence of a waterproofing layer between the outer walls of the well and the concrete mass. Thanks to this technique, it will be possible to exclude the rigid adhesion of the well ring and the hardened concrete mass.
But this version of the blind area also has a weak side - frequent chips and cracks on the surface, which not only allow rainwater to penetrate into the well, but also spoil the appearance of such a flooring. Cracks can be repaired, but if there are serious violations in the manufacturing technology, the integrity of the hydraulic structure will be damaged. This occurs as a result of the action of frost heaving forces, with a rigid connection with the upper ring of the well, a rupture occurs, the lower ring is disconnected from the upper one. It is through the formed gap that soil, debris, waste water enter the mine for drinking.
A solid blind area is made of clay or concrete mortar with a thickness of 20-30 cm, its width can be 1.2-2.5 m (along the entire perimeter of the hydraulic structure).
Soft blind area. This type of protective flooring for a well implies the presence of a waterproofing material, on top of which a layer of sand is laid. It is noteworthy that this design allows you to equip it with a decorative covering, a green carpet - a lawn. The soft blind area is also good in that there is no need to make excessive efforts to make it, or to purchase expensive materials.
Among the positive aspects of using a soft blind area, one can note:
- small financial costs;
- there is no likelihood of damage to the well shaft (along the seam);
- ease of arrangement;
- can be repaired at any time;
- long service life (from 50 years);
- no difficulties in the case of dismantling activities;
- the possibility of making it yourself;
- if the work is done correctly, the ring will not shift;
- due to the compaction of the soil, there are no hidden voids;
- high strength characteristics in relation to the well;
- resistance to seasonal fluctuations of the soil;
- the waterproofing material serves for almost 100 years;
- various options for decorating the blind area (from wooden flooring to laying stone).
Dimensions of the blind area around the well
The optimal diameter of the protective flooring when arranging the area around the well is 3-4 m. It is made 0.4-05 m deep. The sewer blind area is performed in the same way, its size should not be less than 1.2 m.
Do-it-yourself blind area around the well: step-by-step instructions
Compliance with certain rules when arranging a blind area around a water well, sewer or any other hydraulic structure is the key to the success of this event. Such facilities will be easy to operate and maintain.
How to tile a well
In order for the tile around the well in the country to have a presentable appearance, and serve as long as possible, it is necessary to adhere to the following technology:
- Dig a trench around the well shaft, extracting a fully fertile topsoil. It is necessary to reach the level of the mainland rock. Often the depth of the trench is 40-50 cm. Here, in the process of forming the site, it is important to achieve a slight inclination from the walls of the mine.
- Tamp the bottom of the trench well and lay a thin layer of sand.
- Lay the waterproofing film on the bottom of the well, line its walls with it. Using tape, you need to fix the top edge of the film on the ring. In order to avoid damage to the material, it must be laid without undue tension, allowing folds in reserve.
- Cover the depression with sand or use another material. It is important here that the selected filler can freely pass water, excluding its accumulation on the surface. The area around the well must be dry. Alternatively, a multi-layer construction of different materials is allowed.
- When the drainage pad is ready, paving slabs are laid around the well. You can decorate the site with large pebbles. Paving stones around the well are laid in the same way as the tiles, they also look original and beautiful.
Laying tiles around the well with their own hands is available to everyone, you should not experiment, but it is better to use the simplest technology. It is necessary to spread geotextiles over a uniformly scattered layer of sand, pour a thin layer of dry cement on top. After that, it is necessary to lay out decorative elements, there are many options for laying tiles around the well, and align with a mallet (tapping). They control the level of the platform with a rail. Ultimately, all the components of the decorative coating must be in the same plane. In order for the cement to set, the surface of the blind area is watered with water.
It is quite profitable to choose paving slabs or paving stones for arranging the area around the well. The material is distinguished by its aesthetics, durability, resistance to adverse environmental factors. In case of dismantling, it can be easily removed.
Clay blind area around the well
Before carrying out construction work, regardless of the type of blind area, the well needs to be settled, the earth around it should sink. For the soil to stabilize, you must wait at least six months. The blind area of a clay well is considered the most affordable option for arranging the territory, but there is one caveat: due to freezing of bulk soil layers, there is a high probability of destruction of the seam between the first two rings.
The work algorithm provides for the following actions:
- Dig a trench 1.2-1.5 m deep and 0.7-1 m wide.
- Apply a layer of soft, greasy clay. Tamp it well. If this is done poorly, then voids are formed, which will let groundwater directly into the well shaft. As a result, pathogenic microorganisms will multiply in drinking water, and putrefactive processes will begin. Such problems will entail cleaning and decontamination of the well. If vertical defects (cracks) appear in the blind area, then you can try to repair it by removing the old clay and laying a new one.
- After compaction of the surface, a layer of crushed stone is laid, another suitable material.
With the right approach, the clay blind area in the section is a hemisphere, where water flows to the outer edge due to a slight slope. It is this design that does not allow moisture to accumulate on the surface, but goes into loose soil, leaving the water in the well in its purest form. But to improve the appearance and ease of use, it is recommended to cover the clay with another layer - waterproof.
Concrete blind area around the well
Subject to all norms and requirements, the concrete version of the arrangement of the site around the well is distinguished by its durability, strength and smooth surface.
The step-by-step process of creating a blind area is as follows:
- Remove the top layer of fertile soil (up to 50 cm).
- Fill up with sand (layer thickness 15-20 cm), pour water when laying each layer. Lay the same layer of gravel or fine crushed stone. It is imperative to maintain a slight slope towards the walls of the well. Make formwork from scrap materials.
- Wrap the trunk of the structure with roofing material, waterproofing film. This technique will eliminate the creation of a protective deck monolith and a well.
- Pour with concrete mass.
The use of roll material does not allow the upper ring to come off when the soil freezes or protrudes. Also, the tightness of the seams between the rings will not be compromised. It is the roll waterproofing that allows the blind area to move freely around the mine.
Soft blind area around the well
To make this version of a protective flooring with a decorative finish, you must:
- Build a clay base. The layer should be thin, its task is to cover the entire area. It is imperative to maintain a slight slope.
- Fix the waterproofing material to the shaft ring. To avoid displacement of the soil under the paving slabs, it is necessary to fold the insulating film in the zone of contact with the soil.
- A layer of sand must be laid on top of the waterproofing and compacted. The next layer is geotextile.
- Lay either paving slabs, or crushed stone, pebbles.
Tips & Tricks
Using a typical project of a blind area around a well, it is necessary to adhere to the following recommendations:
- It is not necessary to start arranging the site immediately after installing the rings, at least six months must pass before the start of construction work.
- The presence of a waterproofing layer significantly increases the effectiveness of the measures taken. The material will prevent the appearance of undesirable consequences.
- To enhance the effect during the creation of the structure, it is necessary to use a special mesh or reinforcement.
- To give the site originality, it is good to use paving slabs, and there is a large assortment of colors, configurations and sizes on the market.
- After laying the tiles on a cement-sand base, it is not recommended to step on it for the first two days. Also, do not place heavy objects on top.
- If it rains immediately after the completion of construction work, the site must be covered with polyethylene, otherwise it will wash out.
- The processing of the seams should be done only after the base is securely fixed.
- In addition to using paving slabs for decorative design, the site can also be effectively lined with garden parquet, sawn wood, natural stone.
- The optimal time for a blind area is dry warm weather, which occurs in May, September.
Conclusion
The blind area around the well can be made according to one of the above options. But it is best to give preference to soft structures that have a long service life, do not cause difficulties during installation, and do not require significant costs. The main thing when arranging the site with your own hands is not to violate the technology so that you do not have to redo it in the future.
