So I'm a small builder and build soak aways for extensions etc, the crates were developed because gravel or rubble filled soak aways don't have a long life expectancy as they silt up quickly. Compare the cost of crates to buying gravel to fill the hole and compare the water holding capacity and there is only 1 winner.
I have a drain across my garden about 25mt long the trench was about 80cm deep and I bought a 100mt length of perforated pipe split into 4 and laid it all in on top of each other. Cover the lot in old brick then just laid the old grass sod on top. This feeds to a soak away works really well and I can't even see where the drain is now.
I see the advantage of the crates and I guess cost effective over time, might as well do it right first time.
Is the option 1 method the best way for the crates, I suppose it saves wheel barrelling lots of gravel using the crates.
The biggest issue I fear I have to overcome is that the soakaway is on slightly higher gound that where the pipe will start.
It’s not enough to call a slope but it’s definitely slightly higher.
If I have 4 crates 2 stacked on top it means the pipe will be coming in at 700/800mm high it’s going to be hard to get that run to stay slopping to the soakaway
My thinking would be to only be to put 2 crates in side by side and then the pipe could come in lower but kind of defeats the point in the soakaway of water then backs up
I guess make the hole deeper than 1m but by spade this is going to be difficult
The size of the soakaway is dependent on the size of the plot / amount or rainwater dispersal and type of soil you have. We have just put our third soakaway in. we have massive rainwater dispersal, 1 acre and heavy clay.
French drain into existing storm drainage like downpipe from gutter the most efficient way. If soakaway only option then completely wrap with geotextile and 20/30 mm riverbed gravel would probably be the way I would go? Although if it's clay soil you would effectively be digging and filling in a plunge pool
My issue is that to ensure the water runs down the pipe within a slight uphill gradient by the time the pipe gets to the soakaway it will be too low into the soakaway.
If I have 4 crates stacked in 2s the total height is 800mm, my pipe needs to enter at the top crate at 700mm approx to connect into the crate, it would actually arrive at the soakaway lower than that and have to connect into the bottom of the 2 stacked crates at 300mm...thus making it pointless...or I am not looking at this correctly?
French drain into existing storm drainage like downpipe from gutter the most efficient way. If soakaway only option then completely wrap with geotextile and 20/30 mm riverbed gravel would probably be the way I would go? Although if it's clay soil you would effectively be digging and filling in a plunge pool
Can’t just connect into the existing drain. I looked into this and needs to go through a lot of Regs with the water board to allow it
@g333 I've just seen your previous post on another thread, I'm thinking a soak away won't do an awful lot of good when you have such heavy surface water problems. You need to have a full understanding of the cause of the flooding and I can only imagine you are going to just fill a soak away in no time at all. When it's very wet I have to introduce a pump
and clear water to neighbouring waste ground to actually remove the water. The drains do gather the water really well in that instance and prevent a lake which can get to 50ft round.
@g333 I've just seen your previous post on another thread, I'm thinking a soak away won't do an awful lot of good when you have such heavy surface water problems. You need to have a full understanding of the cause of the flooding and I can only imagine you are going to just fill a soak away in no time at all. When it's very wet I have to introduce a pump
and clear water to neighbouring waste ground to actually remove the water. The drains do gather the water really well in that instance and prevent a lake which can get to 50ft round.
The thinking was that where the soakaway is like a different world, the soil is very light and dusty, not compact at all, it drains away here with no issues, and 2 massive laurel will be helping that. Its at the top of the garden where the border runs too, I cant believe the actual difference in the ground in such a short distance.
The water is coming from rain water and just surface sitting, I do get rain water from land as I am part of the way down a hill, not at the bottom, but still get some. There is no rising water.
What is the limit on the depth of the soakaway? I mean, why can't you dig the crates in lower?
Digging the crates in deeper is an option, but I am at 1m already so would need to get a digger in to finish it off, I also believe after 1.2m the side need supported while digging.
This was a DIY job, but any deeper I might have to pass it over
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I have a drain across my garden about 25mt long the trench was about 80cm deep and I bought a 100mt length of perforated pipe split into 4 and laid it all in on top of each other. Cover the lot in old brick then just laid the old grass sod on top. This feeds to a soak away works really well and I can't even see where the drain is now.
Is the option 1 method the best way for the crates, I suppose it saves wheel barrelling lots of gravel using the crates.
It’s not enough to call a slope but it’s definitely slightly higher.
My thinking would be to only be to put 2 crates in side by side and then the pipe could come in lower but kind of defeats the point in the soakaway of water then backs up
I guess make the hole deeper than 1m but by spade this is going to be difficult
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
The water is coming from rain water and just surface sitting, I do get rain water from land as I am part of the way down a hill, not at the bottom, but still get some. There is no rising water.
This was a DIY job, but any deeper I might have to pass it over