Technological map for a clay castle. The use of clay for waterproofing - a time-tested solution or a relic of the past

In this publication we will consider such a concept as clay castle and the feasibility of its design.

Clay is a mineral that consists of fine particles. Clay when wet has high plasticity and is able to absorb a large number of water, hold it and not let it pass through you.

Clay castle It is a layer of a certain thickness of compacted clay laid along the foundation or underground part of the wall of houses, basements, cellars, wells. Clay lock designed to prevent direct contact of the structure with groundwater, protection against flooding by rainwater, which allows you to increase the service life of waterproofing materials and the structure itself as a whole.

The design of a clay castle is shown in photo 1.

Photo 1. Design and layout of a clay castle

Clay was previously widely used to prevent water from penetrating into the underground part of the structure. Water-saturated clay increases in volume by approximately 2...3 times, depending on the percentage of various impurities.

In the old days, wealthy people in their homes and public buildings carefully compacted clay was laid on the floor in a layer of 10...15 cm. In order for the clay to acquire high degree To make it waterproof, it was also watered with slurry, followed by compaction. They laid on top of the clay castle natural stones or ceramic tiles.

Clay like construction material to construct a waterproofing lock, it must have sufficient consistency at which you can easily sculpt any objects from it with your hands (should not crumble or spread), photo 2.

Photo 2. Checking the optimal clay consistency

To make clay castles, plastic fatty clay with a sand content of no more than 5...15% is used.

Let's consider two simple methods determining the quality (fat content) of clay.

It is necessary to take clay in an amount of 50...150 g and dissolve it in a transparent container with water. Then you should mix the water vigorously and wait until the clay and sand particles settle completely, photo 3. Based on the resulting layers of sand and clay, the percentage of sand in the clay is determined. As already noted, clays, depending on the percentage of sand, can be divided into:

fatty – 10…15%;
average – 15…25%;
skinny - over 25%.

Photo 3. Method of elutriating clay

. You can determine the degree of fat content of the clay by the feeling when rubbing the clay - when rubbing oily clay, you do not feel sand under your fingers.

Clay balls with a diameter of no more than 5 cm are prepared from the clay under study, and the clay should not crumble into separate pieces. The balls are set out to dry in the sun and then their condition is visually checked:

heavily cracked surface – oily clay;
minor cracks – average fat content of clay;
surface without cracks - thin clay, photo 4.

Photo 4. Method of sculpting a clay ball

Ways to improve the properties of clay for a clay castle

To increase the waterproof properties of the clay, it needs to be further processed - soaked for several days, usually 2...3 days.
Soak in water under open air for the whole winter, so that she would freeze and get wet.
Add slaked lime up to 20% by volume.

Construction of a clay castle

Typically, a clay castle for foundations is laid in horizontal layers with the following parameters: photo 5:

the width of the lock at the bottom is at least 0.4 m;
The width of the lock at the top is at least 0.25 m.
lock thickness – 15...150 cm.

Photo 5. Basic parameters of a clay castle for the foundation

A clay castle can be laid in two ways:

laying clay using formwork 5…10 cm high;
laying clay separate layers– the layers are prepared separately at the construction site and then laid in the foundation pit.

It is recommended to make a clay castle using replaceable formwork, which would allow the castle to be made with a thickness of 20...30 cm. Such a small thickness allows the clay to be well compacted. After laying the first layer of clay, allow it to dry, and then you can lay the second layer of clay.

Clay is considered dry enough for laying the next layer when its consistency matches that of plasticine. The clay of the castle is protected from preventing cracks from occurring, so it is covered on top plastic film(until it is backfilled).

Sometimes, in addition to constructing a clay castle, clay lubricant is also used to waterproof the seams. Clay lube can be prepared by mixing the following ingredients.

For 1 m 3 of clay lubricant you need:

clay dough - 0.7 m 3;
lime dough - 32 kg;
natural fiber (cut straw, chaff) – at your discretion;
water - 200 l;
copper sulfate - 1% (added as desired).

Construction of a clay castle around a well

A high-quality clay lock around the well protects the water from the ingress of water or pollutants.

The clay castle around the well can be made in three versions:

Traditional option (option No. 1) , photo 6a: The clay castle is laid with the following parameters:

lock depth - 150...180 cm (usually to a depth that covers the second seam of the well shaft);
lock width – 50...60 cm.

First, a trench is dug, and then clay is laid in small layers, followed by compaction. The clay castle should rise above the ground to a height of 15...20 cm and have a slope from the well. Otherwise, it is necessary to construct a blind area with clay or other building materials.

Combined option (option No. 2) , photo 6b. This option involves the use of a clay castle with geotextile film. Geotextile film is used only for more thorough insulation of the seams between the well rings.

Improved version (option No. 3) , photo 6c. The improved version provides additional protection for the well shaft rings from heaving when the castle clay becomes moistened and freezes. IN this option Additionally, a sand layer 10 cm wide is installed to almost the entire depth of the castle (only at the bottom of the castle a layer of clay 10...15 cm thick is installed, and then a sand layer).

Photo 6. Clay castle around the well: a) traditional version; b) combined option; c) improved version

For the pond, a clay castle 8...12 cm thick is arranged, which is laid in three layers, photo 7.

For more reliable waterproofing of a pond or other type of reservoir, an additional waterproofing film is laid on top of the clay castle.

Photo 7. Construction of a clay castle for a pond

Benefits of a clay castle

Low material cost and wide distribution.
Has high durability.
Does not require repairs or ongoing maintenance.
High efficiency of the clay castle device.

Disadvantages of clay castles

Water-saturated or wet clay is capable of heaving (increasing in volume at subzero temperatures) when frozen.
Clay is not a completely waterproof device, i.e. it does not protect walls or foundations from moisture. Therefore, it is not recommended to make clay castles if there is an increased likelihood of exposure to aggressive groundwater. concrete foundation(the aggressiveness of groundwater to concrete is determined in the laboratory during geological surveys).
The high complexity of the process of constructing a clay castle.
If the seal is poor, the value natural shrinkage becomes large and can occur over several years, which leads to the formation of voids, gaps and subsidence of the soil and blind area from above.

The clay castle should have a slope directed away from the main structure to ensure rapid drainage of rainwater.
It is recommended to lay it no later than 14 days from the date of installation of the clay castle.
If a clay castle is made around the foundation of a house or other structure, and it is not yet possible to arrange a blind area, then it is recommended to temporarily lay a waterproofing film on the surface of the clay castle.
When laying clay, it should first be kneaded well so that it acquires the necessary waterproofing properties(only compacting the clay by tamping is not enough to impart specific properties to the clay).
The best decision - joint use modern waterproofing materials and clay castle.
It is necessary to strictly follow the technology for laying a clay castle, and in water-saturated soils or in soils with a high groundwater level, it is imperative to provide a vertical sand layer that would compensate for the effects of frost heaving of the clay. If these recommendations are not followed, large destructive heaving forces may form, which lead to cracks, displacement, deformation and destruction of the structure.
To compact clay, it is recommended to use special compactors, photo 8.

Konev Alexander Anatolievich

(DOM magazine No. 9, 2010) we looked at the issues that need to be resolved when designing a pond: choosing a location, shape and size of the reservoir, methods of filling it, etc. Now we will focus on the main stages construction decorative pond with a bed made of polyvinyl chloride film.

Pit

After the pond design is ready, they begin digging a pit. In this case, they first dig out the deepest part of the pond, and then gradually select the sides, bringing the bed to the desired size and shape.

If the soil is loamy or clayey, then in the lowest part of the bottom it is advisable to make a vertical drainage hole and cover it with crushed stone or sand. The importance of this event will become clear when, in the midst of work, it suddenly rains heavily and water pours into the pit - through the drainage it goes into the ground. And subsequently, when pond will be built, groundwater will also flow into this drainage without putting pressure on the walls.

As in the manufacture of a pond from reinforced concrete, when using polyvinyl chloride (PVC) films for this purpose, you must first make a sand cushion at least 10 cm thick along the shore and 15 cm at the bottom. After backfilling, the sand is spilled and compacted. After this, geotextiles with a density of 300 g/m2 are laid on it. This material resembles felt in appearance, it stretches well and can withstand large point loads (in pond manufacturing instructions it is sometimes called “soft bedding material”).
Strips of geotextile are laid on the bed across the long axis with an overlap of 10-15 cm. Instead of “300” geotextile, several layers of “80” or “100” can be laid. However, it should be taken into account that the material of these brands has weak stretch and cannot withstand large point loads, therefore, when preparing a pit, all stones and roots should be removed from its walls and bottom, and the bedding sand should be sifted.
Transparent film for greenhouses and greenhouses is not used in the construction of ponds, since it loses its qualities after 3 years (but usually breaks earlier). The same can be said about reinforced film.
PVC film for a pond (like a rubber membrane) is used with a thickness of at least 0.8 mm. These materials are acid- and alkali-resistant and do not decompose when exposed to sun rays, tall and low temperatures, withstand significant mechanical loads. They are produced in strips up to 15 m wide, which makes it possible to cover the pond bed in one piece. In addition, pieces of film are easy to glue together.

The dimensions of the film are determined after the sand cushion is made. The film should reach the shore approximately 0.5 m above the water level. Moreover, the very edge of the film should be bent upward, cut at a level of 2...3 cm above the soil surface and secured in this position with stones. Otherwise, water from the pond will be sucked into the soil surrounding the pond due to the force of surface tension.

Laying film and stones

The prepared piece of film, folded in half along the long axis, is placed on one side of the bed, after which the film is unfolded to the other side. The material is straightened so that it is pressed as much as possible to the ground. The upper parts of the film are pressed against the banks with stones.
If you plan to build swimming pond, then after laying the film, it can be filled with water. If they want to give the reservoir natural look- its walls are lined with flagstone or boulders. It is believed that stones can be laid directly on the film, but it is better to protect it with geotextile with a density of 80 or 100 g/m2 and then lay the stones on it.

The bottom can be made of stone or crushed stone. In the latter case, the laying of stones begins from the walls of the bed. But in general it is advisable to use crushed stone as decorative material, and not as a bottom filler, since due to its flowability, the film may not withstand the pressure of groundwater and swell at the bottom of the pond.
When the slope of the underwater part of the coast is less than 30°, the stones are laid without fastening them to each other, but with ligation of the seams, filling the space between them with either clay or a mixture of clay with wet peat in a ratio of 3:1. If the shore is steeper, the stones should be secured with cement mortar. This is done this way: a row of stones is laid, after which the space between the film (geotextile) and the stones is filled with cement mortar, and the voids facing the inside of the pond are filled with clay. In one day, you should not lay more than 50 cm of stones in height, since if the cement mortar has not hardened, the masonry may slide down the slope of the bank.

Pumping equipment and decorative lighting

Any body of water looks more attractive when using various types of lighting and organizing the movement of water. Currently available for sale big choice surface and underwater lighting, pumps, fountains and pumps, often combined with filters. You just need to remember that all products that consume electricity must have appropriate markings permitting their use on outdoors and in the water. Electrical wiring must satisfy the same conditions.

When using electrical equipment, the question often arises: “Should I leave it for the winter?” The answer depends on the size of the pond. Lamps and pumps should be removed from freezing low-volume shallow water bodies. In non-freezing reservoirs (at a depth of more than 1.5 m), electrical equipment is left for the winter. However, if pumps and lamps are installed in the freezing zone (up to 0.6...1 m), they should be removed or buried. In addition, in the fall it is necessary to drain the water from above-water filters and pipes (hoses).
If the electrical equipment is planned to be removed when storing the pond for the winter, then when installing it, the wires are either left openly lying on the ground (black wires are not noticeable), or covered with stones, rubble, laid between plants, etc. If the electrical equipment is not removed, then it is more convenient to pass the wires and hoses and bring them ashore through a special pipe, which is laid in advance on the pond bed and covered with stones. On the shore, the wires are hidden in a corrugated sleeve and buried to a depth of at least 10 cm.
Finally, in accordance with safety standards, any power-consuming equipment must be de-energized as quickly as possible in the event of breakdowns or malfunctions. That is, the switch, sockets, and, for some models, ballasts must be installed near the pond in a special electrical box.

Filling and decorating the pond

Usually 7-10 days after installation cement mortar the last decorative stone (in some recommendations when using high grades of cement a period of 3 days is indicated) the first pond filling. The water is kept for about 10 days, preferably with stirring. (To do this, it is enough to lower the pump into the pond, the hose from which is placed at the surface of the pond.) The task of the “first water” is to displace air from possible cavities between the facing stones and the film and press the film as much as possible to the pond bed, wash out alkaline substances from the hardened cement mortar ( naturally, not all, but if possible) and wash the backfill crushed stone. After removing the “first water,” they clean the bottom of the pond from dirt and debris, install pumps (pumps, fountains), install underwater lights, decorate or hide wires and hoses.
Water and semi aquatic plants planted in previously prepared and soaked soil in niches on the slopes of the banks. The top soil is covered with crushed stone or pebbles. Plants can also be planted in mesh baskets with soil, which are installed either in niches or on the bottom of a reservoir and decorated with stones.
If a reservoir can be filled in a short time, then all the plants are planted at once. Otherwise, plants are planted as the pond fills.

It should be remembered that a pond will fulfill its decorative function if it becomes an element of a whole complex consisting of the reservoir itself, plants, stone lining and embankments, as well as paths and garden structures - bridges, etc. Among the trees and shrubs near the pond, weeping forms of willow, birch, larch, small bushes of purple willow or oleaster, single plantings of juniper or mountain pine, dogwood, mackerel, hydrangea, mock orange, thickets of spirea, astilbe, kupena and so on look good - assortment suitable plants almost limitless.

Water cascade

Cascade, waterfall, cliff, rock, coastal rock garden, spring - the design of these decorative elements should be created at the pond design stage. All these “structures,” with the exception of perhaps a small coastal rock garden or spring, must be erected on their own foundations. Otherwise, a multi-ton mass of stone (and 1 m 3 of stone can weigh 2 tons) will simply slide into the pond and destroy its wall.
Therefore, first of all, you should determine the size of the cascade (or other structures), calculate its tonnage and determine the pressure on the ground. It is believed that at a pressure of 1 t per 1 m 2 the depth of monolithic foundation may be within 50 cm.

But it should be taken into account that when the soil freezes, such a foundation can be squeezed out or shifted to the side by heaving forces. Therefore, it is laid to the freezing depth, subject to the appropriate requirements (laying a sand cushion, filling the sinuses with non-heaving soil, waterproofing).
The height of the waterfall, the number of waterfalls in the cascade, the degree of overhang of the rock, the steepness of the cliff - all this is chosen according to your taste or based on the designer’s recommendations.
But there are a few purely construction tricks:
- all stone or masonry materials must not retain water, otherwise winter time it can tear apart the masonry;
- to ensure a uniform flow of water at the top of the waterfall, a “water intake tank” should be laid out of stone, into which water will be pumped. The drain stone is made of flagstone, the outer edge of which is set horizontally at a level, and the back part is slightly recessed;
- so that the water in the “water intake tank” does not remain for the winter, you need to make a drainage hole in its lower part that can be closed in the summer;
- when a waterfall jet falls, a large amount of splashes usually form, which over time can wash away the waterfall wall and foundation. To avoid this, the wall is protected with a film or membrane, which is decorated with stones;
- when constructing a cascade, it is advisable to create a lower “reception tank” and move the drain stone forward so that the water does not fall directly onto the wall of the pond.

Of course, a waterfall or a rock, a cascade or a spring will look lonely and uninhabited if they are not decorated with plants. Near these structures you can plant all plants suitable for rock gardens and rockeries. In addition, such “non-mountainous” plants as ferns, whiteflies, irises, callas, kupena, etc. will feel great under splashes of water.
It should be borne in mind that all stone elements greatly cool the soil in the fall and do not allow plants to properly prepare for winter. Therefore, plants should not be planted directly into the rock mass. It is necessary to ensure reliable thermal insulation of the soil and, consequently, plant roots from the stone mass.

S. Batov, magazine "Home" No. 10/2010

Read on topic "Pond in the garden":
- Construction of a pond and garden reservoir. Useful tips. >>>
- Construction of a pond with waterproofing from concrete and rigid forms. >>>
- Construction of a pond with flexible waterproofing. >>>
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You can absolutely correctly plant beautiful aquatic plants, perfectly decorate the coastal zone, but ruin everything by sloppy design of the border between the pond and the garden. Professional approach addressing this issue will solve not only the problems of decorating a garden pond, but will also eliminate the possibility of bank erosion.

On the Internet there is great amount information about the installation of a reservoir, the choice of materials for waterproofing and edging, the selection of plants, and the technology for designing the border between water and shore is not sufficiently covered.

Materials for designing a pond

Materials for decorating a pond should be harmoniously tied to the size of the garden and the style of the house. The most commonly used materials are natural and artificial stone, crushed rocks, pieces of marble, and pebbles. different colors, ceramic and paving slabs, wood, gravel, sand. For reservoirs with concrete base used marble chips, colored glass, fragments of porcelain and ceramics, which are fixed onto concrete that has not yet hardened, the fragments are pressed inward with sharp edges.

All decorative elements the shoreline of the reservoir must be properly secured in its positions. Stones, ceramic and paving slabs, the brick is fixed with cement mortar, leaving pockets for planting.

Film pond edging

For a natural transition from pond to garden, you can use a special decorative film, which is covered with a layer of gravel, so it perfectly imitates rocky terrain. Since the film with stones does not retain water by itself, they lay it on top of the waterproofing and carefully line the bottom of the pond so that its rocky edges extend to the shore. It is advisable to secure the edges and seams with film glue. Then large stones are placed in random order on the surface of the film along the edge of the pond, simulating a natural landscape. This film is the most good option to decorate a pond with your own hands, without resorting to the help of professionals.

Coconut mats for edging a pond

If the pond has steep walls, then when water evaporates, filmy edges can be observed. In this case, woven dark brown coconut mats are used for edging, which visually imitate the soil and do not interfere with the growth and development of coastal plants, the latter, growing densely on solid foundation, well decorate and strengthen the banks.

The technology for laying coconut mats is quite simple. The mats are laid without tension, starting from the shore part, they are placed along the border of the future reservoir with the shore, lowering the lower part of the coil about 50 cm into the pit, and carefully securing the upper part to the shore using U-shaped brackets from reinforcement. To secure the mat to PVC, a special mounting adhesive is used. At the junction of coconut sheets, the overlap should be at least 20 cm. When installing, take into account the direction of the overlap - the edges of the sheet should not be visible from the viewing side. From the shore, the mesh structure of the coconut mat is covered with a plant substrate, and that part of the mat that will be in the water is covered with sandy soil mixed with fine gravel.

Option for laying coconut mats

Another option

In this case, you can get by minimum quantity or completely exclude it from the design of the reservoir. This way of design coastal zone a pond models the most natural landscape and is well suited for landscape style.

Advantages of coconut mats for strengthening the banks of a reservoir

1. Environmentally friendly natural material.

2. Does not require large capital investments.

3. Easy to install.

4. Protects the banks from erosion.

5. Provides long service life due to the slow decomposition of coconut fiber.

6. Promote the growth of vegetation and strengthen the soil.

7. Improves water outflow.

8. Resistant to UV/UV radiation.

9. Resistant to decomposition processes of organic substances.

10. Closes the waterproofing of the reservoir when water evaporates.

11. Serves as the basis for the root system of aquatic and coastal plants.

If coconut mats are not used to secure the banks of a reservoir, and only waterproofing is planned around it, then the edges of the film waterproofing can be hidden under the lawn to a depth of 8 - 10 cm. But this method will not help mask the unsightly film edges when water evaporates and will not save you from waterlogging and erosion coastal part if there is an abundance of it. Therefore, after the usual heavy rain, a flooded meadow will suddenly appear in the clearing around the garden pond. In the summer it’s half the trouble, but in the fall? Therefore, there is no need to skimp on strengthening the banks; simply placing a coconut mat under the lawn is enough. For growth lawn grass there will be no obstacles, the waterproofing will be closed, and coastline will be protected from erosion.

There are no special secrets in the technology of transitioning the boundaries of concrete or stone edging with a lawn. Both stone and concrete can directly border water, soil and vegetation.

How to decorate the edges of a pond with stone

The size of the stone framing the edge of the pond should be proportional to the size of the pond itself; large stones are harmoniously combined with a large reservoir, small stones with small ones. The shape and structure of the stones should also be similar. It is not advisable to use several various types stones.

Making a pond from concrete base or a polymer form using a stone, it is necessary to prepare a substrate from the shore side - where the stones come into contact with the ground, first lay black lutrasil, cover it with sand, then gravel. Large boulders are placed along the perimeter of the pond so that part of the stone hangs slightly above the water, in which case all the edges of the pond are easily covered.

The small stones with which the bottom of the reservoir is covered should smoothly turn into larger ones towards the shore. Moreover, when laying stones along the perimeter of the coastal zone, you need to make sure that a continuous line does not form. In this case, it is better to make the edging of the reservoir intermittent, alternating stones and plants in random order, avoiding symmetry. Large stones placed flat, slightly tilted to the side towards the shore.

Before permanently fixing the stones in cement, they should be laid out in their intended places, then you need to examine the composition from all sides and correct any errors. Only after this can the stones be installed on cement mortar, buried in the mortar to 1/3 of their height. Don't forget to leave pockets for planting plants.

How to design the edges of a pond with the correct geometric shapes

Strict edging geometric shapes garden ponds can be made using wooden boards, ceramic tiles, stone slabs, natural or artificial stone. When choosing material for decoration coastal zone It is necessary to take into account that after the rain wooden boards and glossy ceramic tiles become slippery.

Natalia Vysotskaya, dendrologist, landscape designer, candidate s. -X. sciences

“Invisible” lining of a decorative pond. Any pond needs lining. Here are some reliable ways to hide visible PVC or butyl lining along the edge of a pond

The most common material used for lining a pond is butyl rubber. Many books on pond building detail how to dig a hole on a level area, line it with rubber, and lay a row of sidewalk curbs or tiles around it. However, almost nowhere is it mentioned that the edge bordered by stone will gradually slide into the pond. Another problem, which is practically not mentioned in the specialized literature, is a drop in water level due to evaporation. Even with frequent rains, in this case, after some time, an untidy butyl lining will also appear along the edges. But there is a way to avoid this if you spend a little more money and efforts during the construction of the reservoir.

Design presented at the 2000 Chelsea Flower Show: well-reinforced turf and decking surrounding a pond disguises its lining.

How to hide the lining of a pond

Bricks and block stones

The area will look more attractive if you lay bricks or blocks along the edge of the pond. Blocks irregular shape can be easily cut to follow the shape of the pond. It is important to line all the curves of the pond bank with stones from start to finish, and then edge it with cut blocks.

However, brick is not strong enough compared to natural stone. If you do use bricks, pay attention to their frost resistance characteristics and lay them, fastening them with lime mortar. For paving banks, special brick and concrete blocks. They fit together so tightly that lime mortar is not needed for connection. This paving looks modern, and if the house and buildings are old, then an ordinary brick paving with joints will look more appropriate than a block one. Bricks and blocks placed at the very edge of the pond are especially at risk of sliding into the water and therefore need a good foundation.

Paving slabs

The worst option for paving the banks of a pond is stone slabs, which cannot be cut to fit the shape of the reservoir.

Paving stones or slabs can look much better if the edge of the pond is modeled as steps. Unhewn stones, slabs imitating stone, laid randomly, look good near an irregularly shaped pond, while rough, rough slabs light colors can give a straight-edged pond or pool a modern, perhaps Mediterranean, style.

To fit the shape of the reservoir, the slabs can be cut, but this is quite difficult to do due to the clamp circular saw at the edges of the cut.

To minimize tool damage when working on very thick slabs, use a chainsaw with a belt drive and the smallest blade possible. If you use a power saw, be careful not to overheat the motor.

As with curved brick or block paving, cut stone slabs must be edged with bricks or blocks.

Natural stone

Natural slabs or stones, of course, look very attractive. However, they are much thicker than factory-made slabs and therefore more difficult to install. In addition, they can also be quite slippery if they are constantly in the shade or under trees. Most practical way use natural stones around the edges of the pond - edging the pond with their fragments. It looks beautiful if you make as few joints as possible, held together with lime mortar.

Flooring

Wooden decking works well to hide the pond lining and is usually laid on a row of beams at the edge of the pond. Often the deck extends just slightly, and sometimes quite far, above the water. In the latter case, the decking or formwork hangs over the water on one side, and the opposite edge is fixed to the ground. If the overhang of the flooring above the water exceeds a meter, then a support resting on the bottom of the tank and railings will be required. This will provide it with additional stability and safety.

Do not use particle boards or toxic wood preservatives. Instead, use regular hardwood or planks treated with non-toxic preservatives.

Unlike other forms of paved edges, decking often needs to be reinforced because if it is “set” on a hard edge, it can slide out of place.

How to hide the lining of a decorative pond

In order to hide the pavement and create a solid base, you will have to make an unconventional decision.

First, the paved edges of the reservoir must be secured to a suitable foundation. If the soil is hard, the foundation can be a 15 cm layer of concrete placed on a flat and wide shelf, cut around the entire perimeter of the pond approximately 30 cm down from the top edge.

In clay or soft soil, the side walls should extend to the bottom of the pond. Inside the pond different heights you can arrange baskets for plants.
In soft soil or clay, this shelf should be located as close to the bottom or foundation of the pond as possible so that the wall can be built and the slabs placed on it. In this case, you need to build a wall of concrete blocks, not reaching approximately 15 cm from the depth of the intended paving.

To build a curved wall, the easiest way is to use half blocks or inexpensive bricks. Once the foundation is completed, the pit should be covered with a dense primer fabric or geotextile, extending to the upper edges of the reservoir, then lay the lining so that the shape of the foundation is clearly visible underneath. If this is not done immediately, then when water appears in the reservoir, it will pull down the lining, and with it the small walls formed from it at the top.

Depending on the shelf paving material, a low wall of stone, brick or even block can be built to end just below the proposed paving. Under low walls and wherever there may be sharp corners or additional load on the pavement, additional geotextiles should be used. The picture shows how the pavement is raised and passes behind the low wall. Once construction is complete, consideration should be given to a spillway. Without it, the pool will fill to the edge of the pavement, and during a rainstorm, water will overflow the edges. A small pipe inserted directly into the wall and brought out through the lining of the pond under the pavement will help prevent flooding. IN clay soil To prevent movement, any walls should be reinforced with sand or gravel. The lining is cut to upper level low wall. In this case, when filling the reservoir with water, its level will have to drop by about 15 cm before a piece of rubber or film appears. In addition, you can stand on the edge of a pond without fear that it will slide down.

If we do not forget that the construction industry has existed as long as humanity, then the most ancient of sciences is the discipline of how to protect the underground part of a building from the effects of what in ancient times was called “the mother of the earth.” Indeed, it has always been “cheese”, and builders understood this, having achieved perfection in ways to eliminate the problem. Proof of this is in ancient cities such as Venice. At the same time, no traces of the use of bitumen and tar were noted - waterproofing materials From oil in construction they began to be introduced only in the 19th century.

What is the secret of construction witchcraft? To say that the architects used clay is an understatement. Italian pasta is also made from flour, but not all flour products are pasta, especially since not all pasta is paste. The situation is exactly the same with clay. The legend has reached us about ancient technology“clay castle”, which in all centuries covered the topic of preserving foundations in a flooded environment. True, today’s information about the clay castle provides only general idea on how to use clay to ensure waterproofing of the underground parts of the structure being built. The art itself seems to have already been lost, because modern theorists unanimously note that a clay castle is insufficient to completely solve the problem of waterproofing. How then, may I ask, should we treat the basements of St. Petersburg, which have been dry since the 18th century, although they were built in wet soils at a level below the groundwater level? By the way, the clay castle technology was used there, which, as you can see, still looks like an example of a successful solution to the problem...

However, the secrets of the clay castle as a fail-safe method of waterproofing can be revealed at the level of amateur construction. The inquisitive mind of a person who erects a structure with his own hands is able to grasp the principle that guided the ancient builders. It turns out that clay radically changes its properties when it is crushed and mixed with water. The resulting dough can form a waterproof screen if it is used to fill a trench around the perimeter of the building’s base. The depth and width are determined by the level of soil watering and the depth of underground flows. This is a clay castle. It is characteristic that in ancient times this technology was used not only as a method of waterproofing, but also as a binding material. In rich mansions and temples, a clay castle was often placed on the brick lining of the floors, and on top was placed decorative rock or ceramic tiles. This moment reveals possible reason legendary impenetrability of “ancient clay”: it had adhesive properties! It's no coincidence that clay thrashed with chains, adding bull's blood, slurry and God knows what else... Were they trying to make it stick?

Today, the markets offer an endless range of roll and lubricants waterproofing, but you, if you have not only intuition, but also hands, patience, and most importantly, a deficit Money, you will only use clay.

A complete list of objects in the construction of which the clay castle technology should be used:

artificial reservoir (pond, etc.)
well;
cellar;
the foundation of any structure located in wet soil.

More about clay castles

For a clay castle, use crumpled (moistened) fatty clay, or, in extreme cases, loam with a sand content of less than 15%. Skinny clay does not provide adequate protection against water penetration.

Oily clay is plastic, it gets wet slowly and takes a long time to dry. Its color has absolutely no meaning, so you should not pay attention to it. Do reliable waterproofing will help proper preparation material for use. To do this, the clay is soaked, covered and left to sit for an indefinite time, making sure that it does not dry out.

Experts recommend preparing material in the fall and leaving it outdoors until spring. During this period, a cycle of gradual freezing and thawing of the clay occurs, which will facilitate uniform penetration of moisture through the interlayer spaces into all particles. The result is a homogeneous, plastic material suitable for use in a clay castle. To further improve the quality, lime is added to the waterproofing mixture, but not more than a fifth of the total volume.

The clay should not be over-moistened or over-dried. You can check the required humidity simply the folk way. You need to take a handful of “real” rock, and then try to squeeze it in your fist. If the formed lump does not crumble and does not slip through your fingers, then the material is considered ready for use.

Clay does not deteriorate over time and practically does not require material costs for purchase, as it is found almost everywhere in common use. A correctly made clay castle:

does not require repairs - cracks do not spontaneously appear in it;
not washed away by groundwater, but needs protection from storm drains;
prevents the penetration of water, but allows moisture to pass to the foundation walls, and therefore it is recommended to additionally make surface waterproofing.

When constructing a clay castle, you should pay attention to the type of soil located in the area where the structure is being erected. If there is a sandy or sandy loam layer around the foundation, the expansion of clay during freezing will not play a big role. But for clayey and loamy soil An increase in the volume of the castle as a result of frost heaving can lead to unforeseen situations. In this case, it is important that the vertical surfaces of the foundation are smooth - without protrusions, recesses and expansions in the upper part of the structure. Otherwise, the buoyant forces created by nature itself can lift the structure, squeezing the foundation upward.

How to make a clay castle

The width of crumpled clay waterproofing depends on the depth of the foundation, and the size may be different for the upper and lower parts. With a standard depth of an underground structure of up to two meters, the width of the lock at the lower mark should be at least 40 cm, and at the top – at least 25 cm. Clay should be laid in pre-installed formwork in uniform layers of 5-10 cm with mandatory compaction of each layer. If the openings of the pit correspond to the size of the waterproofing lock, then the formwork can be abandoned.

At large volume work that takes more than one day, the laid and compacted clay should be covered with a film to prevent the exposed surface from drying out, the formation of cracks in the body of the castle or the ingress of rainwater.

The film will also be required upon completion of laying the clay waterproofing to the required level. The castle should be left covered for at least two weeks, after which it will be possible to begin constructing a blind area around the house.