Using geotextiles for blind areas around the house

To keep the foundation from precipitation, as well as extend the operational life of the building, it is necessary to perform a blind area around the house. It is made in a variety of ways. The reliability of the protective strip and the durability of the building depend on the quality of the selected material. In the article, we will consider the installation of a blind area using geotextiles. Let's figure out what it is and what value it has for the safety of the building.

Blind area - a waterproof strip of concrete and other materials, made around the house to protect the foundation from freezing and precipitation. It protects the base of the building and retains heat.

Geotextile is a synthetic material with a wide range of applications. It is used in construction, when performing road works, in the fight against erosion (fortifying river banks), in agricultural activities, for creating landscape design.

When arranging the blind area geotextiles are laid in the form of a substrate under crushed stone and sand, where it works as a filter in the drainage system. The material allows water to seep and go into the ground, but at the same time retains impurities that clog the drainage. In addition, the substrate laid in layers does not allow crushed stone to creep along the soil.

The advantages of geotextiles are as follows:

• it is durable, can withstand heavy loads;

• has a low weight;

• unlimited service life;

• the substrate is frost-resistant;

• easily fits in the process of arranging the blind area;

• levels, softens the effects of shrinkage;

• is an ideal material for filtering sediments and groundwater.

Geotextiles can be classified according to the method of production and the raw materials used in their manufacture. According to the method of production, the products are divided into several types.

Geofabric is woven like a canvas using strong synthetic threads. The weaves are at right angles. The finished fabric is impregnated to provide additional strength. Woven products are inferior to non-woven products in terms of tensile and tear characteristics.

This type of product is produced in different ways.

• Needle-punched option. A semi-finished fiber made of synthetic fibers is pierced with triangular needles with special notches. The fabric gains filtration capacity, becomes denser and at the same time becomes more elastic.

• Thermoset... It is a variant of the reinforced needle-punched fabric. The finished product is heat-treated with hot air, as a result of which the filtration capacity decreases, but the strength of the material increases.

• Thermally bonded... The calendering method is produced from molten synthetic granules. Synthetic fibers are fused onto the resulting surface. The result is a very durable homogeneous layer.

Geotextile is also divided according to the type of raw material from which it is produced. There are several of the most common options.

• Polypropylene has a dense structure, strong to tear, but becomes brittle when exposed to sunlight. Therefore, it is not used as a covering material.

• Polyester Geotextiles are often made from recyclable materials, such as recycled plastic bottles, which significantly reduces its cost.Due to the impossibility of producing long threads in this way, the canvas turns out to be more fleecy and less durable.

Not every type of geotextile can be used for blind areas around the house. It is better to use a material that has a high density and ability to filter moisture. The nature of the soil of the area and other external influences should be taken into account. Each canvas has its own characteristic features, and you need to pay attention to them when choosing.

• Thermally bonded and blended geotextiles should not be used if the soil contains fine clay particles.

• Best load-bearing and resistant to chemicals and other chemicals synthetic polypropylene fabrics, for example, TechnoNIKOL.

• Less durable material is made from polyester... However, it has the lowest cost.

• For long-term operation of the blind area, it is better to choose dense, water-conducting fabrics, such as Dornit. It should be remembered that the stronger the material, the higher its cost, so the choice will have to be made with an eye to budgetary possibilities.

When creating a blind area around the house with your own hands, you should first find out between which layers you need to lay the hydro-textile backing, how to lay it correctly, where you need to lay the technotextile. In order not to be mistaken, it is better to make a small auxiliary diagram for yourself.

In most cases, the layers are stacked in a specific sequence, which we will discuss below.

• In a prepared trench on the ground pour in a little clay.

• Having compacted and leveled the clay layer, it is covered with a waterproofing membrane... It is important that the edges of the pavement rise to the next level with the sand and do not allow it to mix with the soil.

• Having laid the sand on the waterproofing, it is covered with geotextiles from above and the ends are turned up again... So the next layer of rubble or pebbles will not mix with the soil.

• On crushed stone re-lay the technotextile, protecting it from all sides from creeping.

• To level the surface, repeat the sand level again, and then a top covering, such as paving slabs, is installed.

When working with geotextiles, you need to ensure that the overlaps at the joints are at least 30 cm, and also do not forget to make allowances around the entire perimeter. Therefore, it is better to buy the material with a margin.

Geotextile, participating in the drainage system, contributes to the protection of the building from precipitation and freezing.