How to dig a well with your own hands

Digging a hole the old fashioned way

So I dig holes and trenches in the old-fashioned way, with a shovel. If you need to dig a hole small in diameter, then you will need a good bayonet shovel, gloves for work, tight gloves for extracting the earth. As gloves for earth extraction, you can use tight gloves for working with metal (cutting, welding) with a long bell that covers the arm up to the elbow. If we are digging a trench, then a bayonet and a shovel are used.

Digging has two stages that are repeated: loosening and excavation.

Loosening. We loosen the ground with a bayonet shovel at the bottom of a pit or trench. To do this, we apply vertical sweeping blows with a shovel along the bottom over its entire area. To do this, the shovel must be heavy enough. If you come across a particularly hard soil, compacted gravel, then you can use a crowbar.

notch. We take out the loosened soil from the pit. If we are digging a trench or a large hole, then it is convenient to do this with a shovel. If we need a hole of a small cross section, then it is most convenient to do this with a hand dressed in a tight high glove. Never remove the soil with your bare hand or the gloved hand you are loosening with. So you instantly erase the skin on your hands to bloody calluses. The grains of sand will remain on your hands. At the loosening stage, they will rub against the handle of the shovel and damage the skin. In addition, you may get hurt. To avoid unpleasant infections and abscesses, do not soil damaged areas of the skin with earth. Before excavating by hand, remove work gloves and put on thick gloves specially designed for excavation.

The described process is repeated until the hole is the desired depth.

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We build a well in the country

Living in a country house or in the country requires a source of water. Which will increase comfort. Alternatively, a well. How to build a well in the country with your own hands?

It is not worth building a well in spring or rainy summer. The presence of groundwater will greatly complicate the task.

Types of wells

There are two types of wells:

• Concrete
• Wood.

A concrete well is mounted from special concrete rings. Such a well is the most convenient in both assembly and operation. A wooden well is beautiful and environmentally friendly, but expensive and difficult to assemble.

Material

Concrete.One of the most durable materials. Concrete rings are cast at enterprises. In the manufacture of reinforcement is used to increase strength.

For a country well, it is best to use wall rings, they are suitable for all types of wells. KS - 10 or KS - 15 (10 and 15 are the inner diameter in decimeters).

Tree. For wells, a beam of alder, oak, aspen, elm and hornbeam is used. Before laying, the wood is subject to special treatment, which can significantly increase its service life.

Construction plan:

1. Location selection
2. Inventory preparation
3. Well assembly.
4. Surface water protection

Location selection

The well should be located in close proximity to the dwelling, but not adjacent to it.

All landfills, cesspools should be at a remote distance.

Exclude high waters. This term is called water, which is stored in the first water-resistant layer. Usually this water is fed by precipitation and melted snow. In drought, it may disappear altogether. It also occurs in large numbers in swampy areas.

When the main criteria are met, you can start searching. There are many ways such as: aluminum frames, willow vines, glass jars, observation of natural phenomena and animal behavior. Or call a geologist who will indicate the location and depth of the well to the centimeter.

Inventory preparation

You will need:

• Tripod
• Winch
• Shovel (2 pcs. short and long handle)
• Ladder (2 pieces rope and metal)
• Scrap
• How to strengthen the mine
• Water Pump
• We take care of lighting (a wire with a light bulb, a spotlight, etc.)
• Device for lifting buckets with earth and water
• Several metal buckets
• Perforator

When everything is ready, we start building the well.

When to dig a well

For the normal operation of the individual water supply system, digging a well in your own area must be done at the right time. The optimal time is considered to be the end of August and the beginning of winter, 2 weeks after the onset of frost. The main requirement is the minimum saturation of underground sources.

It is recommended to start earthworks a little earlier in summer in order to finish before the rainy season. Rising water tables caused by heavy rainfall will make it difficult to determine depth. During the dry season, the liquid will recede, creating a moisture deficit.

Despite the difficulty of excavation in frozen ground, the middle of winter is recognized as the best time to dig a well in a site with quicksand. At negative temperatures, unstable soil layers are strengthened, facilitating construction.

What is required for work

For digging a well shaft, it is necessary to prepare the following tools and devices:

• shovels (bayonet for digging, shovels for excavation);
• if the surface layer above the groundwater is dense, it is destroyed with a crowbar and a pickaxe;
• buckets are used to lift the extracted mass; a wheelbarrow is required to remove the earth from the mine;
• containers with removed soil are lifted with ropes, reinforced concrete rings are suspended and installed using slings;
• a special tripod-shaped tower with a winch or a well gate makes it easier to excavate the destroyed rock;
• the verticality of the penetration is controlled by plumb lines and a building spirit level;
• pumping of water penetrating into the mine is carried out by a drainage pump;
• to prevent accidents, it is recommended to use a safety helmet and a safety harness with a cable.

Tools needed for digging a well.

Separately, you will need to purchase materials and tools for waterproofing the structure.

To build do-it-yourself wells with internal walls made of reinforced concrete rings, you will need the following materials:

• ready-made concrete products of a suitable size;
• fine and coarse gravel used as a bottom filter;
• fasteners - brackets that form a single ring structure;
• cement mortar for final processing of seams.

Starting construction on site well shaft from reinforced concrete rings, it is necessary to take into account the large dimensions and heavy weight of the products. Since it is impossible for one person to lift and install such a structure on their own, you will either need to attract assistants or use special equipment.

Well made of concrete rings

So, if the place for the future well is chosen, the materials are prepared, you can proceed to the direct process of digging. How to dig a well from concrete rings? I must say that the work is difficult, because the weight of the rings is very decent. It is difficult to install them manually, but it is possible: for this you should use, for example, a manual hoist suspended on a tripod made of wooden beams.

The initial stage - digging a recess

The construction process is as follows:

the initial stage is to dig a recess along the diameter of the concrete ring. The bottom should be horizontal and level enough for the ring to lie there without tilting. Then you need to dig the earth inside the ring, transporting the soil to the surface with a bucket. Under its own weight, as it is dug up, the ring will begin to descend, when the first concrete ring has deepened sufficiently, the next one must be installed from above;

if the rings no longer lower under their own weight, this means that a deviation from the vertical axis has occurred. In this case, it is necessary to lay a shield on the upper ring, on which then you need to throw a lot of bags with soil, stones. After a while, the rings should drop, then you can continue to dig;

when water appears, the digging process continues, and the water is pumped out by a pump. When the water comes too quickly and the aquifers are already visible, digging should be stopped;

Together we roll the rings for the well

Insert the rings into the recess

The last ring came at the right time

• well-washed, large stones are laid at the bottom of the well, a layer of washed gravel and crushed stone is poured over them. Such a filter will prevent sand from entering the water. And around the upper ring it is necessary to make a clay castle, it will protect the well from water from the surface;
• before using it for its intended purpose, the well must be pumped, thus washing the aquifers. When 8-20 hours have passed, washing can be stopped;

If you take this work seriously and responsibly, the question of how to dig a well will not seem overwhelming and overly complicated. And the fact of personal participation in the digging process will always please.

How and when to dig

When is the best time to dig a well? This question is no less important, so you need to pay due attention to it:

in the spring, during the melting of snow, it is undesirable to dig a well, because you can make a mistake with the depth. This is due to the fact that at this time the groundwater level is high, for example, a well dug in April may turn out to be dry in winter - the level of water fluctuation is in the range of 1-2 m; the best time is the end of winter (no later than March) or the end of summer, because then the level of the water horizon is the lowest

Undoubtedly, it is difficult to dig a well in winter, but there are cases when it is impossible to dig it at other times of the year: we are talking about mines passing through floating waters; we dig a well with our own hands - the right decision, but you still need to pay attention to the availability of free time, because you need to dig continuously so that the column does not stick. It is advisable to take a vacation during this time, because the weekend is not the best option, you may have to take out the rings, which is a laborious task

The next aspect is how to properly dig a well.Basically, three people dig a well: one works with a crowbar / shovel at the bottom, filling a bucket with soil, the second lifts the bucket with the help of a gate, taking the worked out rock to the dump, and the third is resting. The work is intensive, workers often replace each other.

Visual process of digging a well

If stones are found, they are turned out with a short crowbar, then tied with ropes, and removed from the well using the same gate on wooden goats.

Do-it-yourself well in the country

Well Assembly

Concrete well option

Such a well is collected in two ways.
The first shaft is pulled out with a diameter of 1.25 m, round or square, and the rings are lowered into it one after the other. This option is suitable for stable soil. If soil shedding occurs, then we use the second option.

We dig a shaft to the height of one ring, lower it. We dig underneath.

The ring goes down. When the lowering occurs to the next level, we put the second ring. We dig in again. Rings under their own weight are easily immersed. We repeat the procedure to groundwater.

For better immersion of the rings, it is worth purchasing a shoe that is equipped with a cutter along the bottom edge. It is worth working only with the level. For the rings to drop smoothly, leave the groove at the edge of the ground and use a plank. For more convenient lifting of soil and water, use a tripod.

When the well is assembled, we make the bottom. It is best to use crushed stone. It will help to avoid water pollution with soil. We seal the seams between the rings with a linen rope. We cover the ropes with a solution of sand, liquid glass and cement.

Wooden well option

Installation of a well from a log house is very complicated and expensive. Before starting the main work, we dig a hole as deep as the average human height.
Then follow the plan

Larch crowns are installed at the bottom of the resulting pit. The prepared frame is assembled in order. Joint gaps must be treated with a sealant using tow.

This should be done for the lower layers up to 3 m high. After laying out the first part, you need to dig the ground from under the middle of the bars of the initial structure. When all the ground is cleaned, spacers are installed and the ground is cleared from the corners of the well.

Next, we fix the safety cables to the base of the log house in the well. To do this, you can use a winch. The spacers are removed, as a result of which the structure begins to sink into the well under its own weight. If distortions are formed at the same time, you can knock on top with a sledgehammer to level the structure.

In this way, the frame is built up from above and lowered to the bottom. So you can install a log house to a depth of 6 meters. At this level, the structure is wedged with spacers, which are made 50 cm longer. They need to be inserted into the prepared recesses from below.

The appearance of high humidity in the air and soil indicates the proximity of the aquifer
The construction of a well from a log house does not provide for any strengthening elements. It is very strong and durable.

Apart from the fact that over time the water will become bitter.

Well protection from surface water

At the level of the first two rings, we dig a pit. Using liquid bituminous mastic, we waterproof the outer surface of the rings. Using any foamed polymer, we create thermal insulation. We fill the pit with clay (clay castle).

Appearance

It is better to equip a well made of concrete or wood after a month, when the soil settles.
A blind area is made a meter from the well. It is poured with concrete or rammed with rubble.

We also build a canopy so that debris does not fall into the water. If a water pump is used, then it is ideal to cover with a tight lid, leaving room only for the hose. If a bucket is used, then there are many options. You can choose any you like.

Increasing frost resistance

To insulate and avoid freezing of water, an insulated house should be built. If you have a pump and a hose, then it is better to remove it from the street during severe frosts.

In the case of a laid pipe water supply from a well, it is worth considering how deep the soil freezes. When laying, insulate pipes.

So you can save yourself from unnecessary hassle associated with freezing.
Which well in the country you decide to collect does not matter. Follow the instructions and safety precautions. You will succeed.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=jlGxI-7byYY

Digging methods

Determining factors in choosing the right technology are the type of soil and the depth of the aquifer.

There are 2 methods of digging wells:

• open, used for digging a mine in clay and loamy rocks;
• closed, used when digging a well hole in sandy and sandy loamy soils.

Closed way of digging a well.

Alternate installation of rings

The closed method of building a well from concrete rings consists in the phased implementation of the following operations:

1. A lifting mechanism is placed above the surface at a given point, a concrete ring is installed on the ground.
2. A shovel manually removes the soil that occupies the space inside the block and under its walls. As the structure deepens, it gradually lowers under its own weight.
3. To maintain verticality, plumb lines are used. Control is carried out by the building level.
4. The mine is dug to the aquifer. The number of blocks is determined by the depth of the well.

When the upper edge of the first ring is flush with the surface, install the next ring. In this case, it is necessary to carefully control the vertical direction, avoiding distortions, because. deviations prevent uniform lowering of the blocks,

Closed well digging technology.

Closed technology has the following advantages:

• the possibility of visual quality control of the installation of a block structure, which allows timely identification and elimination of installation errors;
• the possibility of using rubber gaskets that increase tightness;
• wall collapse prevention.

This digging method has the following disadvantages:

• inconvenience of working in a limited space inside the ring;
• inability to dig a well alone.

Installation of rings after reaching the aquifer

First, a hole is formed corresponding to the total depth of the well. When approaching the aquifer, they begin to install reinforced concrete blocks.

The excavation technology is similar to that used in the closed digging method. If possible, the worked out rock layers are thrown to the surface with a shovel. The deepening of the structure complicates the removal of soil from the mine, the use of a tripod with a winch or a winch facilitates the lifting of soil masses with buckets.

By analogy with the previous method, the control of the vertical position of the walls is considered a prerequisite. In the absence of a building spirit level, it is allowed to use a plumb line tied to a bar, lowered into a pit.

The installation of the rings is completed by backfilling and tamping the gaps between the walls of the shaft and concrete structures. For external waterproofing, it is recommended to treat several upper blocks with bituminous impregnation.

Open well digging technology.

Open technology has the following advantages:

• unlimited well depth;
• the possibility of external sealing of the initial rings, preventing water pollution.

The method has the following disadvantages:

1. Difficult quality control of installation. The tightness of the joints cannot be checked due to the prohibition of being inside the shaft during installation.
2. The impossibility of adjusting the position of the installed ring. The weight of the concrete structure does not allow the blocks to be moved inside the shaft.
3. Increased risk of wall collapse.It is especially large when constructing wells in unstable soils.
4. The need for additional waterproofing measures. The low backfill density of the intermediate space between the ring and the wall increases the likelihood of rain and melt water intrusion.

It is possible to protect the well from contamination brought by ground moisture with the help of a special waterproofing membrane installed around the shaft.

Where to dig a well

Wealthy homeowners turn to professionals for help: geological exploration of the territory allows you to accurately determine the location of aquifers and the point of their maximum proximity to the surface.

How are water layers arranged?

For less wealthy summer residents, there are folk methods for choosing a suitable place for building a well mine on a site or cottage:

1. The study of the geographical features of the territory. Aquifers are located closer to the surface in lowlands and depressions; in elevated areas, underground sources lie deep.
2. Fog tracking. The appearance of fog on hot summer evenings indicates the proximity of natural water horizons.
3. Flora analysis. The presence of plants such as sedge, goutweed, coltsfoot, alder, birch, spruce, makes it possible to judge the shallow location of groundwater.
4. Fauna observations. Domestic animals react to high humidity: dogs dig holes in damp areas on hot days, equipping cool rookeries, clusters of midges and mosquitoes hovering over individual zones make it possible to judge the proximity of water.
5. dowsing method. It is based on a survey of the territory with special devices - frames, which are made from half-meter pieces of brass wire with a cross section of 2 mm, the ends of which (10 cm) are bent at a right angle and act as handles. The rotation of this homemade device serves as proof of the proximity of an underground source.
6. Exploration drilling. Allows you to determine the location of the aquifer. A standard garden drill forms a well at a selected point, which determines the presence or absence of water.

The location of the well.

Since none of the methods gives a reliable result, the best solution is a combination of several methods.

It is not recommended to place the well closer than 8 m from the foundations of capital buildings. The constant dynamics of ground flows can weaken the foundation of a residential building, violating its stability.

What safety precautions are required when digging a well

Some wells reach a depth of 20 m, so excavation is considered dangerous.

To reduce the risk of an accident, the following precautions can be taken:

1. It is not recommended to dig a hole alone, you will need the help of a partner: one person works underground, the second insures on the surface.
2. From possible blows by fragments of rock, the head must be protected with a helmet.
3. It is necessary to carefully check the integrity of the ropes used when lifting buckets of soil. Similar requirements apply to containers for excavation.
4. The gases accumulated at the bottom can cause dizziness, lead to loss of consciousness. Using a safety belt, the partner must immediately deliver the person to the surface and provide first aid.
5. Cold and high humidity adversely affect health, it is not recommended to spend a long time underground, you should periodically leave the mine.

Safety measures are required when digging a well.

Well location

Where to dig a well? Of course, this is the very first question that arises at the initial stage. There are several important factors to consider here:

it is absolutely impossible to arrange a well near large sources of pollution, because the water, passing through the upper permeable layers, will absorb bad substances.This means that the well should not be located near compost, manure, garbage heaps, in the wastewater discharge area;

Clean water is the key to health

• the presence of water largely depends on the relief and the type of soil, for example, water may not be found on a slope at all, or it will be impossible to reach it using manual digging;
• in the country it is better to place the well closer to the place of water consumption, because this significantly reduces the cost of delivery. But close proximity is also inappropriate - at least five meters from the house.

It should also be noted that a well with an aquifer of 5-20 m is quite suitable for autonomous water supply of a summer cottage (irrigation, utility needs). And although there are wells up to 30 m, such a depth can cause complications in the future, and it is also unprofitable compared to well.

Many people believe in superstition and use the services of shamans who advertise their ability to determine the location of a well. They used to use wicker dowsers, but today wire frames are popular. To believe or not to believe these peculiar séances is a personal matter for everyone. But if the neighbors have a well, you can safely dig it on your site, and if not, you will have to additionally drill an exploratory well.