Do-it-yourself caisson for a well made of concrete and brick: features of arrangement, step-by-step instructions. Making a caisson for a well with your own hands How to make a caisson with your own hands

In order to man-made create an isolated cavity in moisture-saturated soil or under water, caissons (a box in French) are used in various areas of human life, which are sealed structures of various spatial orientations from various materials. In everyday life, a caisson for a well is used to create an airtight space for placing the mouth of a water pit on a house adjoining or country allotment.

Caisson for a well, what is it for and what is it

Depending on the dimensions of the buried structure to accommodate the pit of the water conduit, through which water is lifted from the aquifer to the surface, in addition to the mouth, all the required equipment can be placed there, including:

1. Submersible pressure or surface vacuum pump unit.
2. Cleaning and filtration system, reverse osmosis.
3. expansion capacity.
4. Control and regulation system for the operation of the pump and water supply system.
5. Piping and fittings system, including those with electric or pneumatic drive.

Thus, caissons equipped for wells can replace a separate room in the basement of a residential building, as well as prevent water conduits from freezing at low temperatures, turning the simplest sand penetration into an all-season hydraulic structure.

What caissons are used for wells, their specifics

It is possible, in principle, to create a buried structure, which is a borehole cellar for a caisson, from any structural material used in construction, but the following options are most common:

• metal;
• concrete;
• from reinforced concrete rings;
• brick;
• plastic.

A metal steel caisson for a well, which is a box-shaped structure made of metal of various thicknesses with stiffeners, the elements of which are interconnected by welding. Walls require insulation and anti-corrosion coating, but do not need waterproofing. A significant disadvantage is the impossibility of controlling the corrosive wear of the outer surface of the box, as well as the need for periodic painting of the inner walls.

A concrete caisson, mounted for a well in place, by pouring a formwork structure, can have any geometric shape, reinforced with metal reinforcement in order to stiffen it. The structure needs to be insulated and laid outside with a hydrophobic layer.

A caisson for a well made of reinforced concrete rings is a type of concrete, consisting of standard building elements interconnected using special waterproofing building mixtures.

A brick caisson for a well, constructed by masonry, which can be done by hand, and the thickness of the walls of the structure and its dimensions are determined based on individual conditions. A waterproofing gasket is required between the soil and the wall, which, with a thickness of 1 brick or more, may not be insulated.

Plastic caissons are a novelty in well construction equipment, and are rigid, waterproof, lightweight, one-piece products with low thermal conductivity and do not require insulation or anti-corrosion protection.

What caissons for a well can be made by hand

The ability to make a caisson for a well with your own hands is determined by the presence and combination of certain skills, which include:

1. The skill of connecting metal blanks using manual arc electric welding will be required in order to make a metal caisson for a well with your own hands.
2. Masonry experience is required to build a caisson for a brick well with your own hands, as well as to lay out the head of a concrete caisson of the well.
3. The high weight of concrete rings is an obstacle to making a caisson for a well without involving third-party contractors and lifting equipment, which, depending on the size of the element, should be able to lift from 200 kg to 2 tons.
4. To build a reinforced concrete caisson for a well with your own hands, you need to know how to make formwork and prepare a sand-concrete mortar, as well as cut and tie reinforcement together to obtain a grid.
5. Plastic caissons used for well equipment are manufactured by the factory method and cannot be made independently due to the lack of special equipment, reagents and knowledge of the technology.

Caisson for a well, do-it-yourself production

Caissons for a well, depending on the chosen material design, have a specific do-it-yourself manufacturing process, each of which requires separate consideration.

Excavation

The procedure for erecting masonry or installing formwork can be started after the base slab or strip foundation is poured, which, in turn, is equipped after the pit for the well is completed, which can be dug with your own hands or involve small-scale mechanization.

The depth of the excavation should be 0.2 - 0.5 meters below the soil freezing limit, and the clear size is determined by the needs and should be:

1. Minimum - 140x140 cm;
2. On average - 190x190 cm.

If the caisson is intended for a pumping station, its dimensions should take into account the layout of the equipment and allow its unhindered maintenance on site, then the recommended sample size will be determined as 240x240 cm.

All indicated dimensions exceed the dimensions of the caisson made for the well in order to provide an allowance of 200 mm on each side, for backfilling as insulation.

When arranging the pit, it is required to shift the perimeter so that the casing is not in the middle, but on the center line of the first third of the length or width. This is done for ease of maintenance and installation of related equipment.

Metal caissons for a well

The design is made in the sequence given below.
Sheet blanks are prepared according to the size of the bottom, side walls and roof, which are preferably made in one piece, without welded joints, or they will have to be welded on both sides with a continuous seam so that the caissons for the well are airtight.

For side surfaces, it is necessary to perform reinforcement using channels 50–100 mm wide, welded outside the box around the entire perimeter, at a distance of 0.5–0.7 m between each other and from the edges.

In the lower plane, it is necessary to cut one hole for the casing pipe, and in the upper plane - two: with a cross section of at least 0.6 m - as a hatch and 0.1 - 0.12 cm - for ventilation required in the well caisson to prevent condensate. This can be done with a gas cutter or metal shears, if the thickness allows.

The outer surface is bituminized in several layers using mastic or liquid tar, and the inner surface is painted with paint, the choice of which depends on the condition of the surface (enamel for clean sheets, rust primer in the presence of corrosion, the use of nitro-paints is strictly prohibited, since the work will be carried out in a closed space).

Heads in the form of shells of appropriate diameters are welded to the hole in the upper plane, which will protrude above the ground and serve as a supporting surface for the manhole and a ventilation pipe, respectively.

Brick caisson under the well

After the base slab with a waterproofing layer has been poured or the strip foundation and gravel bedding have been completed, it is possible to lay the caisson on the well, which does not differ from the procedure for erecting a conventional brick wall, but, if possible, the following should be implemented:

1. Use sand-lime brick or aerated concrete, which have the best waterproofing properties.
2. Laying is carried out on a special hydrophobic building mixture.
   After the walls are erected, it is necessary to lay a waterproofing layer from the outside, which will be pressed against the wall with a layer of backfill, which acts as a heater and is a sand-cement mixture, made in a ratio of 5: 1.

The open perimeter should be equipped with a ceiling with a hole for the hatch, which requires laying a standard slab or pouring, which will include the sequence of activities listed below.

On top of the box, the lower supporting surface of the formwork is mounted with holes of appropriate diameters in the locations of the manhole and ventilation pipe. Laying is carried out on beams fixed to the inner surface of the walls, vertically indented down by the thickness of the formwork boards, so that the poured slab lies on the walls of the box.

brick caisson

The perimeter of the poured slab is fenced with boards 200 - 250 mm wide, stitched together at the corners and fixed to the outer plane of the walls. Holes are limited with the help of metal pipe sections of the appropriate diameter or tin strips rolled up in the form of cylinders, the width of which is 150 - 200 mm.

On top of the boards, with an overlap on the side skin, a layer of waterproofing is laid, which will prevent the flow of sand-concrete mortar and allow you to get a flat surface. In order to prevent the roofing material or film from sticking to concrete when removing the formwork, it should be lubricated with used oil or other oily substance.

When the form is ready, reinforce with a two-tier mesh of reinforcement with a thickness of 5–8 mm, connected with a step of 0.1–0.15 m using wire or plastic clamps. The distance between the tiers is 50 - 70 mm, and the connection is made by means of vertical pieces of reinforcement, the length of which is 10 - 15 mm less than the thickness of the poured slab.

If the load on the floor slab is insignificant, reinforcement can be omitted and go straight to pouring, which must be completed in one operation to ensure the solidity of the slab.

Concrete hardens within 7-10 days, during which it must be covered with a film from moisture, debris and soil, and it must also be moistened periodically by spilling water from a watering can 1-3 times a day.

Concrete caisson for a well

Do-it-yourself caissons for a well, made by pouring a mold, are equipped as follows:

The formwork of the caisson for the well is being carried out from boards, chipboard or other sheet materials, the surface of which is treated with used oil or other available oily composition. The geometry of the form must meet the needs, accommodate all the necessary equipment and leave a margin of at least 10-20 cm from the walls of the working in the ground per side.

To ensure rigidity, the concrete caissons are reinforced, providing durability for wells for over 50 years.

The installed formwork must be poured in one run to ensure the mutual adhesion of the layers and the strength of the structure. Drying of concrete occurs within 7 - 10 days, it must be moistened and protected from precipitation, moisture and foreign inclusions (soil particles). After a week, the formwork can be removed.

After the box body has hardened, it is necessary to fill in the ceiling slab in the sequence described above for a brick structure.

Upon completion of concrete work, the gaps between the walls and the ground are backfilled, while preliminary laying of sheets of roofing material with an overlap of 70 - 120 mm is carried out as an external waterproofing of the structure.

The poured mixture presses the sheets to the box, as a result of which their additional fastening is not required, the main thing is that no soil or insulating sand-cement mixture gets between the roofing material and the wall.

We mount the caisson on the well on our own

With regard to plastic caissons for well equipment and concrete rings, it is fair to talk about installing, and not making it yourself, a caisson for a well, which will be as follows:

1. A base is being set up, which can be covered with crushed stone or screenings, since the plastic caisson for the well has a sealed bottom, and under the ring it is possible to make targeted gravy in diameter.
2. A caisson for a well made of concrete rings is mounted using GPM by stacking them in series on top of each other with intermediate sealing using a waterproofing construction mixture.
3. The plastic caisson on the well can be installed manually and aligned with the position of the casing pipe, after which it is secured from ascent and displacement with anchors, which will only be feasible if there is a concrete base plate.
4. The cavities between the outer wall and the ground are filled with the mixture described above.
5. For concrete rings, it is necessary to install a special cap on top with a hole for a metal hatch protruding above the ground surface.

The installation of a metal box, due to its significant mass, also requires the use of a crane, with which it is lowered onto a concrete base. The casing pipe should be passed into the cut hole, cut so that the head protrudes 5–10 cm from the floor level and welded to it with a continuous seam around the circumference. The cavity between the outer surface of the structure and the slopes of the pit should be filled with a sand-cement mixture, which, as it is filled, is compacted for better thermal insulation.

If you decide which caisson, from the listed ones, is better for a well, then you should choose plastic caissons for wells, which combine, in addition to structural advantages:

1. Low cost of buying a caisson for a well.
2. The simplicity of the device of the caisson and the pit for the well.

Before every person who is engaged in the cultivation of various vegetable crops and harvests, the question arises of its storage and preservation prepared for the winter. Most often, cellars were always used for this, but unlike modern options, they previously resorted to the help of ordinary pits lined with bricks. And today, more convenient and profitable solutions to such problems have appeared, and they have become caissons for the cellar. What kind of device is this, and why is it more profitable than an ordinary pit? What are caissons, and how to make them with your own hands?

Caisson. What is this?

Storage of pickles, vegetables, root crops and fruits is usually carried out in undergrounds, cellars, sheds and storage facilities. Still, preference is given to cellars, the construction options for which have always been quite a lot, but each of them has its drawbacks. Whether it is a pit made of brick, wood or concrete, the durability and tightness of these materials leaves much to be desired. Over time, brick and concrete lose their properties and deteriorate, and wood is exposed to mold and mildew. Yes, and often there is a problem of groundwater, which can penetrate the cellar and spoil the stocks.

But the modern world does not stand still, and today an excellent solution and a worthy alternative to old structures have been invented - a caisson for a cellar. It is a completely sealed dry chamber, which, being in the soil saturated with water, or even under water, creates an air pocket.

The caisson for the cellar can be round or rectangular in shape with a neck and a hatch. To resist and influence the soil, the thickness of the walls of the caisson can reach sixteen millimeters. Inside the structures, ventilation is provided to protect against excess moisture and dampness.

Benefits of a caisson

Caissons have a number of advantages:

• complete tightness, which allows you to install the device even in places with high groundwater, without fear for the safety of products;
• are not subject to the occurrence of fungus, which constantly happens with ordinary cellars;
• do not give the products stored inside a specific smell.

A caisson for a cellar can be equipped anywhere, both under the house, a shed and a garage, and in the open air. Properly carried out waterproofing will guarantee protection from rain, sewer or water supply accidents and groundwater. And also the caisson has a more reliable level of protection against theft than a conventional cellar.

Varieties of caissons

So, there are several types of caissons:

Do-it-yourself caisson for the cellar

Gaining popularity and fame, the caisson is increasingly used by summer residents. Since the groundwater level can periodically rise and threaten the safety of the crop, the owners build caissons for reliable protection from water. And besides, proper storage of the crop will allow it to remain in its original form until the next season, and pickles will be stored for more than one year. The caisson can be purchased as a finished product along with the installation service, or you can make and install it yourself. For those who are inclined to make an independent decision, we will tell you how to make a caisson for a cellar.

Location of the caisson

When choosing a place for the location of the caisson, it should be remembered that in order to constantly blow the walls with fresh air, it is desirable to place the device in the middle of the underground. A more common option is underground under the kitchen, with an entrance through the floor. It should be noted in advance that the hatch of the caisson must be closed with a tight lid placed flush with the floor.

The most successful equipment of the caisson on the site before the construction of the main premises. It is necessary to carefully study the place where it is planned to install the caisson with your own hands. If the area on which the site is located is elevated and dry, there should be no problems with the arrangement. If the soil of the site is swampy, you will have to make an effort and work hard. The recommendations of experts tend to install metal caissons due to their greater reliability. But a large number of owners choose a plastic caisson for the cellar, which also has good user reviews.

Production of caissons for a cellar from metal

To own a good crop storage caisson, there are two solutions. In specialized stores, you can buy a ready-made metal caisson. You can also order a model according to your size. But if certain skills and abilities are available, it is quite possible to independently make a metal caisson for the cellar. There are many options for the shape of the future caisson. The main thing is to remember that all seams must be welded inside and out to exclude the possibility of water ingress. Poorly welded seams threaten rapid corrosion damage and time-consuming repairs. The walls and floor of the caisson must be made of metal, while the upper part can be made of concrete or wood.

Pit for the caisson

After the caisson is ready, you need to calculate the dimensions of the pit and make markings on the territory. The metal caisson is installed to a depth of at least 2.5 meters. When marking, it should be borne in mind that between the walls of the caisson and the pit there should be a distance of 0.5 meters along the entire perimeter.

In order to avoid shedding the walls of the pit, when digging, you should try to save the turf. During the work, after removing the top layer, there may be problems with groundwater in the clay. If this happens, in the middle of the pit they dig a hole as deep as the bayonet of a shovel to collect water. After digging is completed, the bottom of the pit is covered with sand with a layer of 10 centimeters. The tar smeared on the walls and bottom of the pit will serve as additional protection.

Waterproofing of the caisson

Since the metal is susceptible to corrosion, it must be treated with an anti-corrosion coating before installing the caisson in the pit. Or, having acquired a special composition, use paint waterproofing. After that, it is necessary to cover the caisson with bitumen. To do this, you can cook bituminous mastic in the boiler yourself. Taking an amount of bitumen equal to one third of the volume of the boiler, set it on fire. After the bitumen has stopped foaming, it is poured into a prepared container with gasoline in a thin stream and mixed. For the treatment of external walls, the proportions of one part of bitumen to three parts of gasoline must be observed. For primary painting - in equal parts, for re-painting - three parts of bitumen to one gasoline. The coating of the caisson with such a composition should be continuous, with an emphasis on sharp points.

Thermal insulation of the caisson

So, the caisson is protected from water penetration, but now it has a high temperature, which means that water will drain from its walls, which will cause the crop in the caisson to rot. To overcome this problem, the installation of thermal insulation is necessary. It is necessary to isolate the walls and the bottom of the cellar as best as possible.

In order for the device of the caisson for the cellar to be as ideal as possible, it is recommended to make its insulating layer of clay at least 20 centimeters thick. The outer sides should be insulated with the same layer of clay. To achieve better reliability, with the help of cement mortar, the floor and the inner walls of the cellar are plastered with a layer of 2 centimeters. To do this, a steel mesh with cells is installed on a steel wire frame with a diameter of 0.06 cm, fixed and plastered. Next, cover the floor with a layer of 3.5 centimeters and allow the composition to dry. Internal walls can be insulated with glass wool or warm blankets.

Caisson installation

After completion of the preparation, you can lower the caisson for the cellar into the pit. To install the caisson in the center of the pit, logs are first lowered vertically into it from both sides, which will act as limiters and guides for the caisson. Installation can be carried out using a winch, the cable of which must be constantly loosened and controlled by one person. The remaining participants in the process guide the caisson and keep it from swinging.

If the installation takes place in an area with constantly incoming water, the caisson will float. To overcome this problem, a water seal is installed. Fill the distance from the walls of the caisson to the cellar with clay, ramming it well. The water seal device must be below the freezing level of the soil. But even its installation does not give a full guarantee.

Arrangement of the caisson

After the caisson is installed, it must be equipped for ease of use. The modern market is replete with a variety of all kinds of boxes and shelves for storing food. Installation locations will depend only on the preferences and imagination of the owners. You can also make wooden racks yourself, which are installed on racks made of timber.

In addition to equipping the caisson with various shelves and drawers, you need to take care of its ventilation. Therefore, ventilation pipes must be installed in each metal caisson, which will prevent dampness in the device.

To access the caisson was convenient, you must use a ladder. It can be made of metal or wood, the main thing is its good reinforcement on both sides, protecting it from movement and staggering.

Of course, for the convenience of using the caisson, it should have lighting. It can be electric or with the help of candles, a lantern or. The main thing is not to forget about fire safety, and if a kerosene lamp is chosen as the lighting method, it is advisable to remove it from the caisson after use in order to avoid the specific smell of products.

After filling the caisson with crops and pickles, it is recommended to cover the top of the caisson with a material intended for thermal insulation, for example, slag or expanded clay. If moss, peat or sawdust is chosen for this purpose, they should be covered with a layer of earth or sand from above, as they have an increased flammability.

- the process is difficult, and not only at the stage of its creation, but also at the stage of preparation for it.

Using the services of specialists, you can get the desired result in the shortest possible time, but at a huge financial cost. Therefore, more and more often, well owners decide to make a caisson for the well with their own hands.

1 Mounting preparation

The question of how to make a caisson for a well is quite relevant among owners of private houses. It is not so difficult to install a caisson with your own hands - thanks to which it will be possible to save a considerable amount that would have to be spent on paying for the services of specialists.

Before you figure out how to make a caisson (it doesn’t matter whether it’s for a basement or a well), you need to start installation by digging a pit around an existing well. Its overall dimensions must be greater than the dimensions of the caisson by at least ten centimeters on each side.

After that - you can perform the installation of the caisson. It does not matter whether you chose the Triton caisson, or any other - the arrangement will be the same for any design.

At the bottom of the device, you need to make a mark for the hole (it is needed for). At the same time, the displacement of the hole can be done as you need, if only the casing pipe, which must be cut in advance at a height of 300-500 mm from the bottom of the caisson itself, is docked to the hatch.

Now the Triton caisson (or any other) should be placed above the pit so that the axes of the sleeves and the cut casing coincide.

Then you need to weld the sleeve to the casing and bring the HDPE pipes (i.e. the water supply line) inside the caisson. On this, the arrangement of the caisson is completed.

1.1 Installation steps (Video)

2 What is the purpose and features of the caisson?

First of all, many people have a natural question: “what is a caisson?”. TO esson is a device installed in water-saturated soil (or even under water), which is a working chamber that is completely protected from water ingress.

That is, to put it simply, the caisson creates a chamber that prevents liquid (in our case, water) from getting inside. In this case, the installation of a caisson for the well allows you to create a chamber located above the working.

Such a device protects the well from freezing and possible contamination from the outside. The arrangement of decentralized water supply from the created well is just the situation where the installation of the caisson is simply necessary.

2.1 Varieties and characteristics

In total, there are three types of borehole caissons with different characteristics. These are types such as:

• metal;
• plastic;
• Reinforced concrete.

The first type is the oldest. Its use has stood the test of time, and it has proven itself quite well. Made of stainless steel or, in some cases, aluminum, it is quite resistant to corrosion phenomena.

Due to the natural flexibility and strength of the metal, this type of caisson is deprived of the possibility of cracks and ruptures. In the manufacture of high-quality metal caisson, steel is used, the thickness of which is more than three millimeters.

However, such a caisson device cannot be left without preliminary anti-corrosion treatment on the outside. It is also necessary and priming on the inside.

Such a do-it-yourself caisson for a well requires a long arrangement, however, in the duration of operation it will show itself more than well. The term of its work is usually not less than several decades.

The same caisson Garant of this type is able to stand without significant deformations for several decades, although the design itself may seem weak and fragile to an inexperienced user.

The second option is newer, although it is difficult to call it young. It has many more disadvantages. Firstly, the installation of this type of caisson requires very serious financial investments. Secondly, it also takes a lot of time to install it (even more than to equip a metal caisson with subsequent anti-corrosion treatment together).

Such a caisson is made of, which once again emphasizes its high cost in acquisition and subsequent installation. Given that concrete is a hygroscopic material, there is another drawback: increased waterproofing is required on the outside of the caisson.

But even such measures still do not ideally protect the device from groundwater ingress.

In addition, the caisson of concrete rings is almost completely devoid of thermal insulation properties. They, of course, exist, but they are minimal, and therefore, during frosts, the entire structure freezes through. In this regard, over time, due to subsidence of the caisson, the structure is deformed.

Making this type of caisson for the basement is risky precisely because after a relatively short period of time (perhaps even after a year or two), deformation can lead to a complete failure of the entire system.

The last option is a plastic construction, which is made of polymeric materials. The wall thickness is approximately twenty millimeters. It must be admitted that this type of caisson is extremely durable and very long in service life.

A huge plus is that this type of caisson is generally not subject to corrosion phenomena. Its installation is easy and simple, unlike the same reinforced concrete version. Moreover, the arrangement of a well with this type of caisson deprives you of worries about waterproofing and the purchase of anti-corrosion supplements.

However, as the Triton caisson has proven itself, a plastic product cannot be used to protect wells, since there is a high probability of its deformation with a high pressure of groundwater. In addition, due to its small mass, under such circumstances, it can simply float to the surface.

Having considered the differences between different types of caisson, let's move on to their characteristic pluses and minuses. Let's start with the metallic look. Among its advantages are:

• There is access to the pumping device;
• Good protection against penetration from the outside;
• Cheapness, as evidenced by numerous reviews;
• Easy installation.

Among the minuses can be noted:

• The need for thermal insulation;
• Probability of corrosion phenomena;
• There are welded seams.

Plastic sees the following advantages:

• Cheapness;
• Light weight;
• Simple installation of a caisson for a well of this type;
• Long-term preservation;
• Absolute tightness (waterproofing).

There is only one minus in this type, and this is the lack of rigidity of the material. It poorly resists deforming factors, however, this problem is easily solved by backfilling cement mortar along the perimeter of the well.

The reinforced concrete type of the caisson has the following advantages:

• Strength and durability;
• The caisson will definitely not float if the groundwater level rises;
• Additional anchoring in the ground is not required.

The cons are the following:

• Long and costly installation;
• Very poor waterproofing;
• Although there is thermal insulation, it is at a very low level;
• Due to the huge weight, the device can bend water pipes.

-
-
-
-

In suburban areas located far from urban infrastructure, the owners equip wells as a source of water. In order to protect their head from ground pressure and other adverse effects, a caisson is equipped.

What is a caisson for wells

This is an insulated structure in which all the equipment for the operation of the well is placed. If desired, a home master can make a caisson with his own hands, without using the services of specialists. There are four options for this design. Their construction requires different building materials.

The caisson reliably protects the equipment placed in it from water penetration. Initially, these structures were used only for underwater work. But over time, other areas of application were found for these products. For example, they began to be mounted on the head of water wells.

The caisson has a simple design as standard. It is closed from above with a hatch, which not only protects the cap from the penetration of groundwater, but also from the influence of sub-zero temperatures. Through it, a person can get inside the camera to perform routine maintenance or repairs.

At the bottom of the caisson there is a casing pipe entry, and there are water supply and cable entries in the side walls. The cover, and, if necessary, other elements of the structure, are thermally insulated. Usually foamed polymer or polystyrene is used for insulation. The classic version of the chamber is made in the form of a cylinder having a height of 2 meters and a diameter equal to at least 1 meter.

These parameters in the manufacture of caissons for a well with their own hands were not chosen by chance. This height is explained by the need to protect the equipment installed in it from the effects of negative temperatures. The tie-in of the water pipe and the head should be placed lower than the level of soil freezing, usually about 1 - 2 meters. It is at this depth that the bottom of the chamber is located.

The diameter of the caisson, equal to at least one meter, is also not accidental. It must be made in such a way that there is enough space to accommodate a person who has gone down and install the appropriate equipment.

When making a choice, it should be remembered that it will be inconvenient to use a small container, and too much will cost the owner of a country house a significant amount, since sealed chambers are an expensive purchase.

The caisson buried in the ground performs important functions:

1. Protects equipment from the negative effects of cold weather conditions. In winter, the water from the well, exposed to low temperatures, can freeze and damage the pipeline, and sometimes break it.
2. It is protected from groundwater. The design feature does not allow liquid from the soil to enter the head and thereby extends the operating time of the equipment.

In addition, the features of the caisson device make it possible to place in it all the equipment necessary for the operation of the well, including a pump, various water treatment systems, pipes and automation, shut-off valves equipped with a pneumatic or electric drive.

Because the camera is waterproof, it protects all of the above equipment from unauthorized access. The design does not allow insects and rodents to penetrate inside. Structures made of materials with a high heat transfer value must be insulated. Only non-hygroscopic materials are suitable for thermal insulation.

Wide range of design options

For the manufacture of caissons, any materials can be used, provided that they are able to provide high-quality sealing and thermal insulation of the interior of the structure.

As a rule, containers made of:

1. plastics. The product made of it is characterized by excellent sealing and low weight, which facilitates its transportation and installation. Despite the fact that the structure has an insufficient degree of rigidity and is prone to floating, these shortcomings are compensated by pouring concrete solution into the already standing chamber along its contour. Containers made of plastic come in a variety of shapes and sizes, but it is impossible to make them yourself.
2. metal. Usually steel is used, which is a very strong and durable material. If the chamber is made correctly, it turns out to be airtight, does not pop up and does not undergo deformation. To prevent the occurrence of corrosion processes, waterproofing is performed.
3. Concrete. Concrete mortar construction is durable and very durable. The significant weight of such a product does not allow it to float. Concrete is hygroscopic and therefore a chamber made of it needs high-quality waterproofing, otherwise moisture gets inside.
4. brick. The container erected from it is strong, economical and durable. A caisson for a well made of bricks has excellent thermal insulation qualities, which makes it possible not to produce additional insulation. The construction of a brick chamber is a complex process and can be done by a master who has masonry skills.
5. polymer sand. From this material, the construction is inexpensive, light, strong and durable at the same time. It is easy to install, as it is assembled from elements that are connected by tongue-and-groove locks. See also: "Which caisson is better to choose for a well - types, differences, installation rules".

Self-made caisson

A home craftsman, if desired, can make a design of any type. The main thing is to decide what material it is better to make a container from and decide on its parameters.

There are several different options that are easy to implement:

1. Construction of a monolithic concrete structure.
2. Assembly of a structure from concrete rings.
3. Brick construction of an inexpensive design.
4. Creation of an airtight metal container.

Do-it-yourself construction of a monolithic concrete structure

When it is planned to create a concrete caisson with your own hands, the quadrangular shape is the most optimal for it, since this greatly facilitates the work of building the formwork. First you need to figure out the size of the pit for the structure that needs to be dug.

The length and width of the base of the structure are usually equal and they are calculated as follows: the thickness of two walls is added to its internal size, which is 10 centimeters and two sinuses of 15 centimeters each - they will be subsequently filled with soil.

After determining the parameters of the pit, they begin to calculate its depth. It should exceed the height of the chamber wall by 30 - 40 centimeters. Due to this difference, drainage is arranged at the bottom of the pit. This technology is chosen if concreting of the structure base is not planned.

If it is necessary to make a concrete bottom, its height should be taken into account. In addition, the depth of the pit is calculated so that the surface of the cover is flush with the line of the ground surface.

To determine the type of structure being built, it is necessary to make a hydrogeological assessment of the bottom of the pit. It is advisable to do this in the spring at a time when groundwater rises as high as possible. If the bottom is dry, then a drainage layer will suffice. When there is moisture, it is better to make the container completely sealed, otherwise it will most likely be filled with groundwater.

When marking the place of the future excavation, it must be remembered that the chamber is not placed symmetrically relative to the casing pipe, as a result of which there will be more free space for the work of the master who descended into the structure. In this case, it will also turn out to more conveniently arrange the equipment.

When a concrete caisson for a well is equipped, after the size and location of the pit are known, earthworks begin. In the course of their implementation, it is possible to simultaneously dig a trench to the house for laying a pipeline.

If the pit is ready, they begin to equip the drainage, which consists of two components:

• a sand cushion up to 10 centimeters high, for which sand is poured and rammed;
• rubble about 15 centimeters high.

Such drainage will not allow water that has fallen into the caisson to remain inside, as it will quickly move into the soil. Then they begin to create formwork, which can be mounted using one of two methods.

In the first version, the walls of the pit are used as external formwork elements. The sides of the pit are covered with a dense plastic film so that the water contained in the concrete solution does not penetrate into the ground. After that, the frame is assembled from the reinforcement. For it, they use a steel coarse-mesh plaster mesh or tie it with their own hands with a 30-centimeter step.

The reinforcement is fixed so that it is located inside the created concrete layer, and then another formwork wall is installed, for which wood-polymer boards or ordinary boards are used.

For the second method of building formwork, boards knocked down from boards are used. They are placed in the pit so that double walls are obtained, between which reinforcement is placed, after which the solution can be poured. This option requires the use of a large number of boards, but it allows you to equip the drainage sinuses, and this is not feasible in the first option. These sinuses are in demand when groundwater is high, otherwise the structure will be flooded.

Then proceed to the preparation of the solution, the manual mixing of which is a laborious process. It is better to rent a concrete mixer or assemble it yourself from a metal barrel of the right size. To supply the mixture into the formwork, a tray is made; you can also use the old drainpipe, cutting it vertically in advance.

Concrete should be poured in several not thick layers, each of which is compacted. For this purpose, an electric vibrator is used - an expensive special tool. It's better to rent it.

If this is not possible, the bayonet method is used. To perform the seal, a special device is made from a thin pipe, pin or piece of reinforcement, with handles welded to it.

This tool must be sharply immersed in the poured concrete solution and then slowly removed, swinging the device from one side to the other. Water and air move to the surface during baying, and the concrete becomes denser.

When the entire structure is completely flooded, it should be properly dried. During the first 3 - 5 days the mortar has not yet set and therefore the concrete needs to maintain the moisture level. The reason for this process is that during solidification in its upper layers, active evaporation of the liquid occurs.

If the amount of moisture is insufficient, the surface of the concrete structure begins to crack, and this leads to a decrease in its strength characteristics. Therefore, water is periodically sprinkled on the concrete after pouring is completed, or covered with a damp cloth in hot weather.

When building a concrete caisson for a well with your own hands, after a week the formwork can be removed, but the concrete will gain absolute strength after about a month. After that, finishing work is carried out.

The easiest and easiest way to mount a factory-made floor slab with a hatch. Another option is to fill the ceiling with cement mortar, but this will require the construction of horizontal formwork. Such work is performed in the same way as described above. After the final drying of the structure, it is necessary to make waterproofing.

Assembly of a structure from concrete rings

Before you make a caisson of concrete rings for the well, you should prepare a pit for their placement. To determine its depth, the same technique is used as in the case of a monolithic structure. The height of the bottom in this case depends on its type. It can either be completely sealed or consist of a drainage layer.

The choice of a certain type is made taking into account the level of groundwater. If preference is given to the option of creating a sealed structure, they dig a hole of the required depth and equip a sand cushion at the bottom, having a height of about 10 centimeters, and compact it tightly.

Before being lowered, the concrete rings must be treated with a waterproofing material, such as, for example, bituminous mastic. If this is not done, they will begin to let moisture into the structure and quickly collapse. Next, the concrete bottom is prepared for installation. A hole is made in the slab for the well pipe.

With the help of special equipment, the bottom is lowered down, passing the casing into the finished hole. The plate is placed on the prepared pillow. Next, they are preparing the installation of rings. Each of these products is carefully covered with a waterproofing material, for example, bituminous mastic, and wait until it dries.

When constructing a caisson for a well with their own hands from the rings, they are immersed in the pit and each junction is treated with a bonding compound. Experts recommend foaming the seams, since the solution is destroyed in the event of soil movement, and the more plastic foam remains unharmed.

Then the resulting seams are covered with waterproofing. A ceiling is placed on top, which is equipped with a hatch. The design is ready for operation, it remains only to fill the voids around the caisson with earth.

Before you make a caisson of heavy concrete rings for a well with your own hands, you should order special equipment. The main thing during their installation is to lay the products so that they fit together as accurately as possible.

Construction of an inexpensive brick chamber

The construction of a caisson of bricks is in many ways reminiscent of the arrangement of a concrete structure. First you need to dig a pit. It can be made exactly to the future capacity or created a little larger.

The second method is considered the most preferable - at the final stage, it is supposed to fill the voids in which rainwater can collect, after the walls have been erected and they have dried. But in the first case, when a brick caisson is built, it is laid out against the walls of the pit, but no one can guarantee that there will be no voids behind them.

Regardless of whether the bottom of the structure will be sealed or otherwise, when creating a brick chamber, it is necessary to equip a strip foundation, the width of which should slightly exceed the thickness of the future masonry. Along the perimeter of the caisson under construction, they dig a trench with a depth of about 50 centimeters, fill it with sand with a layer 10 - 15 centimeters high and carefully ram.

The created foundation does not have to be concreted. Instead, you can lay broken bricks, large gravel in the trench and fill it with a solution of sand and cement. After such a bottom grabs, they begin laying. Waterproofing is placed on the foundation - it can be roofing material or any similar material.

Work on laying bricks starts from the corner, well filling all the seams with mortar. The quality is periodically controlled by plumb and level. After the height of the masonry reaches the point where the pipeline and electric cable enter, special sleeves are placed between the bricks to equip the entrances.

The masonry is brought to the required height and allowed to dry, then the structure is plastered or treated with a solution for waterproofing work. Next, you need to equip the bottom of the tank. When it is made airtight, a reinforcing belt is mounted at a distance of 4 - 5 centimeters from the bottom and poured with concrete. Its height should be about 15 centimeters.

If, when arranging a caisson for a well with bricks with your own hands, there is no need to make the bottom airtight, you need to lay a layer of rubble and tamp it down. The overlap of the structure can be done in different ways - for example, use a finished slab or pour the base yourself.

There is another option, when boards, sections of channels, a piece of a beam are laid on top of the chamber. At a certain level, a ventilation duct is attached, as well as a hatch and a sleeve under the irrigation pipe. Then they cover the erected structure with a sheet of plastic or tin, if the crate is made without gaps.

In order to strengthen the structure, a reinforcing mesh is placed at a distance of 4–5 centimeters from its base, everything is poured with concrete and the solution is expected to dry completely. Then they equip the neck of the brick structure and fill the container to the level of the soil surface and install a hatch.

If you need to reduce the cost of a brick structure, you can not fill the top floor with concrete. It is simply covered with earth, erecting a hill 30 - 40 centimeters high.

Creation of a sealed metal structure

Metal containers come in a wide variety of shapes, but it is usually determined by the material that the home craftsman has at his disposal. If it is planned to build a quadrangular chamber, then 3-5 mm rolled metal and reinforcement or a bar with a cross section of 10 mm will be required.

When arranging a round container for the body, pipe sections with a diameter of 1250 millimeters are used, and for the neck - about 600 millimeters. When choosing the shape of a future structure, it must be remembered that the fewer welds, the less likely they are to fail. This is very important to ensure its tightness.

Work on creating a metal container begins with the preparation of the pit. It is dug out taking into account the depth of the caisson for the well. The bottom of the pit is leveled and at a distance of 40-50 centimeters from it, the casing pipe is cut and temporarily covered with a rag or a piece of plastic.

Pre-prepared metal parts are cleaned of rust and stacked on a flooring of boards so that they do not become dirty during work. First, the bottom is made, for which an element of the required shape is prepared and a hole is cut in it for the sleeve for the casing. To mount it, use a double-sided welding seam.

When constructing a quadrangular caisson, the side walls are cut out of rolled metal. The material is marked and cut out holes for the input of the pipeline and cable. Connect the side walls and the bottom.

The container lid is put in place. It should not be forgotten that welding seams, in order to ensure tightness of the structure, must be made only on two sides. Then the neck is welded, and under the ventilation - a pencil case. Sleeves for the pipeline and cable are welded to the walls of the caisson.

They fix the loops made of reinforcement or rod, intended for fastening the slings, as well as the lid or hatch, and proceed to the waterproofing. External and internal seams are completely freed from slag and covered several times with a protective compound. They also process the entire structure.

Metal chambers must be carefully waterproofed, while bituminous mastic is used for outdoor work, and primer, paint and an anti-corrosion agent are used for internal work. If necessary, the caisson is insulated with extruded polystyrene foam or other insulator, the main thing is that this material is not hygroscopic.

When the metal structure is ready, it is lowered into the pit. To mount the caisson, you should use a crane, which is equipped with soft slings. Wooden blocks are placed above the pit and a container is installed on them. Then the props are removed and carefully and slowly lower it down, pushing it onto the casing.

A structure that has reached the bottom of the pit must be leveled using a level. Cables and pipes are inserted into the sleeves. Check the quality of waterproofing. Re-treat the areas where it was damaged during installation. The sleeve is welded to the casing pipe, or foamed if the casing is made of plastic. After completion of the sealing of the cable and pipe entry points, the container is covered with soil.

There are many options for how to make a caisson with your own hands - from brick, concrete, metal, concrete rings and other materials. If all work is done correctly, the sealed structure will reliably protect the well head from freezing and groundwater penetration, and thereby ensure the supply of clean water in an uninterrupted mode.

If there is a hydraulic structure (well, well) on your site, it is advisable to equip it with a protective tank (caisson). This is especially necessary if your water intake will be operated in the winter. The caisson will protect the structure from freezing in winter, allow the placement of pumping and other equipment, provide protection from groundwater and perched water, and also prevent unauthorized people, small rodents, amphibians and insects from accessing the well. The easiest way is to make a caisson for a well with your own hands.

The installation of the caisson is carried out 1-2 m below the ground surface at the outlet of the well casing. All caisson structures differ in size. In addition to the release of the casing string, the following can be placed in the chamber:

• Vacuum or submersible pump.
• Filtration equipment.
• Expansion tank.
• Devices for controlling the operation of the pump and other water supply systems.
• Shut-off valves and piping system.

Thus, the device of the caisson will not only protect the hydraulic structure from the cold and vandals, but will also provide a practically separate room for additional equipment, thereby freeing the site from clutter. Equipping a water well with a caisson chamber will make it possible to turn an ordinary sinking into a high-quality hydraulic structure that can be used year-round.

Varieties of caissons

All caissons differ not only in size, but also in the material from which they are made. Most often, the manufacture of this camera is made from the following materials:

• metal;
• concrete and reinforced concrete;
• brick or stone;
• plastic.

To understand what is better to make a caisson with your own hands, consider the features of each design.

• Metal caisson may be cylindrical or rectangular. It is made of steel during the welding process. Such a design needs insulation and protection against corrosion. However, the degree of waterproofing of this chamber is quite high.
• A concrete caisson can be made by pouring concrete into the formwork in place or from reinforced concrete rings for a well. The construction of a chamber made of these materials requires high-quality insulation and waterproofing.
• It is very easy to make a caisson for a well with your own hands from brick. This design has a low thermal conductivity, therefore, when laying in one brick, it does not need additional insulation, except for the waterproofing layer from the ground.
• Plastic cameras manufactured in the factory. They are quite light, rigid, have good water resistance. Installation of such containers can be performed on the surface without deepening, provided that thorough insulation is performed.

What can be done with your own hands?

The independent device of the caisson depends not only on its size, the selected material, the available drawing or diagram, but also on the availability of certain skills. So, in order to properly make a caisson chamber, you need the following:

1. To make a metal caisson yourself, you need to have welding skills. In addition, metal blanks and an arc unit for welding will be required.
2. The device of a brick structure is the easiest to perform. To do this, you need to be able to perform brickwork.
3. It is impossible to make a chamber of reinforced concrete rings for a well on your own. The thing is that the rings for the well have an impressive weight, in order to lift them you will need to attract lifting equipment.
4. However, if it is not possible to do the installation of reinforced concrete rings for the well with your own hands, then making a monolithic concrete structure in place is a feasible task for independent execution. To do this, it is necessary to make formwork, prepare reinforcement and mix the cement-sand mortar.
5. The installation of a plastic chamber can be done by hand, but such containers are made only in the factory.

Manufacturing instructions

Depending on the size and material from which you are going to make the caisson, the camera manufacturing process has its own nuances and sequence. Before you make a caisson for a well with your own hands, it is worth carrying out the appropriate excavation work:

• The first step is to dig a chamber pit around the exit of the well casing. In this case, the bottom of the pit must be deepened 20-50 cm below the mark at which the soil freezes in your area. Usually this value is in the range of 1-2 m. The size of the pit in width depends on the dimensions of the equipment and the chamber. The scheme for the device of the smallest chamber implies a pit size of 1.4x1.4 m. The average parameter is 1.9x1.9 m. If the dimensions of the equipment and its quantity are significant, then for unhindered maintenance it is better to make a pit sized 2.4x2.4 m.

Attention: all dimensions are indicated taking into account that the insulation (backfilling) of the chamber on each side will require a clearance of 20 cm.

• At the bottom of the pit, a strip foundation or a supporting concrete slab is poured.

Important: when digging a pit, it is necessary to position its area so that the casing pipe does not come out in the center, but is displaced by a third of the length. This will facilitate maintenance and help install the necessary equipment.

We make a metal caisson

Billets are cut from sheet steel to make the bottom, roof and walls of the chamber. It is desirable that they consist of a single piece of metal. Otherwise, the welds on the hotel parts will have to be welded on both sides to ensure proper tightness.

Reinforcement of the vertical walls of the tank is done using steel channels 5-10 cm high. They are welded from the outside of the chamber with a step of 50-70 cm. An inlet for the casing string is cut in the bottom. There are two holes in the lid. One of them with a section of 60x60 cm is a hatch for equipment maintenance, the second hole with a size of 10-12 mm is intended for ventilation of the structure. It will avoid the formation of condensation on the internal surfaces. You can use metal shears or a gas cutter to cut holes.

Outside, the chamber is coated with several layers of bituminous mastic. You can use tar instead. From the inside, the container is painted with enamel if the surface is clean, or with a special primer if there is corrosion.

Attention: the use of nitro paints in the closed space of the chamber is prohibited.

On the roof of the tank, two pipes are welded around the cut holes. They will protrude above the ground after the chamber falls asleep. A pipe of a larger diameter will be a support for the manhole, and a second pipe of a smaller diameter will serve as ventilation.

Making a brick caisson

To install a brick caisson, it is necessary to lay out the walls of the structure on a supporting concrete pad or strip foundation. In doing so, you should adhere to the following recommendations:

1. To ensure good waterproofing of the structure, it is better to use aerated concrete or silicate brick.
2. It is better to lay bricks not on a regular mortar, but on a special hydrophobic mixture.
3. After the walls are erected, a layer of waterproofing is laid on the outside. It will be reliably pressed against the walls of the structure due to the backfill, which acts as a heater. For these purposes, a cement-sand mixture is used, mixed in a ratio of 5 to 1.
4. Over the walls, a ceiling with a hole for the hatch is installed. If a monolithic overlap is made, then the features of its manufacture can be read below.

The device of a concrete caisson structure

A concrete caisson is made by making formwork and pouring concrete. The sequence of actions is as follows:

1. First, formwork is constructed from boards, plywood or chipboard. To facilitate its removal, the surface is treated with mining or other oily composition. The configuration of the structure and dimensions are selected depending on the size and quantity of equipment. At the same time, it is necessary to leave a margin of free space 10-20 cm wide around the perimeter of the chamber for performing insulating backfill.
2. To ensure the rigidity of the structure, reinforcement is installed in the formwork before pouring concrete.
3. Concrete is poured into the formwork in one pass. This will ensure good adhesion, integrity and durability of the structure.
4. During the week, while the concrete is solidifying, the surface of the chamber must be moistened and protected from precipitation and sunlight, covered with a film. After that, the formwork can be removed.
5. When the walls of the structure gain full strength (after 28 days), you can fill the roof.

To perform a monolithic reinforced concrete floor with a hatch (roof), do the following:

1. Above the walls, the lower supporting surface of the formwork is installed. At the same time, it should provide holes for a manhole hatch and a ventilation pipe. They can be made using metal pipe sections 20-25 cm high. The formwork is laid on bars attached to the inside of the walls. At the same time, it is necessary to indent down the thickness of the formwork boards, this will allow the poured slab to lie directly on the walls of the structure.
2. Formwork along the perimeter is carried out using boards 20-25 cm high. The boards are fastened together in the corners and attached to the outer surface of the walls.
3. Waterproofing is spread on top of the formwork boards with an overlap on the side walls. It will protect against the flow of the solution and ensure the smoothness of the surface. To protect the waterproofing from sticking to concrete, its surface is lubricated with oil or mining.
4. When the formwork is ready, reinforcement is performed. For this, two layers of reinforcing mesh are used from a bar with a diameter of 5-8 mm with a mesh size of 10x10 or 15x15 cm. There should be a distance of 5-7 cm between the two layers of reinforcement. To maintain this gap, reinforcing bars 10-15 cm long are used.
5. Filling is performed at a time.
6. Then the surface of the plate is covered with a film and wetted three times a day for a week. All this time, the monolithic slab must be protected from sunlight, rain and debris.

When concrete work is completed, waterproofing material is laid on the outer surface of the walls and roof. When laying, the adjacent strips are overlapped by 7-12 cm. Then the gaps between the walls of the structure and the soil are backfilled. Thanks to the backfill, the waterproofing will firmly press against the walls of the chamber, so additional fastening is not needed.

Attention: it is necessary to ensure that at the time of backfilling, soil and the backfilling itself do not get between the wall and the waterproofing.