Drainage trays are part of the drainage system and divert streams of rain or melt water from roads, buildings and household plots. They are a complex of gutters that transport water to the sewer. Installation of structures is simple, labor costs are minimal, but in some cases the use of special equipment will be required. Installation is carried out where it is impossible to equip a deep storm inlet system.
Types and device of drainage trays
The four main product types differ in configuration. Trays can be:
- Wastewater. In the form of a rectangle with a gutter.
- Box-shaped. U-shaped with trellised top.
- Slotted. There is a gap in the upper part of the body - either full length or intermittent.
- Curb. A variation of the previous type, with an L-shaped protrusion covering the slit hole.
Tray structures are also subdivided according to the material used for production. Polymer products are popular due to their availability and low weight, which makes it easier to lay plastic drainage models of trays. The advantages include resistance to external negative influences, anti-corrosion properties. But the products are less durable than their concrete counterparts. Plastic models can collapse during floods or under the influence of mechanical stress. Prices for them start at 450 rubles.
Metal structures are thicker, weigh more and have an anti-corrosion coating. They are usually made from cast iron. These are durable products with great weight. Installation requires special equipment. The most inexpensive ones cost 2,200 rubles.
Massive and durable reinforced concrete products are not afraid of aggressive external influences. It is possible to install concrete drainage models of trays only with the help of special equipment. Their cost starts at 300 rubles.
A compromise between reinforced concrete and plastic is polymer concrete trays. They are stronger than polymer, resistant to stress and wear. But they are more expensive than plastic and concrete - from 1,300 rubles.
Since with your own hands, without the involvement of professionals, you can only mount plastic devices, when making an estimate, you need to take into account the prices for work on installing drainage trays. Their cost ranges from 1,000 to 2,000 rubles per linear meter and depends on the dimensions of the tray, its design, the quality of the soil and the special equipment used.
Criterias of choice
When choosing a suitable type of tray, take into account the throughput, which depends on the amount of moisture in the area from which you want to drain water, and the greatest load. The last indicator is necessarily indicated on the product labeling:
- A 15. Storm trays with low load - up to 1.5 tons. Suitable for sports grounds, pedestrian areas. They are installed under the garden paths in the personal plot.
- B 125. Able to withstand up to 12.5 tons. An excellent choice for garages, cottages. They can be installed around the perimeter of the house.
- С 250. Provides a load of up to 25 tons, suitable for installation along highways.
- D 400. Holds up to 40 tons. Suitable for places where heavy equipment passes, parking lots.
- E 600. Maximum load - up to 60 tons. Installed at airports.
The dimensions of the product are also selected depending on the abundance of surface runoff in a particular area.
Installation steps
Before starting work on the arrangement of the structure, a clear diagram is drawn, where the location of all stormwater nodes will be indicated.
The trays can be installed pointwise in places where water accumulates most. But more often they use a linear type of drainage, where the products stand one after another. This option is chosen, for example, when installing drainage trays around the perimeter of a private house on the border of the blind area.
How to properly mount the device:
- Dig a trench 15 cm deep more than the height of the product and 30 cm wider.
- At the bottom of the ditch, build a cement-sand cushion and tamp it carefully. The thickness of the compacted layer must be at least 10 cm. It should be borne in mind that the laying of drainage trays is performed at a slope to the place of the sewer drain - at least 10 mm per meter of length.
- Cover the cushion with heavy-duty polyethylene or glassine for waterproofing before laying the tray.
- Install the formwork to pour the concrete base. For the bottom of the cage, only a strong solution of at least B25 is suitable, capable of withstanding heavy loads.
- Level the stormwater devices with respect to the slope. The gaps between the trays must be filled with a polyurethane sealant to ensure the joint is watertight. It does not lose its flexibility under mechanical and dynamic loads for a long time. Place fasteners and spacers on the sides of the tray before pouring the concrete.
- Fit the plugs and fittings for the outlet of the drain pipe.
- Fill the side faces of the concrete frame flush with the coating on the ground.
To create additional protection, it is recommended to equip the storm drain with a closed grate. It will also prevent large debris from entering the drainage system. Installation of the intake grille is performed 3-5 cm below the ground surface.
The trays are connected to each other by means of grooves. After installing the grate, the trays are covered with paving slabs, clinker or asphalt. It is important to cover the product itself with plywood. After installing the surface coating, the plywood sheets must be pulled out. The groove that appears is filled with a polyurethane sealant.
When installing a surface drainage system, it must be remembered that hard, compacted earth allows moisture to pass through in a small amount. Additional channels will be needed. Loams lead to waterlogging and suggest underground drainage. If the site has differences in relief in height, additional sleeves will be required.
With the right choice and installation of stormwater trays, surface runoff will not accumulate even where it is not possible to install a deep water intake system, including near highways.
