ᐅ Auger for Deep Drainage Holes

Created on: 4 Sep 2023 11:37
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FrankChief
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FrankChief
4 Sep 2023 11:37
Hello,

I am looking for a well drill to create deep drainage holes in our garden.

We have a problem with waterlogging and clay soil; the clay layer is about 2 meters (6.5 feet) deep, so we need to drill slightly deeper than 2 meters (6.5 feet) into the ground.

What kind of drill would you recommend? Should it be operated manually or with an SDS drill?

What diameter should we use for the drainage holes? I plan to fill the holes with sand initially.

I was thinking of using a drill bit around 40 mm (1.6 inches) and making many small holes instead of a few larger ones. Or should I go with 60 mm (2.4 inches)?
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Cronos86
4 Sep 2023 16:30
2 m (6 ft 7 in) is quite a length... how many holes are you planning to make?

If you want to do it yourself, I recommend an Edelman auger bit. That might make it possible without exhausting yourself. But it’s still quite a task... I wouldn’t try it with a regular drill. Whether this will solve your moisture issue is another question... I don’t have experience with that.
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FrankChief
5 Sep 2023 07:19
@Cronos86 I just want to make a few holes, about 2-4.

I will keep making holes until the drainage effect works and the waterlogging is gone.

We only have waterlogging on about 1/4 of the lawn area.

We want to break through the clay layer so that there is no longer a barrier preventing water from passing through.

We plan to fill these holes completely with sand to further loosen the clay layer.

Why use a soil auger? Why not a hand-operated earth auger or well auger? Both are available with manual operation and SDS drill attachments.

Our soil is generally very clay-heavy and rocky.
I don’t mind if it’s hard work, but I need to get rid of the waterlogging—my lawn is starting to rot.
Tolentino5 Sep 2023 09:35
Do you have a soil survey report? If the groundwater lies just beneath the clay layer, you will have even more moisture. In some areas, it can be as shallow as 2mm (0.08 inches), but someone should have mentioned this during the foundation planning. In that case, I wouldn’t use sand but rather gravel or crushed stone (2-5mm, 0.08-0.2 inches). That way, it really functions like drainage. Sand should only be used in the top 20-40 cm (8-16 inches) layer, so the lawn doesn’t dry out there.
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FrankChief
5 Sep 2023 11:16
No, we do not have a soil survey report, and we will not receive one from the developer.

We only have information that there is an approximately 2m (6.5 ft) thick layer of clay beneath the clay floor.
Tolentino5 Sep 2023 12:41
I definitely wouldn’t just drill four holes deeper than 2m (6.5 feet) without proper reasoning. You can make general inquiries about groundwater levels at the (local) water authority; if it is around 5m (16.5 feet) or more, you’re probably safe.