Geotextile for soakaway?

[mas41]

Hello,

I'm building a small soakaway to handle runoff from a large shed and paved area. I've got a couple of Aquacell modules for this, but they need to be wrapped in a geotextile before being put into the hole. The problem is that the builder's merchants I've spoken to only sell large amounts of geotextile (at correspondingly large prices), while I only need a few square metres.

Can anyone suggest where I can get smaller amounts of geotextile? I've heard some people suggest using weed control fabric, but I don't think this is the correct stuff to use. Trade names I've heard for geotextiles are Lotrak and Terram, but there are others.

Does anyone know if there are stores (internet-based or real) who sell geotextile by the meter?

Thanks for any advice.

Cheers, Mark

[Andy Hall]

How much do you need?

I have the remainder of a quite a large roll of it that I bought for my recent drive project. It was cheaper to buy a complete roll and have half left over than to buy smaller packs.

I believe the roll is about 4m wide or so.

[Weatherlawyer]

What do you suppose you need blanket for? It is intended to keep the grades of rock used in retaining walls and roadbeds uncontaminated by finer particles. You don't need it in a soakaway.

Work out how much water falls on the surface area you want drained and dig an hole that volume. You can do it under the shed and spread out the spoil n your garden.

Fill the hole with large diameter hardcore, bricks and half bricks will do and smaller gravel too. It is just there to stop the soil you cover the pit with falling in. You only need to cover the pit to stop the water breeding gnats and midges or whatever.

Have you considered using water-butts? Several threads on here have gone so far as to consider using grey water for their gardens in summer. You can drain them periodically when the ground is dry. Or just let them overflow if the ground is not sodden.

I can't think there will be that much water needing an home.

[mas41]

I need 2.0m x 3.5m. Sounds like what you have might be ideal. What type is it?

Thanks a lot, Mark

[Andy Hall]

It's a woven geotextile fabric called Aztex purchased from Burdens (merchant selling groundworks stuff)

you drop me an email (substitute .nospam for .gl) with your details, I will be happy to cut off a length and post it to you tomorrow. The roll is 4.5m wide - just measured it.