Soakaway Crates

Soakaway Crates & Sets

We sell Rainsmart soakaway crate modules. Our crates are available either fully assembled or flat-packed to save valuable space on-site and there is a wide variety of design options to suit all types of different site requirements so whether you need a 1 cubic metre soakaway set to install in your back garden or a large commercial soakaway we can certainly help. In addition to the Rainsmart systems, we also stock Polypipe Polystorm & Polydrain Hydrocell Soakaway crate systems.

Our Rainsmart ellipse soakaway crate comes with a 24.2 tonne vertical load capacity or if you are looking for a heavy option, our heavy duty soakaway crate option comes with vertical loading of up to 65 tonnes. Our Polydrain Hydrocell cubic metre option boasts 950 litres of storage per cubic metre and 62-tonne loading.

Soakaway Applications

Our range of soakaway crates can be used in a variety of applications including: 

• Underground stormwater management - to reduce flooding
• Infiltration - allowing stormwater held in your tank to seep back into the ground slowly over a period of time
• Attenuation - discharge water from crates slowly to avoid downstream flooding and erosion of waterways
• Rainwater recycling - pumps the excess rainwater back out of the crate system for use in irrigation and reuse
• Grass swales - linear grass-covered gullies which take surface water overland from the drained surface to a storage or discharge system, typically using road verges
• Road drainage - enhancement in both quality and quantity of road runoff
• Bioretention basins - using a channel (like a swale) stormwater can be slowed and treated to desired levels by the placement of check dams
• Sportsfield drainage - assist with flooding and recycling by removing water and storing it underground for future use
• Channel drainage - create a linear shallow open channel to funnel stormwater
• Carpark stormwater tanks
• Septic and leach drains
• Trench soakaway

Installing Your Soakaway Crates

Assembly is a simple process – the only tool required is a rubber mallet which we include with each cubic metre set. One person should be able to assemble a one cubic metre set in 12 to 15 minutes. Check out our video guide on how to build soakaway crates for more information. We also have a guide on the best practices for installing soakaway crates, from excavating your hole, preparing the base and installing your crates.

What Size Should My Soakaway Be?

The design of a soakaway system depends on a number of factors, such as catchment area, consequences of flooding, permeability and foundation design which are different at each site. That said, the most common and popular size for a domestic installation is 1 cubic metre. This is what the majority of local authorities have accepted during specifications when draining roof areas of approximately 50 square metres (when under normal conditions).

If in doubt, we would recommend that you should get them designed by a civil engineering consultant and seek approval from your local planning authority as often soakaways will need to be designed with a specific storm intensity and duration. If you have this information then we can help create an exact design for your need - just drop us a message or give us a call. 

Check out our full soakaway size guide for a more in-depth guide including a detailed list of the most popular configurations.

Soakaway Inspection & Cleaning

Pre-filters

Installing a pre-filter before a soakaway is always a precaution that we would advise you to consider. Whilst geotextile membrane prevents the surrounding soil from being washed into the soakaway, there is always the possibility that the underground drainage pipe itself will carry silt and other debris washed in from the roof and gutters. A good silt trap or catchpit chamber is easy to maintain and will certainly prolong the life of the soakaway.

Linear Inspection Channels

Using our Rainsmart systems you can also create a linear inspection channel which isolates silt and debris upon entry and stops it from entering the main system. Find out more on our inspection and cleaning page.

Designing a Soakaway Crate System for Attenuation

If you are looking to source crates for a geocellular attenuation tank then we offer a number of impermeable membranes that can help including a shoebox design which is used to wrap around geocellular attenuation crates and is usually supplied in two fabricated pieces. The first is the base while the second is for the top with a small overlap down the sides. The two pieces effectively make a ‘shoebox’. Get in contact to find out more.