EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
Clay has to be compacted to hold water. It also needs to be two feet thick to be effective. The easiest rule of thumb to see if it will work is to grab a handful of it when it's moist and squeeze it inot a ball inside your hand. If you can squeeze it tight and get it to stay firm and not fall apart, it will likely hold water.
Betonite is an additive that you add to clay. It is not waterpoof in itself. It does not compact. You have to have clay to use betonite. Then you spread it out, disk it in and compact it all together. What the Betonite does is swell once it gets wet, and that swelling helps to seal the clay that isn't doing the job. How much betonite depends on the quality of the clay. Mixing it and compacting it is critical, and if you don't do this properly, even the exact right amount of it for your soil wont help it hold water.
Good luck,
Eddie
Betonite is an additive that you add to clay. It is not waterpoof in itself. It does not compact. You have to have clay to use betonite. Then you spread it out, disk it in and compact it all together. What the Betonite does is swell once it gets wet, and that swelling helps to seal the clay that isn't doing the job. How much betonite depends on the quality of the clay. Mixing it and compacting it is critical, and if you don't do this properly, even the exact right amount of it for your soil wont help it hold water.
Good luck,
Eddie