How to Construct a French Drain
Many homeowners deal with areas of standing water after every rain. These puddles are not only an eyesore, they can also create a breeding ground for insects. A French drain is a simple, inexpensive way to reroute the water as it accumulates. It's a good weekend project, somewhat labor intensive but simple to design, and once it's complete your water will run through your French drain and end up where you want it to go, rather than creating messy puddles in your front yard. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Coarse gravel Landscape fabric Drainage pipe (PVC) Sand Topsoil Sod or grass seed
Instructions
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Plan where to route the water. Start at the point where water is accumulating, then follow a natural slope, if possible, and be sure that the French drain will end at a point that won't cause damage to your property or a neighbor's property by creating standing water or eroding soil. If you have a stream or creek nearby, route the water as close as you can get it.
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Dig a trench, from 6 to 12 inches wide. Six inches is a minimum width; 12 inches will accommodate a larger volume of water.
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Line the trench with coarse gravel to around 3" deep.
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Top the gravel with landscape fabric. Leave excess fabric on each side of the trench.
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Lay a drainage pipe down the length of the trench. Purchase the largest pipe that will fit into the trench. If it has drainage holes, be sure those are on the ground.
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Top the pipe with more coarse gravel until all the remaining space in the trench is filled.
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Fold the liner over the gravel, then top with a layer of sand and then topsoil. Lay down sod or plant grass seed.
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Tips & Warnings
Simple version: Alternately, simply fill with coarse gravel and small stones and skip the liner and pipe, then top with sand, dirt and sod.
