how to build a french drain

1. How deep should a French drain be?
2. How do you make a homemade French drain?
3. Does a French drain need an outlet?
4. What is the average cost to install a French drain?
5. What size rock is best for French drain?
6. What is the difference between a French drain and a trench drain?
7. How deep should a French drain be in a basement?
8. Can you do a French drain without pipe?
9. Why do French drains fail?
10. Can I cover a French drain with dirt?
11. What is the best fabric to use for a French drain?
12. Is a French drain worth it?
13. How long will a French drain last?
14. Does a French drain add value?
15. Can I use river rock for French drain?
16. How much gravel do I need for a 100 foot French drain?
17. Is it OK to put gravel next to House?
18. What is better than a French drain?
19. How do I divert water in my yard?
20. Why do they call a French drain a French drain?

How deep should a French drain be?

French drain depth: About 8 inches to 2 feet deep should be sufficient for many water-diverting projects, though related systems, such as those built around foundations and sub-ground living spaces, as well as the bases of retaining walls, may be deeper.

How do you make a homemade French drain?

1. Plan the Location. Figure out where the excess water is pooling and where you want it to go. ...
2. Dig a Trench. ...
3. Line the Trench with Filter Fabric. ...
4. Pour the Gravel Bedding. ...
5. Hook Up the Pipe Connections. ...
6. Set the Pipe Drain in the Trench. ...
7. Cover with Gravel and Filter Fabric. ...
8. Backfill with Topsoil.

Does a French drain need an outlet?

A properly designed French drain system does not require an outlet. The water will simply soak into the soil as it flows along the perforated pipe. In fact, a French drain doesn't require an inlet on just one end either. You can construct the drain to accept water along its length, and disperse it underground.

What is the average cost to install a French drain?

French drains, for example, average $20 to $30 per linear foot or between $1,000 and $1,500 in exterior applications and $45 to $60 per linear foot or $5,000 to $6,000 for internal ones.

What size rock is best for French drain?

For the best drainage, look for coarse washed rock (gravel) that is screened, with a stone size of 1/2 to 3/4 inch. Smaller rock with fine particles could clog the holes of the drain pipe. Pea stone works, but the smooth stones settle together and don't move as much water as coarse rock.

What is the difference between a French drain and a trench drain?

The terms rhyme, they both involve trenches, and French drains aren't really French. The defining difference is very simple, however: Trench drains are surface structures while French drains are subsurface ones. Let's look at how they both work to keep water flowing offsite.

How deep should a French drain be in a basement?

The trench should be at least 2 feet wide, and can be as deep as 6 feet for a basement or as shallow as two feet for a slab-on-grade home. Lay the pipe on the virgin soil.

Can you do a French drain without pipe?

Officially a French drain is a gravel drain with no pipe. The water just collects in and travels through in a gravel or stone filled channel that starts from the surface or just below it. But in modern times, and for practical purposes, we will consider a French drain to include a drainage pipe in the gravel.

Why do French drains fail?

This issue could be due to clogging. When water seeps through soil to get to the French drain, it often brings along sediment into the drain, where it dumps the sediment in the drain on the gravel as it flows through the ditch.

Can I cover a French drain with dirt?

The simplest drain is a classic French drain, which is nothing more than a trench filled with coarse stone or gravel. ... The drain can be left open or, if aesthetics are a concern, can be covered with a couple of inches of topsoil and sod.

What is the best fabric to use for a French drain?

Quality woven, pure polypropylene soil fabric has always been preferred for French drains, soil stabilization, ditches, and pipe-in-gravel, chamber and mound septic leach field systems.

Is a French drain worth it?

If you're dealing with a wet basement or a soggy lawn, you might want to look into installing a French drain. While it's not necessarily a “quick fix,” a French drain can be a smart investment to keep your home and yard dry.

How long will a French drain last?

How long do french drains last? Properly installed drains use advanced plastic sheeting called geotextile to protect the drainpipe from a blockage. French drains can last decades before needing maintenance. If your home requires a sump pump, a high-quality model will last around ten years before needing replacement.

Does a French drain add value?

French drains remove the water before it has the chance to enter the basement, cutting back significantly on water damage and flooding that might have otherwise occurred. ... French drains can also add value to your home, which is a huge bonus if you know you are planning to put it on the market in the future.

Can I use river rock for French drain?

Hard rocks such as granite or river gravel prove viable options for a French drain because they won't break down over time as much as other rock varieties, such as sandstone and limestone.

How much gravel do I need for a 100 foot French drain?

The volume of the drain is the volume of the "box" that is 100 ft long by 6 inches by 18 inches. That's 1200 x 6 x 18 = 129600 cubic inches. The difference between these will be the volume of gravel you need. Thats 129600 - 15080 = 114520 cubic inches.

Is it OK to put gravel next to House?

Placing organic mulch or inorganic ground cover such as gravel around foundation diminishes weed growth and helps to make a building look tidy and well-maintained. ... Gravel beds around a foundation are safe as long as they do not impede water drainage or keep the adjacent soil too moist, which encourages termites.

What is better than a French drain?

If you have a negative sloped yard (which slopes toward your foundation), a surface drainage system is a better choice than a French drain. Sloping of more than 1”-1-1/2” on a 10' run can result in excessive amounts of water seeping beneath your house.

How do I divert water in my yard?

shovels

1. Dig a Swale. A swale is a shallow trench that redirects water to where it can be safely released. ...
2. Construct a Dry Stream. Like swales, dry streams redirect water and prevent runoff damage. ...
3. Grow A Rain Garden. ...
4. Build a Berm. ...
5. Route Water Into a Dry Well. ...
6. Lay Pervious Paving.

Why do they call a French drain a French drain?

It's from Henry French, a judge and farmer in Concord, Massachusetts, who promoted the idea in an 1859 book about farm drainage. French drains provide an easy channel for water to flow through.