What Is A French Drain Information On Installing French Drains In Landscapes

French drain systems are a type of drainage system that can be installed to help divert excess water away from homes or low areas in the landscape. These underground “ditches” contain a pipe and gravel which slope and allow water to freely drain away to ditches or retention ponds.

1. How do you landscape a French drain?
2. How deep should a French drain be installed?
3. How do I install a French drain drain in my yard?
4. Do I need landscape fabric for French drain?
5. Do holes go up or down in a French drain?
6. What is the difference between a French drain and a trench drain?
7. What is the best fabric to use for a French drain?
8. Can you drive over a French drain?
9. Does a French drain need to be below frost line?
10. Do French drains really work?
11. Can you cover a French drain with dirt?
12. How long do French drains last?
13. What size rock is best for French drain?
14. Where should a French drain be placed?
15. When should you use a French drain?
16. Why do holes go down on French drain?
17. Does a French drain need an exit?
18. How do I know if my French drain is working?
19. What is better than a French drain?
20. Can I make a French drain without pipe?
21. What are the benefits of a French drain?

How do you landscape a French drain?

You can either just leave the area over the drain mulched or plant annuals or a groundcover, or better yet, just leave pea gravel on top. You can divide the pea gravel area fromt the planted area with some steel edging, so that the area stays neat.

How deep should a French drain be installed?

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 I install a French drain drain in my yard?

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.

Do I need landscape fabric for French drain?

French Drains need to have a fabric that is designed to allow minerals in the ground water to pass through, so mineral deposits do not build up on the fabric and impede its ability to let water flow freely. ... Many people think that outdoor weed fabrics are what you use universally for everything.

Do holes go up or down in a French drain?

So, when installing a French drain, the holes in PVC piping always face the upward position. The only time holes should be in the downward position is when installing a leaching field. This is when water is poured or pumped into a pipe and we want the water to drain out of the pipe into the surrounding ground.

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.

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.

Can you drive over a French drain?

A true French drain is made with gravel, but with gravel driveways, PVC piping is recommended. The PVC piping only needs to be 4 to 6 inches in diameter for draining purposes. It must also be rugged enough to withstand the weight of vehicles driving over it.

Does a French drain need to be below frost line?

The French drain must be placed below the frost line for it to work properly in these bitter cold environments. This is critical for the drain to work all year round, without obstructions such as freezing.

Do French drains really work?

Properly constructed, french drains will work well to transmit water from the pipe to the exit of the pipe; however, they are not very efficient in dewatering poorly drained soils. Adequate fall means at least 2 ft lower per 100 ft of pipe or 0.25 in. per foot of slope.

Can you 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.

How long do French drains 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.

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.

Where should a French drain be placed?

Dig a trench along the outside of your footing. 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.

When should you use a French drain?

French Drains are primarily used to drain groundwater from gardens and around the foundations of buildings. French drains are designed to move water that is trapped in the ground away or towards an area. They are best used in soil that is prone to frequent saturation from rain or flooding.

Why do holes go down on French drain?

A review of installation instructions from several State DOT manuals reveals that the holes should be down (i.e. placed facing the bottom of the trench). The reason is that this allows the water to enter the pipe and drain from the soil at the lowest level.

Does a French drain need an exit?

Short answer to the title of "Where should french drain terminate?" is that, ideally, the french drain will terminate to an above-ground exit on the side of a hill or at least a downwards slope, so that the water that was in the drain can escape to get into the place that normal surface runoff goes from the property.

How do I know if my French drain is working?

How to Tell If the French Drain Is Working. The easiest way to tell if your French drain is operating properly is to look at your lawn or basement. If there's water, chances are there could be a problem and your drain isn't working correctly. This issue could be due to clogging.

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.

Can I make a French drain without pipe?

Installing a French Drain Without a Pipe

When you omit the pipe from a French drain, you've basically got a trench drain. ... If your soil drains well, you can simply dig the trench and cover the bottom with 3 to 4 inches of 3/4-inch drainage rock, depending on the depth of the trench.

What are the benefits of a French drain?

What are Some Benefits of a French Drain?

• The prevention of standing water. As mentioned above, these drainage systems channel water away from your home and other any buildings on your property, thereby reducing the risk of long-term water damage.
• An aesthetically pleasing look. ...
• Cost-effectiveness.