Does a French drain need gravel?

The old way of installing French drains is to do it without the gravel and the fabric. Without the gravel and the fabric, however, the drain can clog up with sand and soil over time.

What do you put in the bottom of a French drain?

Pour and compact about 3 inches of gravel or landscaping stone along the bottom of the trench. This will act as bedding for the drainage piping.

What kind of gravel do you use for a French drain?

Use Natural 1-1/2" round rock for best drainage. Washed rock is ideal. Avoid small pea gravel as the spaces in between stone is smaller minimizing flow rates. Avoid Crushed Rock (minus) that compacts and has "fines" that will clog pipe inlets.

Can you cover French drain with dirt?

Can I cover a French drain with dirt? Because a French drain has holes throughout the pipe which allow it collect water, you should not install dirt on top of the drain pipe. Installing dirt will clog the pipe and the holes, rendering it useless.

How much gravel do I need for a 50 foot French drain?

To calculate gravel needed for a 50′ french drain, multiply the length of the trench by the width and depth. If you plan to lay down 4 inches of gravel, multiply 50 feet x 4 inches = 200 cubic feet.

Which is Better French Drain? Gravel or Styrofoam, EZ Flow, Yard Drain

How deep should a French drain be dug?

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.

Can you use pea gravel for French drain?

Do NOT Use Pea Gravel, Pea Pebble, Pea Stone When Building a French Drain. When building a French drain, you want to use a coarse rock that has been screened and washed. The rock that you see in this French Drain is 3/4″ and larger. You end up with large voids that'll move far more water.

Do you backfill French drain?

Most descriptions of a french drain involve a slotted or perforated pipe, a trench, geotextile fabric and gravel backfill. To operate properly, the drain must have adequate slope and a place to open onto the ground, into a drain pipe or somewhere else where water can exit.

Can you use sand in a French drain?

A French drain is also known as a sub-drain, a perforated pipe designed to pull excessive water from soil and away from areas such as house foundations. Installing a French drain prevents ground water saturation. Although sand will work for back-filling a French drain, it is not as good a choice as gravel.

Is gravel or sand better for drainage?

Gravel layers provide much better drainage than sand. A layer of medium-sized angular gravel will allow water to flow downhill. On the other hand, sand will pack solid and trap water. If you use sand instead of gravel, your ditch, driveway, or trench will flood or be destroyed by washouts.

Should a French drain have standing water?

Look for Standing Water

French drains are designed to collect rainwater and channel it downhill. If surface water is standing in low areas of the yard that are supposed to flow into your French drain, you have a drainage problem.

How shallow can a French drain be?

If you're dealing with pooling water on the surface of your property, your best bet is a shallow trench. If you're trying to stop water from getting into your basement, you need a deeper French drain that reaches footing level. The minimum depth is typically ​18 to 24 inches​.

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.

How much river rock do I need for French drain?

How much gravel do I need per foot of French drain? You would need around 0.72 cubic feet of gravel per foot length of French drain for a typical French drain width of 10 inches and a depth of 12 inches if you're using a 4" drain pipe.

Do you cap the end of a French drain?

Cap the end at beginning of the system. Level rock 4 inches from the top of the trench. Note: If you just dump rock on top of the pipe, it will shift to one side of the trench. Make sure to keep it in the middle of the trench.

Should I use landscape fabric in French drain?

Non-woven geotextile fabric is the best choice for drainage applications where water flow through (permeability) is the main concern. Non-woven landscape fabric is commonly used in French-drains, drain-fields, and erosion control.

Can a French drain be too deep?

Gas and water lines, electrical wires, and sewer pipes are some of the things that this digging may encounter. If the drain is dug below the footer, it will cause the home to settle and it's important not to dig too deep.

Why is my French drain not draining?

Not all French drain drainage issues are caused by clogs within the pipe, so it's also important to check the ground around the system. Potential issues can include clogs above the pipe caused by compacted soil and thick layers of sediment that prevent water from making its way to the weep holes.

Does gravel help clay soil?

Gravel helps break up clay soil and creates air pockets for oxygen in your soil. Compost adds an organic amendment to soil, as it is decomposed plant material. The nutrients and micronutrients in compost release slowly into the soil to feed your garden over a long period of time.

What's the best drainage for clay soil?

How do you fix waterlogged soil?