Here are some tips for digging a ditch. You don't need the ditch wider than the pipe. First: Use a narrow 12" long spade with a long handle. As you force the spade into the soil, don't take more than about four inches horizontally at a time. Angle the the spade blade toward one side about 30 degrees, when you pull the handle down the blade will force the dirt to the edge and when you left it up you will have a perfectly straight ditch sidewall. On the next cut angle it the opposite side this will give you two perfectly straight sidewalls; meaning you are only taking out the dirt you need and no more (less work). Tip: if the dirt is moist this works extremely well and digging is fast and easy. When you tamp the back-fill, the straight side walls will hold the dirt providing you a solid surface to compress against and your back-fill will be more solid. Second: don't throw the dirt away from the ditch keep it close along the edge so you can back fill with the least amount of effort with a square point shovel. Third: if you are digging the ditch in grass cut the sod out first and then cover the area along the ditch with canvas or weed barrier to put the removed dirt on. This will keep the dirt from making a mess of your grass and cleanup is a lot easier. Just saying.
Thank you!!! Great tips. I live in houston where we get flooding rains every so often (lucky me). Any tips or concerns you may have with this type of install? My house hasn’t flooded but after hurricane Harvey I wouldn’t put anything past this city.
Don't use corrugated pipe though! If you're going to take the time to dig that trench especially by hand you're going to want to put in smooth thick wall pipe. Either PVC schedule 40 or Double Wall corrugated pipe. It's smooth on inside and ribbed on outside. Cheap flexible corrugated pipe does not last the test of time! Also the water just sits inside of your corrugated pipe and the surrounding vegetation WILL find that water. Eventually clogging that pipe since it splits over time etc.. [Worked as a drainage Helper for years saw many removals of corrugated pipe!]
SDR35 is a thinner and cheaper version of schedule40 that I've heard recommended. But yes, avoid corrugated because roots find their way in and water doesn't flow as well, requiring a steeper grade. No expert, just what I've found from seeing videos as I plan a draining setup.
The Lawn Shark and Left Tool, agreed, love my pop up as well. It’s so satisfying to see all the water pumping out in the direction you want it. Keep up the great work guys.
Something to watch out for, if routing the downspout water across a sidewalk is to check if it gets to be an issue with icing-over the sidewalk in winter. Mine would have a trickle of water each day from sun on the roof so it would turn into an ice rink. Just something to check / keep an eye out
The splashing water coming out of the drain cover will eventually carve out the soil around it. Perhaps use concrete or mortar around it to prevent that?
If you're reading this and about to take the plunge into the work - Go ahead and water your lawn in the area to be dug up first thing in the morning before you start digging. You'll thank me later!
So say I'm on the highest point of elevation as well as my neighbor. Could I just dig about a 3ft trench and end the drain there or does it still need the pop up drain?
Nice trench job. However on the end of the pipe I would recommend using something that does not get as grown over and clogged as easily as the popups do. I would recommend a 1 square foot catch basin with holes drilled in and a dry well of stone around it 👌🏿
Great video! any recommendations from anyone out there if temperatures go below 0 Fahrenheit??? The house I moved into has a gutter drain in the backyard, seems all frozen because water from the melting snow is coming out from the connection of downspout and black tubing. Would love some advice.
Dave Bellefleur Oof! Yea we don’t get much snow. French drain style maybe? That way the water can leach down into the ground. But I don’t know anything about heave so... there is a channel called yard drain man and I think he is up north!
The Lawn Tools awesome!! Thanks. Up in Ottawa, Canada. Temperatures are currently in the mid 30s but going up to mid 50s tomorrow and then back down to high 20s on Saturday. Mother Nature is such a tease!
Would be a good idea for a vid to find out soil temps at say 5”, 10”, 15”. Wonder what the differences are compared to air temperature. I do know that you can wrap tube which helps quit a bit.
It is not. If you are wanting the pipe to pick up water along the way, it should be perforated. In this case, we just wanted to move the water from the gutter to the sidewalk
Why put the smaller pop up pipe inside the 4” ? It’s gonna leak. Should alway put the bigger pipe on the outside. On the good side if the rain water pressure can’t push the pop up open, you won’t have standing water in the pipe as it should seep out.
as one other person mentioned if you're gonna dig a trench and put pipe underground use 4 inch PVC pipe.. Schedule 40 or something similar. It's fairly cheap and nice and smooth on the inside. Plant roots will not find their way inside the pipe. That black pipe that you used will not last.
I have a pipe the people under the sidewalk from the people who put in the curb and sidewalk who knows how long ago that I have been thinking of connecting too to get my rain water away from the house
![How to Build a French Drain Full Tutorial in Less than 10 Minutes [ Veteran Contractor Explains ]](/img/1.gif)
Here are some tips for digging a ditch. You don't need the ditch wider than the pipe.
First: Use a narrow 12" long spade with a long handle. As you force the spade into the soil, don't take more than about four inches horizontally at a time. Angle the the spade blade toward one side about 30 degrees, when you pull the handle down the blade will force the dirt to the edge and when you left it up you will have a perfectly straight ditch sidewall. On the next cut angle it the opposite side this will give you two perfectly straight sidewalls; meaning you are only taking out the dirt you need and no more (less work). Tip: if the dirt is moist this works extremely well and digging is fast and easy. When you tamp the back-fill, the straight side walls will hold the dirt providing you a solid surface to compress against and your back-fill will be more solid.
Second: don't throw the dirt away from the ditch keep it close along the edge so you can back fill with the least amount of effort with a square point shovel.
Third: if you are digging the ditch in grass cut the sod out first and then cover the area along the ditch with canvas or weed barrier to put the removed dirt on. This will keep the dirt from making a mess of your grass and cleanup is a lot easier. Just saying.
Thank you!!! Great tips. I live in houston where we get flooding rains every so often (lucky me). Any tips or concerns you may have with this type of install? My house hasn’t flooded but after hurricane Harvey I wouldn’t put anything past this city.
Don't use corrugated pipe though! If you're going to take the time to dig that trench especially by hand you're going to want to put in smooth thick wall pipe. Either PVC schedule 40 or Double Wall corrugated pipe. It's smooth on inside and ribbed on outside. Cheap flexible corrugated pipe does not last the test of time! Also the water just sits inside of your corrugated pipe and the surrounding vegetation WILL find that water. Eventually clogging that pipe since it splits over time etc.. [Worked as a drainage Helper for years saw many removals of corrugated pipe!]
Great video all in all. You have a very lucky nice freshly built situation! Grats!
SDR35 is a thinner and cheaper version of schedule40 that I've heard recommended. But yes, avoid corrugated because roots find their way in and water doesn't flow as well, requiring a steeper grade. No expert, just what I've found from seeing videos as I plan a draining setup.
Such a joy to see ole left tool. And what a good neighbor he is! Just in time for all this rain I hope!
Budget Lawns
Yes it definitely helped with this rain. But now since there is no grass, he has a hole to fill in 😂
@@TheLawnTools yikes. Haha.
Budget Lawns
I exaggerate a bit
We need more neighbors like Left Tool!
Richard Nettles
Like a good neighbor, Left Tool is there
They make nice fittings to connect to the gutter for a clean finished look
Great educational and informative video. Mr. Left Tool you have a great voice for narration. Looking forward to watching your property progress.
The Lawn Mower
Thanks!
The secret is to have a HELPER on the other end!
I wish my neighbor was as kind as Left Tool.
Dadding All Day
His neighbors are cool. And they have a pool right there
Left tool can dig a nice ditch... that’s a very useful skill in the lawn. 👍🏼
Don’s Lawns
Ditchin! 😁 thanks Donovan!
Lessons with Left tool. I like it!
The Lawn Guardian
😁👍🏼
Great job! Love the way my pop-up works!
The Lawn Shark
Booya!
The Lawn Shark and Left Tool, agreed, love my pop up as well. It’s so satisfying to see all the water pumping out in the direction you want it. Keep up the great work guys.
San Antonio Gardening
Definitely. I still have 4 gutters to go.
Very nice video great tips
Something to watch out for, if routing the downspout water across a sidewalk is to check if it gets to be an issue with icing-over the sidewalk in winter. Mine would have a trickle of water each day from sun on the roof so it would turn into an ice rink. Just something to check / keep an eye out
Cur Rier
That’s a good tip for those up north. We don’t get a whole lot of freezing temps but every once in a while. Thanks!
wow, Covid must be hitting poker hard to get Phil Hellmuth to start digging ditches lol
you think i get mad at the table wait til you see me find a weed in my lawn
Hahaha
Lefty is always a sight for sore eyes.
Brett's Grasscapades
Sore eyes? Sorry, can’t help. CDC says emergencies only
@@TheLawnTools not even an online consultation?
Good information video, thanks 👍
Steven Shivel
Thank YOU for watching 😁👍🏼
"right-side up", that's me!
Really cool, thanks for sharing! 👍
I loved this video. I need to do the same
Connor Ward
Same here... maybe next winter I’ll do mine and tie them into a French drain for my back yard. Wishful thinking probably
If you ever get in trouble with the law ... you, my friend, are an excellent ditch digger!
Evergreen Cottage 😂
Nice job lefty!
A to Zoysia
+1
Oh wow , it even worked! 👍
Chris Voit
Like a charm! 😁👍🏼
The splashing water coming out of the drain cover will eventually carve out the soil around it. Perhaps use concrete or mortar around it to prevent that?
If you're reading this and about to take the plunge into the work - Go ahead and water your lawn in the area to be dug up first thing in the morning before you start digging. You'll thank me later!
Great video thanks for taking the time to film it and edit it!
Glad I didn't see Left Tool burring Right Tool in that ditch!
So say I'm on the highest point of elevation as well as my neighbor. Could I just dig about a 3ft trench and end the drain there or does it still need the pop up drain?
Nice intro👍
Robert Dykestra
🔥🔥🔥👍🏼
Nice lesson! I wish I could have had the chance to do this before my sod was down!
Bermuda Boss
Same for me (Right Tool) but I still may do it next winter anyway.
@@TheLawnTools Right Tool looks like a great winter time workout 💪
Nice! That should help with the rain you guys get over there.
Andrew P.
I’m jealous actually. I want to do it to all of mine
whoever installed your gutters, put the downspout on backwards. nice
Nice trench job. However on the end of the pipe I would recommend using something that does not get as grown over and clogged as easily as the popups do. I would recommend a 1 square foot catch basin with holes drilled in and a dry well of stone around it 👌🏿
Just put a removable drain grate over the elbow (a tee in gravel would be better) instead of a pop-up. They have green plastic ones.
2 years later, curious if the corrugated pipe is clogged
Nope. There are no trees anywhere near his house so no leaves getting in his gutters
Big improvement! What's annoying is trimming around it 🙃.
Koven Carlson
I thought the same thing
Excellent
Great video! any recommendations from anyone out there if temperatures go below 0 Fahrenheit??? The house I moved into has a gutter drain in the backyard, seems all frozen because water from the melting snow is coming out from the connection of downspout and black tubing. Would love some advice.
Dave Bellefleur
Oof! Yea we don’t get much snow.
French drain style maybe? That way the water can leach down into the ground. But I don’t know anything about heave so... there is a channel called yard drain man and I think he is up north!
The Lawn Tools awesome!! Thanks. Up in Ottawa, Canada. Temperatures are currently in the mid 30s but going up to mid 50s tomorrow and then back down to high 20s on Saturday. Mother Nature is such a tease!
Dave Bellefleur
Oh wow. Yes she is playing the fiddle with your heart strings!
Would be a good idea for a vid to find out soil temps at say 5”, 10”, 15”. Wonder what the differences are compared to air temperature. I do know that you can wrap tube which helps quit a bit.
Nice!
👊😎
George Popa
Thanks George!
Is the black pipe perforated or not? Thanks in advance.
It is not. If you are wanting the pipe to pick up water along the way, it should be perforated. In this case, we just wanted to move the water from the gutter to the sidewalk
Thanks very much.
What pipe did you use
I am going to start a band named Gutter Drain...
Jeffrey Dillner
What genre?
Will that not attract mosquitoes
Why put the smaller pop up pipe inside the 4” ? It’s gonna leak. Should alway put the bigger pipe on the outside. On the good side if the rain water pressure can’t push the pop up open, you won’t have standing water in the pipe as it should seep out.
Where did your help go?
elizard
😂
as one other person mentioned if you're gonna dig a trench and put pipe underground use 4 inch PVC pipe.. Schedule 40 or something similar. It's fairly cheap and nice and smooth on the inside. Plant roots will not find their way inside the pipe. That black pipe that you used will not last.
Why is there so much garbage mixed in with the dirt you’re digging up?
First Aussie 😁
Trevor Muggeridge 🏆
Excavator? Try a Ditch Witch.
Those saws can be so confusing. Cheers
IMOWLOW
😂
Verrr nice
The Lawn Channel
I kind of want to do all of mine... maybe next winter
Get your mind out of the gutter 8)
Mickey Ball 😂
Which type of bermuda grass are you going to finish your yard with? Seed or sod
ghoulsrule100
He is pretty sure he is going with a Tahoma 31 sod. The University of Arkansas put it on their football field right before last season.
I have a pipe the people under the sidewalk from the people who put in the curb and sidewalk who knows how long ago that I have been thinking of connecting too to get my rain water away from the house
Fescue Freddy
That would be handy!
@@TheLawnTools my sidewalk also touches the curb so that probably made it more necessary
No cleanout. You'll regret that decision.
Because if all the trees around his house?
PITTL Lefty
I thought you were right tool. 🤷🏼♂️
thejarrod123
I am right tool. The guy in this vid is left tool 😂 we look alike
All that work for a crappy drain lol
First!
You didn't dig deep enough to hit any underground lines.