happy to help Debbie. its ideal if you can find what is called 'washed stone' for the drain. it has been washed to remove stone dust, which can clog up some of the filter fabric. don't by the cheap filter fabric, you get what you pay for. thx!
Glad I could help. Read through the comments. There is some helpful (and not so helpful) info people have contributed. Be sure to wash the stone before coveRing the pipe with it. Gets all the dust off that could clog the mesh. Thx! Eric.
Nice job! Very helpful to me. I've seen so many videos where people ignore the filter fabric and the sock. Those are critical for keeping dirt and mud from clogging the system.
Not true, depends on soil. If it's clay mud you don't need the fabric. If it's sand, you will. Watch videos of fabric drainage tests. They don't really work. Rocks, pipe on rocks, pour rocks on top, cover with top soil.
Thanks for good video. I am purchasing a house, and will have to do something like this. Happy to see a simple explanation of what will need to be done.
I appreciate the clear steps on your video. Best DIY French Drain video I have found. Is there a reason why some people use 2inches of gravel underneath the drain pipe? Having the pipe low to collect the most water possible as you did seems to make sense.
JAMES LASTER Gravel underneath is another way to keep dirt clogging the holes on the pipe. If you lay it on dirt, even with the filter, there’s still a higher chance of clogging.
@@thewhiteelephant That is what I have found to happen. The soil at the bottom of the trench clings to the fabric which clings to the pipe and seals off the holes. A small layer of rock keeps them more open for water to enter the pipe.
Awesome video for the -"do it yourselfer". I LOVE your dog(s), nice touch! As for the securing of the sock what I'd do...is use a coupling for that size of pipe but cut it so it is just a "ring" and tap that on to secure the sock. Tap it on with a hammer and a wooden shim. You can even drimmel it so it will indeed "slide" to where it needs to remain...Now the video I need is one that will show how to build a culvert out of stone or natural material instead of expensive corrugated aluminum drain pipe. This culvert will be burried as I have an arroyo in the back of my house that gets flow at sporatic times during the year and I want to cover the culvert entirely with dirt so I won't have a ditch in my back yard!
I’ve seen this question asked many times. Once you have water contained in a closed pipe as your gutter and down spout are you want to transport it to the exit point not transfer it into a French drain pipe which has holes in it. Some will somehow get out of the holes.
I like how you used the end cap to secure the sock. I don't like how you secured it at the pipe joint. I feel like that's an area that could clog. or dam up some silt. Probably not really a problem. Just my $0.02. I learn a lot from your channel. This is one area I have experience. Keep the videos coming. Always looking forward to them coming out.
thx James, i don't see a lot of water coming out of this pipe going forward, but appreciate your experience, thanks for taking the time to write. eric.
Thank you for this video i have a barn that i use for garage sales it is down hill from my house and i dont have excess of money this looks pretty reasonable on price it also got flooded very high and we have had such heavy rains this year need french drain to drie it out
I know it's an older video and I haven't read all the comments, but you should be able to tie in your gutter to that drainage system. You shouldn't ever feed gutter water into a French drain if it is being used for drainage purposes, but after your French drain ends and you tie into the solid pipe you can put a wye fitting on it angled towards the downhill portion.
in the first minute i realized that there's no point in me watching this vid but u r so entertaining that i ended up watching it till the end XD now what do i do with this knowledge lol!
Did this French drain keep your basement dry? I’ve watched a ton of videos that recommend using 6-10 mil poly from the foundation to line the trench prior to lining with the gravel. I’m preparing to build a french drain in the spring to help divert some ground water away from a basement wall. Just curious if this worked for you. Great video!
The only thing I would add, always use the bell end of a pipe as the entrance, not an exit. If you use the bell as the exit, water can seep out through the bell. Not a big deal on a French drain normally, but it can be when you switch over to the solid pipe.
The bell end, is that the holes pointing upwards? Henry and other dog are lovely! Thanks for video, trying to find out how to drain my allotment wich right now is more a pond..
This is great. The other video didn't have a sock mesh for the pipe or the white filter fabric. I'm trying to keep it simple so will skip any step I can to save time, effort and money. I have a simple job but not hundreds $ budget. With rigid pipe I could check the slope with a level....all that work and I begin to wonder, what if you just dug a retention pond?
not sure if i'll do a follow up Steve, it can be a challenge growing grass on this part of the yard, lots of foot, tractor, and dog traffic. we'll see how it goes. thx!
Why is that? I am also in Wisconsin and wondering how deep to bury this? It's just to get rid of water flooding in the yard do I have to go below frost line???
Check out Apple Drains. No need to push sock inside. You need water to run thru. If u want to wrap it, lay material in trench, lay stone and pipe and then overlap material over the pipe and pin it. You need to make sure water can penetrate the material. You don't always need to wrap pipe. You can use easy drain pipe that's already wrapped with no stone underneath and cover up with stone or dirt u shoveled out. Corrugated with slots all around is better for bending .
Great video , very informative. We too have a steep hill with lots of flooding problems. We thought about adding some landscape edging and we decided against it. which brings me to my question: Won't adding the landscape edging defer or keep the sheet of water running down the hill from getting into the French drain?
yes, i have found the corrugated to be hard to handle, but it does have its uses. i have always thought the corrugated would be more likely to catch silt because of the valleys inside the pipe.
You are correct about that, the crevices slow the flow of water. Had some for our pond outlet with the holes, didn't see them when we bought the pipe LOL you aren't the only one who has troubles. The flex is good mostly when you have elevational changes that aren't gradual. Doesn't work well for french drain at all.
yeah, the slits in the corrugated are hard to see at first. also it seems the corrugated could be crushed if its too close to the surface and you drove over it with a heavy load in a trailer, etc.
How does it feel to be the supporting cast to the two yellow Stars of the show? lol I first started watching because of them subscribed because of great content. thanks for all you do.
I like that you put the filter fabric around all the gravel and still use a sock.. That's the best way Few things: Don't need filter fabric around solid pipe Don't need to put gravel over fabric after it's folded over...can just put dirt on top I would put a 2" layer of gravel below the pipe before laying the pipe down
good to know, thanks for those tips. i wanted gravel on top as this sits right up against the board and batten wall of the porch, and didn't want dirt and grass growing there, thx!
Great find Clear simple info and like the entertainment value - any tips on the downspout drain extension? We used corrugated as the pipe product but still getting softspot at the entry point in heavy rainfall - can we start first 6-8 feet with solid the switch to corrugated?
Just subscribed to your channel. Really like the way you explain things. I have plans to install a much needed french drain in my backyard. It's a hill that seeps water to my patio at the bottom.The water doesnt seen to hit the house but, causes minor flooding on the patio. Where should I install the pipes and do I need one of the drain boxes of can I simply lead the water to the street side? Thanks.
I’m renovating my garden because there was an 8-10 layer of clay under ~10 inches of top soil, after 2 years the soil has become saturated and is now ruined. I’ve taken all the ruined soil and clay out and I’m now left with a 20 inch excavation plus a soakaway which I have centred in the middle. I’m putting down a layer of drainage gravel on the base and having that channel towards to soakaway, and on top of that premium quality top soil. I’m thinking 8 inch layer of gravel and 12 inch layer of soil with a pourous membrane separating them. Would this be ok to grow grass on? Many thanks
Hi Andrew, this has worked well. the one mistake I made was having the bell side of the pipes facing uphill, but it works well. quality geotextile fabric is key. - Eric.
I have a box drain at the end of the area I want to add my french drain. ( We had significant drainage issues in the past and all but one section is now draining beautifully. This is along the fence and gets pretty muddy and wet throughout the year. I don't have a daylight section here since I have a a box drain. If I end it near the box drain, will it connect and drain out this way?
Excellent video! Nice step-by-step explanation. One question--would it be a problem to run perforated pipe the entire length of the trench to where the pipe daylights? My land has a steep incline, and water builds up like a swamp. I know there is more work involved in running perforated pipe the entire length, and more expense (landscape fabric, sock, stone, etc.), but in my case I was hoping doing so would increase drainage. Thanks!
You can wrap that stuff you put in a garden that prevents weeds but allows water to go through , comes in big rolls...forget the actual name but may be cheaper to use if the piping is really long. Works well in my yard anyway
Watched numerous videos of drainage fabric is actually restricting compared to just laying the pipe on rocks, laying pipe in, then laying rock on top. No need for more restriction.
Tell us again what type of gravel to use. Would you suggest we put drain pipe right next to basement edge? How about painting the basement to waterproof it?
Great video. I have railroad tracks behind my new house on top of a steep hill, may have to do a very expensive retainer wall and put french drain on side of wall. I really didnt understand facing holes down before, I though the idea was to trap water in a U shaped trench surrounded by pastic and force water to the end. Wont the landscape fabric just allow the water to seep into the ground ?
water seeks the easiest path, and its easier to run through the gravel into the holes in the pipe than to seep back into the ground. the water will collect in the empty spaces between the gravel, make its way down to the bottom of the trench, and enter the holes in the pipe. much easier path than traveling through dirt. thx!
I'd say it's site dependent however the deeper (or wider) the better. It's more work but the trench will have more volume and thus can grab more water. He makes a good point to use a quality (non-woven geotextile) fabric, don't skimp. Also, wrapping the pipe is not really necessary and I don't think there is any problem with corrugated...it has more entry holes/slits. Basically a pipe is opening a channel in the stone to allow for water to migrate and escape. It will get out.
I wonder about the amount of fabric and wrap to use. A few professionals here have demonstrated that with wet clay like soil it clogs the water from going through. I'm thinking about 3 inches of rock, lay pipe, more gravel on top. Then a 12 inch strip of the fabric laid across the top of the rocks and then fill with dirt
Great I learned a lot! I do have a question though, brcause my house was built directly on the ground, not even a crawl space; when there is a down pour I get flooding every time in the veranda going under all of the stuff and bringing in debree, would I follow the same technique? the excess water also seeps into the concrete walls!
we used both for this. and the pipe comes out of the hill farther down, so only the end is exposed, so the water can drain out, the rest is buried. thx!
my issue with the corrugated pipe is if its installed too shallow in the soil, and you drive a car or heavy equipment over it, you can crush the pipe. but i see it installed everywhere, so good to hear. thx!
Rigid pipe for sure. However, I have bought multiple yards of the bending kind, so have found ways to use it over the years, but not for french drains.
Do you find that the top soil over the rock has hampered your drainage or caused sediment to enter the drain pipe? How long has it been since you did this and have you encountered and further issues? Also can you provide links for the materials you used?
After a lot of rain the soil around my bi-level can't hold the water and seeps through part of the foundation it finds cracks. Which do you think is better, the French Drain System or Interior Drain System with sump pump? There seem to be a debate & it only affects part of the house. Thanks for your response.
if it seeps in, you probably need the french drain at the bottom exterior of the wall, its then called a curtain drain. it is a roll of the dice. sometimes the interior one fixes it, sometimes not. with the curtain drain, you have a backhoe in your yard and a deep trench away from the house.
Inside sump pump system is the last line of defense. Can you collect surface water outside and drain thru gravity? A lot easier, cheaper and works much, much better. You don't want a french drain too close to your house. SURFACE WATER-Solid pipe and collection system. GROUND WATER-French Drain System.
once the gravel is put back up to lawn level, what kind of load could you put on top of it? Could you put 5 railway sleepers stacked up on top do you think (that's about 40Kg per linear metre each, so 200Kg per metre) and will the load be OK/dispersed or will it crush the pipe? I guess it depends on how deep the pipe is, so lets say 450mm ?
How deep does the trench have to be to stop water from seeping into my basement? I don't have a lot of water, about 1/2 of the trench inside the basement is full.
Watch and see how the water drains toward your house and put the French drain in that path. Also look up what is a called a swale, you can make one and put the gravel drain in the bottom of the swale.
Two ways I can think of to do that that shouldn't over load the system. 1) the best way is, run a second solid pipe to the point where your outlet pipe goes to solid pipe. This could still lead to over load. A larger diameter outlet pipe from that point on might help. 2) I've never tried this but I think it would work. Do not make an actual connection, just run the roof drains down to the stone level. Let it filter into the pipe. I watched a home improvement show on PBS where they ran the roof drain down into a large flower pot filled with stone, that had holes added to the bottom to let the water out.
there have been a few comments like this one Joe, but the local contractor I talked to about this uses the PVC pipe. The flexible pipe can crush easily according to him. I'm curious to learn more. thx!
Use Non-Woven Geo Fabric #4 or #8 DONT USE Landscape fabric, don't just buy anything and think it will work for a long time. Also look for the yellow 8 slot holes per groove in the pipe. Much better water flow. The slots go all the way around the pipe. Not available in big box stores yet. I'm not sure who all sells it but baughmantile does.
Scott _____ there is no standard set by the Civil engineers, or ASTM on which fabric is used. For that reason any could be used and it’s opinion and personal preference. Why so many holes in the pipe? What is the drainage requirements of the system? How would the system benefit from using that pipe compared to one similar, but with less holes? It’s the slope on a pipe and its size that determines the gpm a system will discharge at the end. Now you see why he has his comment section turned off. Good sales man. I’ll give him that 👍
@@Bellislawns Thanks for the comment B&B. I have no faith in the ez-flow system you use. The reason I like the Non-woven Geo fabric is totally because of a video I watched demonstrating how quickly water passes thru it (fast drainage) whereas the more common fabric was very slow and the water kind of passed over the top. So it's not from my personal experience. I'm just trying to figure out a solution to my drainage problems. The water from 5 large yards ( each one averages 10k sq ft) drains into a space of 12 ft shared by my neighbor and myself. I wish I could attach pics of the flooding that has occurred. I"m searching for answers. 1) Should I outlet my downspout water into the french drain or should I use a seperate solid pipe? (2) Is it ok to join a french drain into a solid pipe to carry out to the curb (80ft) 3) Is it better to use the Baughman's Tile type of corregated drain pipe (yellow pipe) it has larger slits and they are all the way around so if your french drain trench is overwhelmed with water it can also let the water on top of the pipe drain out as well.
Great video, I have been thinking about doing this for a while now. Why wouldn't you want to install the rain gutter down spout into your french drain?
if the french drain pipe is clogged , the rain from the gutter will back up into perf pipe, doing exactly the opposite of what you want a french drain to do, which is to drain water away. thx!
A few questions. I need to install this type of drain along the side of my house. How, of should I, connect my gutter drain to the curtain drain? The issue is that the water goes into the foundation from the side of the house and the two gutter drains that I have on that side also don't help keep the water away. I would have to drain them through the curtain drain. Should I attack a pipe to the vertical gutter drains? Also, I've seen people use a 'catch box'. What is the benefit of that?
do not connect your roof drain pipe to the french drain. all that does is put more water along your foundation wall. run a separate pipe away from the house for the roof drain.
One of the best videos of how you do it. Thank you
The first pipe must enter the second - not the other way around. Nice video! Thank you!
Finally!! A step by step guide to installing a drain, and also finding a video of my exact problem, THANK YOU!!!
happy to help Debbie. its ideal if you can find what is called 'washed stone' for the drain. it has been washed to remove stone dust, which can clog up some of the filter fabric. don't by the cheap filter fabric, you get what you pay for. thx!
Great video. Thanks for taking the time to explain and show how to use the sock and fabric. Your video will help me to complete my drainage project.
Great to hear Serge, my French drain works well. Less water in the basement. Thx!
dogs so cute talking and having fun. good job gravel on bottom too
Thanks Linda, seems there are strong opinions on drain pipe holes and all. Thx!
Yeah...the dogs are the stars of the video!
I'm getting ready to put a French Drain in very soon. Thanks for the great video!
Glad I could help. Read through the comments. There is some helpful (and not so helpful) info people have contributed. Be sure to wash the stone before coveRing the pipe with it. Gets all the dust off that could clog the mesh. Thx! Eric.
Hi. Given that I'm dealing with a similar landscape scenario, I'm exploring this method. You did a nice job explaining. Thank You!
Nice job! Very helpful to me. I've seen so many videos where people ignore the filter fabric and the sock. Those are critical for keeping dirt and mud from clogging the system.
Not true, depends on soil. If it's clay mud you don't need the fabric. If it's sand, you will. Watch videos of fabric drainage tests. They don't really work.
Rocks, pipe on rocks, pour rocks on top, cover with top soil.
One quick tip... Put a little layer of gravel for the pipe to sit in. Then do not glue the end on. You may need it for a clean out years later???
yes, i made sure not to glue the cap just for that reason. thx!
Thanks for good video. I am purchasing a house, and will have to do something like this. Happy to see a simple explanation of what will need to be done.
I appreciate the clear steps on your video. Best DIY French Drain video I have found.
Is there a reason why some people use 2inches of gravel underneath the drain pipe? Having the pipe low to collect the most water possible as you did seems to make sense.
JAMES LASTER Gravel underneath is another way to keep dirt clogging the holes on the pipe. If you lay it on dirt, even with the filter, there’s still a higher chance of clogging.
@@thewhiteelephant That is what I have found to happen. The soil at the bottom of the trench clings to the fabric which clings to the pipe and seals off the holes. A small layer of rock keeps them more open for water to enter the pipe.
Thanks for the advice, this man knows his drainage!
Thanks - from UK
Awesome video for the -"do it yourselfer". I LOVE your dog(s), nice touch! As for the securing of the sock what I'd do...is use a coupling for that size of pipe but cut it so it is just a "ring" and tap that on to secure the sock. Tap it on with a hammer and a wooden shim. You can even drimmel it so it will indeed "slide" to where it needs to remain...Now the video I need is one that will show how to build a culvert out of stone or natural material instead of expensive corrugated aluminum drain pipe. This culvert will be burried as I have an arroyo in the back of my house that gets flow at sporatic times during the year and I want to cover the culvert entirely with dirt so I won't have a ditch in my back yard!
I’ve seen this question asked many times. Once you have water contained in a closed pipe as your gutter and down spout are you want to transport it to the exit point not transfer it into a French drain pipe which has holes in it. Some will somehow get out of the holes.
I like how you used the end cap to secure the sock. I don't like how you secured it at the pipe joint. I feel like that's an area that could clog. or dam up some silt. Probably not really a problem. Just my $0.02. I learn a lot from your channel. This is one area I have experience. Keep the videos coming. Always looking forward to them coming out.
thx James, i don't see a lot of water coming out of this pipe going forward, but appreciate your experience, thanks for taking the time to write. eric.
Thank you for this video i have a barn that i use for garage sales it is down hill from my house and i dont have excess of money this looks pretty reasonable on price it also got flooded very high and we have had such heavy rains this year need french drain to drie it out
I know it's an older video and I haven't read all the comments, but you should be able to tie in your gutter to that drainage system. You shouldn't ever feed gutter water into a French drain if it is being used for drainage purposes, but after your French drain ends and you tie into the solid pipe you can put a wye fitting on it angled towards the downhill portion.
in the first minute i realized that there's no point in me watching this vid but u r so entertaining that i ended up watching it till the end XD now what do i do with this knowledge lol!
The dogs are the best.
Excellent demonstration...thanks.
i'm going to install another one of these next month, thx!
Did this French drain keep your basement dry? I’ve watched a ton of videos that recommend using 6-10 mil poly from the foundation to line the trench prior to lining with the gravel. I’m preparing to build a french drain in the spring to help divert some ground water away from a basement wall. Just curious if this worked for you. Great video!
The only thing I would add, always use the bell end of a pipe as the entrance, not an exit. If you use the bell as the exit, water can seep out through the bell. Not a big deal on a French drain normally, but it can be when you switch over to the solid pipe.
The bell end, is that the holes pointing upwards?
Henry and other dog are lovely! Thanks for video, trying to find out how to drain my allotment wich right now is more a pond..
This is great. The other video didn't have a sock mesh for the pipe or the white filter fabric. I'm trying to keep it simple so will skip any step I can to save time, effort and money. I have a simple job but not hundreds $ budget. With rigid pipe I could check the slope with a level....all that work and I begin to wonder, what if you just dug a retention pond?
Good video, in landscape construction we don’t call it boundary, it is trimming or edging.
Lol oh Charlie! U and your buddy made the video!!
Thank you for helping me figure out my particular drainage issue. This was VERY helpful. Cheers!
That's awesome. Looking forward to seeing a part two of this with the finished boundary.
not sure if i'll do a follow up Steve, it can be a challenge growing grass on this part of the yard, lots of foot, tractor, and dog traffic. we'll see how it goes. thx!
In the north frost heave will break apart the joints on rigid pipe. Especially thinwall
Why is that? I am also in Wisconsin and wondering how deep to bury this? It's just to get rid of water flooding in the yard do I have to go below frost line???
Check out Apple Drains. No need to push sock inside. You need water to run thru. If u want to wrap it, lay material in trench, lay stone and pipe and then overlap material over the pipe and pin it. You need to make sure water can penetrate the material. You don't always need to wrap pipe. You can use easy drain pipe that's already wrapped with no stone underneath and cover up with stone or dirt u shoveled out. Corrugated with slots all around is better for bending .
Great video , very informative. We too have a steep hill with lots of flooding problems. We thought about adding some landscape edging and we decided against it. which brings me to my question: Won't adding the landscape edging defer or keep the sheet of water running down the hill from getting into the French drain?
edging wont do much to deter water from where it wants to go. drains work well if done right. thx!
Good job
Great job of explaining things. Good job! The corrugated doesn't work as well for certain applications a pain to handle sometimes too.
yes, i have found the corrugated to be hard to handle, but it does have its uses. i have always thought the corrugated would be more likely to catch silt because of the valleys inside the pipe.
You are correct about that, the crevices slow the flow of water. Had some for our pond outlet with the holes, didn't see them when we bought the pipe LOL you aren't the only one who has troubles. The flex is good mostly when you have elevational changes that aren't gradual. Doesn't work well for french drain at all.
yeah, the slits in the corrugated are hard to see at first. also it seems the corrugated could be crushed if its too close to the surface and you drove over it with a heavy load in a trailer, etc.
You are correct about that.
How does it feel to be the supporting cast to the two yellow Stars of the show? lol I first started watching because of them subscribed because of great content. thanks for all you do.
the Labs are great, make every day a good one. thx!
Give us a kiss henry
Great video. You made hard work look fun
Nice lesson 👌👍
Awesome video. I love the dogs too. Thank you for the tutorial.
+Sweet T great. I have to put in another drain next week. Thx!
LOL!!!! "Well, that's a Labrador." Labs rock!
yeah, the Labs are great, the love tennis balls!
I like that you put the filter fabric around all the gravel and still use a sock.. That's the best way
Few things:
Don't need filter fabric around solid pipe
Don't need to put gravel over fabric after it's folded over...can just put dirt on top
I would put a 2" layer of gravel below the pipe before laying the pipe down
good to know, thanks for those tips. i wanted gravel on top as this sits right up against the board and batten wall of the porch, and didn't want dirt and grass growing there, thx!
Good job. Thanks for posting this.
Great find Clear simple info and like the entertainment value - any tips on the downspout drain extension? We used corrugated as the pipe product but still getting softspot at the entry point in heavy rainfall - can we start first 6-8 feet with solid the switch to corrugated?
there might be a clog? i would use solid as far as possible. - eric
Just subscribed to your channel. Really like the way you explain things. I have plans to install a much needed french drain in my backyard. It's a hill that seeps water to my patio at the bottom.The water doesnt seen to hit the house but, causes minor flooding on the patio. Where should I install the pipes and do I need one of the drain boxes of can I simply lead the water to the street side? Thanks.
Very well explained. Thanks for the video.
LOL "Are you hungry?" My cats just all came to attention.
Great video, love your dog!
I’m renovating my garden because there was an 8-10 layer of clay under ~10 inches of top soil, after 2 years the soil has become saturated and is now ruined. I’ve taken all the ruined soil and clay out and I’m now left with a 20 inch excavation plus a soakaway which I have centred in the middle. I’m putting down a layer of drainage gravel on the base and having that channel towards to soakaway, and on top of that premium quality top soil. I’m thinking 8 inch layer of gravel and 12 inch layer of soil with a pourous membrane separating them. Would this be ok to grow grass on? Many thanks
Thank you !
Where did you buy the socks?
very useful video ..thank you :) as this was done some years ago , did the drain work OK ..how has the snow melt been ?
Hi Andrew, this has worked well. the one mistake I made was having the bell side of the pipes facing uphill, but it works well. quality geotextile fabric is key. - Eric.
@@gardenforkBell end towards uphill is correct, i think, towards the water source 🤔
Great video! Thanks!
I have a box drain at the end of the area I want to add my french drain. ( We had significant drainage issues in the past and all but one section is now draining beautifully. This is along the fence and gets pretty muddy and wet throughout the year. I don't have a daylight section here since I have a a box drain. If I end it near the box drain, will it connect and drain out this way?
Thank you!!
What is the fabric you use? Seems very wide. Found the sleeve and filter sock.
the filter fabric is available from contractor supply yards, the home improvment stores don't sell it.
Very well explained!
Excellent video! Nice step-by-step explanation. One question--would it be a problem to run perforated pipe the entire length of the trench to where the pipe daylights? My land has a steep incline, and water builds up like a swamp. I know there is more work involved in running perforated pipe the entire length, and more expense (landscape fabric, sock, stone, etc.), but in my case I was hoping doing so would increase drainage. Thanks!
I’m not an engineer but it makes sense to me. Thx!
Do you then put dirt and grass back over the solid pipe or just leave it with gravel on top?
Nice job on the project and great job on the video too...
good to hear, i look forward to a drier basement now too. thx!
You can wrap that stuff you put in a garden that prevents weeds but allows water to go through , comes in big rolls...forget the actual name but may be cheaper to use if the piping is really long. Works well in my yard anyway
Watched numerous videos of drainage fabric is actually restricting compared to just laying the pipe on rocks, laying pipe in, then laying rock on top. No need for more restriction.
Tell us again what type of gravel to use. Would you suggest we put drain pipe right next to basement edge? How about painting the basement to waterproof it?
painting the inside wall will not do much IMO, until you deal with the water outside the wall. 3/4" washed gravel is best
Great video. I have railroad tracks behind my new house on top of a steep hill, may have to do a very expensive retainer wall and put french drain on side of wall. I really didnt understand facing holes down before, I though the idea was to trap water in a U shaped trench surrounded by pastic and force water to the end. Wont the landscape fabric just allow the water to seep into the ground ?
water seeks the easiest path, and its easier to run through the gravel into the holes in the pipe than to seep back into the ground. the water will collect in the empty spaces between the gravel, make its way down to the bottom of the trench, and enter the holes in the pipe. much easier path than traveling through dirt. thx!
Hi thanks for the video. Is there any recommended depth? or is it site dependant?
I'd say it's site dependent however the deeper (or wider) the better. It's more work but the trench will have more volume and thus can grab more water. He makes a good point to use a quality (non-woven geotextile) fabric, don't skimp. Also, wrapping the pipe is not really necessary and I don't think there is any problem with corrugated...it has more entry holes/slits. Basically a pipe is opening a channel in the stone to allow for water to migrate and escape. It will get out.
I wonder about the amount of fabric and wrap to use. A few professionals here have demonstrated that with wet clay like soil it clogs the water from going through. I'm thinking about 3 inches of rock, lay pipe, more gravel on top. Then a 12 inch strip of the fabric laid across the top of the rocks and then fill with dirt
What size and type of gravel is best? My old drain had pebble grit, which I think is too small for ventilation and drainage
3/4” washed stone is what we use
Great job! Also congratulations on 75k subscribers on RUclips!!
thx Jim!
Great drainage system, Eric!
this will be a great help when the snow melt tries to flood my basement.
Great!!! But what if my hose is not on a hill but on flat land! How do I keep the water away?👍
Perhaps you should dig the trench in a slight slope from the beginning toward the end (drain outlet).
Love the dogs !!
Fun video and I learned something, thanks!
Thanks for the video. You are so cool! Nice job!
and the drain works!
Great I learned a lot! I do have a question though, brcause my house was built directly on the ground, not even a crawl space; when there is a down pour I get flooding every time in the veranda going under all of the stuff and bringing in debree, would I follow the same technique? the excess water also seeps into the concrete walls!
look up apple drains they have alot of videos to
Very helpful video. Did you use a shovel or a machine to dig the trench? Is the daylight pipe exposed?
we used both for this. and the pipe comes out of the hill farther down, so only the end is exposed, so the water can drain out, the rest is buried. thx!
Hey bro, great video, thanks for the how to!! I'm installing some French drains right now so that's really gonna help!!! Great dogs as well!!
great. make sure to use clean stone, stone dust will clog the filter fabric.
the black perforated drainage pipe works just fine. I install it all around my home and after eight years it works just fine without all the filters.
my issue with the corrugated pipe is if its installed too shallow in the soil, and you drive a car or heavy equipment over it, you can crush the pipe. but i see it installed everywhere, so good to hear. thx!
easiest way I have seen thank you
Rigid pipe for sure. However, I have bought multiple yards of the bending kind, so have found ways to use it over the years, but not for french drains.
Looks good.
thx!
Do you find that the top soil over the rock has hampered your drainage or caused sediment to enter the drain pipe? How long has it been since you did this and have you encountered and further issues?
Also can you provide links for the materials you used?
If you use the sediment filter material the soil should not enter the drain.
Fun diy to watch. Nice fun couple. :)
Eric I've never had any good luck holding back the grass from the gravel. What kind are you going to use?
roundup, in moderation, works. or you can get that plastic rubber grass barrier stuff.
Nice video, thank you for the info. Q: Are you going to seal your foundation?
i didn't dig deep enough to seal the foundation, but that would be a good thing to do. thx!
Like your dog and video well done.
Thanks
thx!
After a lot of rain the soil around my bi-level can't hold the water and seeps through part of the foundation it finds cracks. Which do you think is better, the French Drain System or Interior Drain System with sump pump? There seem to be a debate & it only affects part of the house.
Thanks for your response.
if it seeps in, you probably need the french drain at the bottom exterior of the wall, its then called a curtain drain. it is a roll of the dice. sometimes the interior one fixes it, sometimes not. with the curtain drain, you have a backhoe in your yard and a deep trench away from the house.
Inside sump pump system is the last line of defense. Can you collect surface water outside and drain thru gravity? A lot easier, cheaper and works much, much better. You don't want a french drain too close to your house. SURFACE WATER-Solid pipe and collection system. GROUND WATER-French Drain System.
Good well done 👍
once the gravel is put back up to lawn level, what kind of load could you put on top of it? Could you put 5 railway sleepers stacked up on top do you think (that's about 40Kg per linear metre each, so 200Kg per metre) and will the load be OK/dispersed or will it crush the pipe? I guess it depends on how deep the pipe is, so lets say 450mm ?
I would use a thicker pipe if there is weight on top. Thx!
Where do you get those at
Thank you for the video
How deep does the trench have to be to stop water from seeping into my basement? I don't have a lot of water, about 1/2 of the trench inside the basement is full.
Do I need to put the trench against my house or can I dig it say 500mm from the house to really keep water from getting to the house..
You can put it anywhere as long as the water settles there. You can grade the yard so the water drains to the drain.
Thanks! hope to prevent water getting under the house to begin with :)
Watch and see how the water drains toward your house and put the French drain in that path. Also look up what is a called a swale, you can make one and put the gravel drain in the bottom of the swale.
WHY HOLES DOWN ON FRENCH DRAIN YOUR TRYING TO KEEP WATER FROM GOING DOWN OR IS THIS FOR A HIGH WATER TABLE ? DONT UNDERSTAND TKS
Very cool and informative video, i subbed! :)
yeah!
Is there a way to tie in the roof drainage to the French drain? You said that's not a good idea, but could it work if you use a Y fitting?
Two ways I can think of to do that that shouldn't over load the system. 1) the best way is, run a second solid pipe to the point where your outlet pipe goes to solid pipe. This could still lead to over load. A larger diameter outlet pipe from that point on might help. 2) I've never tried this but I think it would work. Do not make an actual connection, just run the roof drains down to the stone level. Let it filter into the pipe.
I watched a home improvement show on PBS where they ran the roof drain down into a large flower pot filled with stone, that had holes added to the bottom to let the water out.
did you screen off the open end of the drain pipe to keep critters from making their nests and dens in it?
yes, i just did not show that. thx!
so did it work?
Yes, works great. Thx!
I heard its better to use flexible pipe instead of rigid in areas that freeze. the ground shifting from freezing and thawing can crack the rigid pipe
there have been a few comments like this one Joe, but the local contractor I talked to about this uses the PVC pipe. The flexible pipe can crush easily according to him. I'm curious to learn more. thx!
Use Non-Woven Geo Fabric #4 or #8 DONT USE Landscape fabric, don't just buy anything and think it will work for a long time. Also look for the yellow 8 slot holes per groove in the pipe. Much better water flow. The slots go all the way around the pipe. Not available in big box stores yet. I'm not sure who all sells it but baughmantile does.
You've been watching the French Drain Man.
@@idontcare1762 yes. You think he is not good? I don't like that he does not allow comments on his videos
@@desperado77760 I think the French Drain Man is good. If I built a french drain I would build it the way he does.
Scott _____ there is no standard set by the Civil engineers, or ASTM on which fabric is used. For that reason any could be used and it’s opinion and personal preference.
Why so many holes in the pipe? What is the drainage requirements of the system? How would the system benefit from using that pipe compared to one similar, but with less holes? It’s the slope on a pipe and its size that determines the gpm a system will discharge at the end.
Now you see why he has his comment section turned off. Good sales man. I’ll give him that 👍
@@Bellislawns Thanks for the comment B&B. I have no faith in the ez-flow system you use. The reason I like the Non-woven Geo fabric is totally because of a video I watched demonstrating how quickly water passes thru it (fast drainage) whereas the more common fabric was very slow and the water kind of passed over the top. So it's not from my personal experience. I'm just trying to figure out a solution to my drainage problems. The water from 5 large yards ( each one averages 10k sq ft) drains into a space of 12 ft shared by my neighbor and myself. I wish I could attach pics of the flooding that has occurred. I"m searching for answers. 1) Should I outlet my downspout water into the french drain or should I use a seperate solid pipe? (2) Is it ok to join a french drain into a solid pipe to carry out to the curb (80ft) 3) Is it better to use the Baughman's Tile type of corregated drain pipe (yellow pipe) it has larger slits and they are all the way around so if your french drain trench is overwhelmed with water it can also let the water on top of the pipe drain out as well.
nice job
thx!
Great video, I have been thinking about doing this for a while now. Why wouldn't you want to install the rain gutter down spout into your french drain?
if the french drain pipe is clogged , the rain from the gutter will back up into perf pipe, doing exactly the opposite of what you want a french drain to do, which is to drain water away. thx!
ianalexa I
A few questions. I need to install this type of drain along the side of my house. How, of should I, connect my gutter drain to the curtain drain? The issue is that the water goes into the foundation from the side of the house and the two gutter drains that I have on that side also don't help keep the water away. I would have to drain them through the curtain drain. Should I attack a pipe to the vertical gutter drains? Also, I've seen people use a 'catch box'. What is the benefit of that?
do not connect your roof drain pipe to the french drain. all that does is put more water along your foundation wall. run a separate pipe away from the house for the roof drain.