How to Build a French Drain

If you're having problems with standing water in your yard or a leaky basement, improper drainage is the culprit. Fix your water drainage issues once and for all by adding a French drain in just a few short steps.

By: Brian Patrick Flynn

Related To:

Drainage Pipe Emptying Into Pebbles

Hide the end of a drainage ditch with attractive pebbles.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Materials Needed:

shovel
striping spray paint
top soil
sand
6' drain pipe (or more, if needed)

roll of landscape fabric
gravel
turf
landscaping stones

Determine Area for Re-Routing and Draining

Locate the appropriate area of yard for excess water to be re-routed. Choose a location where the flow of water won't affect neighboring properties. Determine a slightly downward-sloping route at least 1 meter from walls or fencing that's clear of any obstructions such as posts, trees or shrubs. Tip: Drains that slope 6" for every 50 feet ensure the best result. Use striping spray paint to mark drainage route.

Spray Painting Ground With Orange Arrow

Outline where you plan to dig the drainage ditch with spray paint.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Create a Trench and Add Gravel

Referring to spray paint marks, use shovel to dig a 6" wide trench with a depth no greater than that of the nearest foundation (Image 1). Tip: Proper trenches run parallel to buildings and horizontally across slopes. Once trench is dug, add a 3" layer of gravel along bottom (Image 2).

Using a shovel dig a trench that is six inches wide to make a drainage ditch.

After digging a trench, place drainpipe atop fabric lining, add gravel layer and cover pipe completely. Leave approximately 5" between top of gravel and ground surface.

Digging a Drainage Ditch

Using a shovel dig a trench that is six inches wide to make a drainage ditch.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Add a Layer of Gravel to Trench

After digging a trench, place drainpipe atop fabric lining, add gravel layer and cover pipe completely. Leave approximately 5" between top of gravel and ground surface.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Add Fabric Lining

Use landscape fabric to line entire span of trench atop layer of gravel, leaving roughly 10" of excess fabric on each side of trench.

Covering Ditch and Rocks With Black Garbage Bag

Dump rocks into the drainage ditch in order to fill it in.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Insert Drain Pipe

Place drain pipe atop fabric lining, then add gravel, covering pipe completely. Leave approximately 5" between top of gravel and ground surface.

Lay the drainage pipe in a fabric lining in the dug ditch. Place drain pipe atop fabric lining, then add gravel, covering pipe completely. Leave approximately 5" between top of gravel and ground surface.

In the next step of building a French drain, place the drain pipe on top of a fabric lining. Add gravel until the pipe is completed covered. There should be 5 inches from the top of the gravel to the ground.

Are having problems with standing water in your yard? A French drain maybe what you need to solve your water issues. When burying the drainage pipe for a French drainage system in gravel, there should be about five inches from the top of the gravel to the surface of the ground.

Drainage Pipe in Fabric Lining

Lay the drainage pipe in a fabric lining in the dug ditch. Place drain pipe atop fabric lining, then add gravel, covering pipe completely. Leave approximately 5" between top of gravel and ground surface.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Bury Drain Pipe in Gravel

In the next step of building a French drain, place the drain pipe on top of a fabric lining. Add gravel until the pipe is completed covered. There should be 5 inches from the top of the gravel to the ground.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

French Drainage System

Are having problems with standing water in your yard? A French drain maybe what you need to solve your water issues. When burying the drainage pipe for a French drainage system in gravel, there should be about five inches from the top of the gravel to the surface of the ground.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Fold Over Excess Fabric Lining

Fold excess fabric over gravel, creating an overlap. This will help protect the lined drain pipe.

Outdoor Drainage System with Rocks

Bury drainage pipes with rocks in garden settings.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Fill and Cover Trench

Use shovel to fill trench with sand then topsoil. Cover sand and topsoil with turf and add a bed of stones around open end of drain pipe.

After securing the drainage pipe in the trench and adding a layer of sand, add a layer of topsoil for extra weight.

Fill Trench with Sand

Use shovel to fill trench with sand then topsoil. Cover sand and topsoil with turf and add a bed of stones around open end of drain pipe.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Add a Layer of Topsoil to Drainage Ditch

After securing the drainage pipe in the trench and adding a layer of sand, add a layer of topsoil for extra weight.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn