How to Install Landscape Drainage

If water is collecting or stagnating in your landscape then it means that there is a low area there and the water is not able to drain. If water keeps pooling and if the pooling is close to the foundation of your house, it can cause problems to the building in the long run. Additionally, you may find fungi growing in your lawn due to water pooling. The best option is to install proper landscape drainage so that water does not collect anywhere.

The things you need to install landscape drainage are, wooden stakes to mark the line, the gravel that you need to fill the ditch, PVC pipes for the water to flow, measuring tape to measure the distance, landscaping fabric for the gravel, landscaping staples to staple the fabric, PVC pipe connectors for the pipes to be connected and not to forget a shovel to dig.

First, you need to earmark the area where the water pools usually. You need to have wooden stakes with you and you need to use them to create a line that is straight and goes upwards from the point of water pooling. From the point that is higher than the water, pooling finds the nearest ditch where the water drains. Now you need to create a line that goes to the draining ditch and you can mark these with wooden stakes again. Ensure that the line that you are creating will take the water as far away from the foundation of your home as possible.

Next, you need to start digging the ditch or trench from the starting point. The trench should be a foot wide and 2 feet deep. The trick is to create a ditch as straight as possible, if you find any impediments in between, remove them, and ensure a clear path for the ditch. The ditch should be 2 feet deep at the starting point, after 10 feet of digging, your ditch should be 2 feet 1 inch in depth, after another 10 feet, the depth should be 2 feet 2 inches. Every 10 feet the ditch should be 1 inch more in-depth. The reason for the increase in depth is because water will flow easily and not stagnate.

Once the digging is complete, you need to place the landscaping fabric inside the ditch and then place the PVC pipes along the ditch. The pipes should be connected using the PVC connectors and the connection should be perfect. After placing the pipes you should fill the ditch with gravel. Do not fill the ditch completely, leave at least 4-6 inches for the dirt that you had removed from the ditch. After filling the gravel, staple the landscaping fabric over it and cover the ditch with the dirt. Level the ground and you are done.

This is a very long process and if you do not do this properly, you will face a recurring of the problem. The ideal solution is to hire drainage experts who will be able to solve the problem easily.