SPIKER
Elite Member
Hi all:
As you know I've built my barn and are getting ready for concrete, prior to getting there I want to install drain tile on the up-hill sides of the barn and drain the edges around the barn to some french drains.
here is what I've done so far.
both sides are dug down ~20" from grade now and one end leads away from the barn about 30' and I dug down to about 5' x 10' long x 16" wide. the ground around here has a gravel layer at about 4' deep and is 60% gravel or more. what I want to do is add some large block chunks, (broken basement type block) in the deep part as the french drain section. ) I figure with the depth and the gravel stradda I don't need a LOT of area for the drain and this is just surface water. (alsop now roof runoff water) as later I will install gutters and a cistern to catch & water garden with the runoff water.
anyhow what I'm thinking about doing is lining the trench with land scape fabric, back filling with some #57 wash gravel to just above the 4" perf tile. then take Plastic Sheeting and staple it to the barn 2x6 T&G boards, the plastic would only force the water out away from the barn sides by about 3' where it stops and then the plastic will end just above the tile. taking one side of the landscape fabric and wrapping it over the tile & #57's and the plastic ends above that. thinking the surface water running off the barn sides will hit plastic and flow out away from barn into the fabric covered stone & tile then run down into the french drains.
I have the 57's on-hand now as I hauled them in back during early construction of the barn. intending to use them as base build up filler, but I got wrong stuff... (it is not compact-able.) I will also mix in some of the 57's with the block chunks . and over coat the hole thing with land scape fabric @ or about 6" down. I have to build up the sides of the barn some 10" above the tile yet, but that will come later, and there will probably still be enough 57's as a top coat right along the barn 24~36" out and 2~3" deep. just as a erosion barrier...
anyhow am I thinking too hard or is this too much overkill?
also I have a Weeping willow on the North Side 25~30 feet away. the roots are already grown up-to the barn edge as the barn keeps the moisture there, one of the reasons for the tile. I MAY cut a 2nd tile out 10' from the barn to prevent root growth getting any closer.?
I will post a few photos on my web site, this week and link back to them later to show progress.
anyhow the biggest thing is will the french drain DRAIN the water for now as the roof runoff is going to keep coming until I can save for gutters, & windows. (ran out of work and the money stopped so I can't spend much.) my CUT backhoe digs nice to about 4' and after that is slows way down there was going to be a 4'x4'x6'deep cistern @ the drain tile end, (no bottom with block walls concrete filled and a cover, with a Wishing Well on top) gravel bottom and a 36" dia round access hole with a Hand Pump or maybe a Sump Pump to Water garden with.) this WILL happen but only Later, the gutters will then be tied into the 4" perf tile and feed into this pit/cistern. letting it empty will be a no biggie to me, even if it only acts as a accumulator during hard rains. I'll add an overflow during it's construction and a new bigger french drain.
thoughts ideas ect...
mark M
As you know I've built my barn and are getting ready for concrete, prior to getting there I want to install drain tile on the up-hill sides of the barn and drain the edges around the barn to some french drains.
here is what I've done so far.
both sides are dug down ~20" from grade now and one end leads away from the barn about 30' and I dug down to about 5' x 10' long x 16" wide. the ground around here has a gravel layer at about 4' deep and is 60% gravel or more. what I want to do is add some large block chunks, (broken basement type block) in the deep part as the french drain section. ) I figure with the depth and the gravel stradda I don't need a LOT of area for the drain and this is just surface water. (alsop now roof runoff water) as later I will install gutters and a cistern to catch & water garden with the runoff water.
anyhow what I'm thinking about doing is lining the trench with land scape fabric, back filling with some #57 wash gravel to just above the 4" perf tile. then take Plastic Sheeting and staple it to the barn 2x6 T&G boards, the plastic would only force the water out away from the barn sides by about 3' where it stops and then the plastic will end just above the tile. taking one side of the landscape fabric and wrapping it over the tile & #57's and the plastic ends above that. thinking the surface water running off the barn sides will hit plastic and flow out away from barn into the fabric covered stone & tile then run down into the french drains.
I have the 57's on-hand now as I hauled them in back during early construction of the barn. intending to use them as base build up filler, but I got wrong stuff... (it is not compact-able.) I will also mix in some of the 57's with the block chunks . and over coat the hole thing with land scape fabric @ or about 6" down. I have to build up the sides of the barn some 10" above the tile yet, but that will come later, and there will probably still be enough 57's as a top coat right along the barn 24~36" out and 2~3" deep. just as a erosion barrier...
anyhow am I thinking too hard or is this too much overkill?
also I have a Weeping willow on the North Side 25~30 feet away. the roots are already grown up-to the barn edge as the barn keeps the moisture there, one of the reasons for the tile. I MAY cut a 2nd tile out 10' from the barn to prevent root growth getting any closer.?
I will post a few photos on my web site, this week and link back to them later to show progress.
anyhow the biggest thing is will the french drain DRAIN the water for now as the roof runoff is going to keep coming until I can save for gutters, & windows. (ran out of work and the money stopped so I can't spend much.) my CUT backhoe digs nice to about 4' and after that is slows way down there was going to be a 4'x4'x6'deep cistern @ the drain tile end, (no bottom with block walls concrete filled and a cover, with a Wishing Well on top) gravel bottom and a 36" dia round access hole with a Hand Pump or maybe a Sump Pump to Water garden with.) this WILL happen but only Later, the gutters will then be tied into the 4" perf tile and feed into this pit/cistern. letting it empty will be a no biggie to me, even if it only acts as a accumulator during hard rains. I'll add an overflow during it's construction and a new bigger french drain.
thoughts ideas ect...
mark M