Perforated Drainage Pipe

jbrumberg · May 3, 2007

To All:

Mud season this year is proving to me that I must improve the drainage around my house and driveway

. I believe my best option is to trench and lay down that flexible 4" perforated plastic drainage pipe with a covering "sock". I am concerned however about how it will handle the weight of my 3K pound tractor. Any input as to my idea

and/or technique would be appreciated

. Jay

weldingisfun · May 3, 2007

This may help. Best Practices : Foundation : French Drains : HGTVPro.com

LoneCowboy · May 3, 2007

You cover that sock with rock around it and above it (so it drains)
and with thath rock and whatever sod, you can roll right over it with anything up to about 10,000/20,000lbs or so (I find big excavators do tend to crush them, but cars, regular tractors won't do boo)

Mickey_Fx · May 3, 2007

Done correctly, there is no problem from weight. Around here many/most commercial farms have laid flex drain pipe in the fields. With the size of equip used on these farms, your 3k# tractor is nothing.

johnk · May 3, 2007

Which way do the slots go? To the upside or downside?? I have heard different people say that did it different ways. What is the proper one.

fishpick · May 4, 2007

johnk said:
Which way do the slots go? To the upside or downside??

If you are using the flexible black stuff - it's usually perfed all the way around... so there is no orientation issues... (if you are going with this - try and get one kind with slots - not pin holes - less likely to clog up after 15 years...

If you are using the drilled white PVC - or other orientation needed pipe - the holes go down.

The water will perk up into the pipe and run along it... remember you must have a slope always going away from the house.

If you have the holes up - the trench will fill with water up to the holes in the pipe before it can get out... the issue here is you are creating an underground moat of sorts - bad!

JC-jetro · May 4, 2007

johnk said:
Which way do the slots go? To the upside or downside?? I have heard different people say that did it different ways. What is the proper one.

Holes on top to collect the water, no holes on the bottom to carry and move collected water to to the drain point by gravity (day lighted ) or pumped.

fishpick · May 4, 2007

JC-jetro said:
Holes on top to collect the water, no holes on the bottom to carry and move collected water to to the drain point by gravity (day lighted ) or pumped.

To have the holes on the top work correctly - you need to do some special things in trenching and filling... it's not the recommended method of installation.

Here's one of a LOT of Google-ed answers -
A Simple Trench Drain

Almost always - the holes go facing down.
Paving Expert - AJ McCormack & Son - Drainage - Land Drainage for Fields and Gardens

If you use the flexiable perfed all the way around pipe - you don't need to worry about orientation (but I think I already said that).