Key takeaways
- Water moves downhill and finds the weakest base.
- Grade away from the house at about five percent for the first ten feet.
- French drains, channel drains and downspout lines each solve different problems.
- Fixing water later costs more than planning it now.
Follow the water
Walk the yard during a heavy rain. Note where roof water lands, where puddles sit and where the neighbor's runoff arrives. These flow paths decide where drains, swales and slopes should go.
A patio built across a wet spot will settle, and one that slopes toward the house invites foundation trouble.
The tools
Grading shapes the surface so water leaves. Channel drains catch surface water at a patio edge. French drains collect groundwater in a gravel trench. Downspout lines carry roof water away in solid pipe. Dry creek beds and rain gardens slow and soak up runoff.
Each has a job. Using the wrong one is a common reason a yard stays wet.
Plan the outlet first
Every drain needs somewhere safe to send water: a storm drain, a daylight pipe, a dry well or a rain garden. We design the outlet before we dig the trench.
Related services
Quick answers
How do I know if I need a French drain?
If the yard stays soggy for days after rain, water pools against the foundation or a patio area stays wet, a French drain may help. A site visit tells for sure.
Can drainage be added after the patio is built?
Often, but it can mean cutting into the work. Planning drainage first saves money.
Ready to talk it through? Get a free estimate or call 615-431-3789.