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I Tried a Bunch of French Drain Diagrams. Here’s What Actually Helped.

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Quick outline:

  • Why I needed a French drain
  • What I look for in a good diagram
  • Three real projects I did, and what worked
  • My mistakes (so you can skip them)
  • The “perfect” diagram in plain words
  • Tools, cost, and a tiny checklist

You know what? Water has a way of finding you. For me, it found my basement wall, my side yard, and then my patio. So I went hunting for a clear French drain diagram. I tried a few. Some were great. Some made a mess. Here’s my honest take from doing the work with my own hands.
If you need a quick visual primer before you break ground, the concise sketch over at La Petite France does a surprisingly good job of highlighting slope, gravel depth, and exit options. Their more detailed breakdown—fittingly titled I Tried a Bunch of French Drain Diagrams. Here’s What Actually Helped—also gave me a sanity check before I started digging.

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What a Good Diagram Must Show

I learned this the wet way. A good French drain diagram should show:

  • Slope arrows and numbers (about 1 inch drop every 8–10 feet)
  • The pipe type (smooth wall PVC or corrugated) and where the holes face
  • Gravel size (3/4" crushed rock, not pea gravel)
  • Fabric wrap around the gravel and pipe (non-woven geotextile)
  • Cleanouts with caps, so you can flush the line
  • Where the water goes at the end (daylight, a pop-up emitter, or a dry well)
  • Setbacks from the house (I keep mine 3–5 feet away)
  • Tie-ins for downspouts, if needed
  • Depth lines, frost notes, and utility marks (call 811 first)

If a diagram leaves any of that out, I keep looking.

Real Example #1: The Backyard Soak Zone

After a spring storm, my grass turned to soup. My dog tracked mud like it was his job. I used the NDS yard drainage diagram as my base. It showed the layers well.
For anyone curious, the manufacturer’s own cross-section is posted on the EZ Flow French Drains page, and it matches what I saw on paper.

What I did:

  • Called 811. Then I laid string lines with a cheap line level.
  • Dug a trench about 18 inches deep and 12 inches wide.
  • Put down fabric. Added 4 inches of 3/4" crushed rock.
  • Laid 4" smooth-wall PVC with holes down. Yes, down. More on that later.
  • Added a T fitting mid-run for a cleanout. Cap on top.
  • Wrapped the pipe and gravel in fabric. Backfilled with soil.
  • Sent the pipe to a pop-up emitter near the sidewalk.

Tools I used:

  • Trenching shovel, mattock, and a hand tamper
  • Bosch laser level (nice, but a string level works fine)
  • A big Sharpie for slope marks on the pipe (though lately I’ve switched to French chalk because it shows up even on wet PVC)
  • Milwaukee M12 drain snake for cleaning later

Result: It worked. The diagram showed the slopes and the wrap, which saved me from clogs. Two storms later, the yard dried out a day faster. I could mow without leaving ruts. Win.

Tiny gripe: The diagram didn’t show root zones. My maple sent roots toward the trench by fall. I added a root barrier strip on one side. Not perfect, but it helped.

Real Example #2: The Side Yard River That Wouldn’t Quit

A YouTube sketch (not great) told me to point the pipe holes up. Another said down. I tried up first with corrugated pipe and a sock. It clogged with silt in a month. I could hear water gurgle, then nothing.

Fix that worked:

  • Swapped to 4" PVC (smooth wall), holes down.
  • Same fabric and gravel wrap.
  • I added a small catch basin at the low spot. Leaves land there first.
  • Cleanout at the start and the middle.

Result: No more standing water. I flushed it once in six months. Ten minutes with a hose and a shop vac. The diagram that helped here was a Family Handyman style sketch. Simple, but it told the story.
If you want their full walk-through, the publication’s illustrated guide on how to install a French drain lays it all out step by step.

Note: Holes down with gravel works well in my clay soil. In sandy soil, holes up can still be fine. The key is fabric wrap and enough gravel. That’s the part most folks miss.

Real Example #3: Patio Puddles and a Dry Well Oops

The patio held water near the step. I used a dry well kit (Flo-Well style) off a French drain. The brand diagram looked sharp. But I undersized it. My bad. A summer storm filled it fast, and the pop-up burped muddy water.

What I changed:

  • Added a second barrel tied to the first
  • Raised the overflow pipe an inch
  • Put a leaf screen on the catch basin upstream

Result: Problem solved. The second barrel was the trick. The updated diagram from the kit did show add-ons, but the size chart was buried in small print. I should have read it slower. With the patio finally drying out, I even hung some light drapes along the edge, and the French return curtain rods I chose kept the fabric from blowing into the now-vanished puddles.

My Favorite Diagrams (and Why)

  • NDS yard drain diagram: Best layering view. Shows cleanouts and pop-ups well.
  • Family Handyman style sketches: Good for “story of water.” Simple arrows. Easy to copy.
  • County extension sheets (mine was from the local office): Best for local soil tips and setbacks.

Least helpful: Random forum posts with no slope numbers. Nice folks, but guesswork.

What I Messed Up (So You Don’t)

  • I used pea gravel once. It packed tight and slowed flow. Use angular rock.
  • I skipped a cleanout on one run. I had to dig it back up. Never again.
  • I ended a pipe right at the mulch. It clogged with bark in a week. Use a pop-up emitter or daylight.
  • I ran a line too close to the foundation. I shifted it 3 feet out and added a shallow swale. Much better.

The “Perfect” French Drain Diagram, In Plain Words

Picture this, left to right:

  • A surface low spot with a small catch basin and grate
  • A trench, 12 inches wide, 18 inches deep
  • Non-woven fabric lining the trench, with enough to fold over the top
  • 4 inches of 3/4" crushed rock
  • 4" smooth PVC with holes down (mark the top line with a Sharpie so you keep level)
  • A T cleanout every 50 feet and at turns, with a cap at grade
  • More crushed rock up to 2 inches below the surface
  • Fabric folded over like a burrito
  • Soil or sod on top
  • Slope about 1 inch drop every 8–10 feet
  • End at daylight or a pop-up emitter, or to a dry well that’s sized for your rain

That’s the whole picture. If your diagram shows this, you’re golden.

Tools I Trusted

  • String level or laser level
  • Trenching shovel, mattock, and a digging bar
  • Hand tamper
  • Utility knife and PVC saw
  • Landscape staples for the fabric
  • Hose nozzle and a shop vac for cleanouts

Cost and Time

  • Pipe and fittings: About $150–$300 for a small yard run
  • Fabric and rock: $100–$250, based on length
  • Pop-up emitter or grate: $20–$40
  • Dry well kits: $80–$200 each
  • Time: A weekend for 40–60 feet if you’re healthy and stubborn

Tiny Checklist I Now Follow

  • Call 811

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