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First Things First: What is a French Drain and Why Do You Need One?

Before we grab shovels, let’s clear up the jargon. A French drain (people also call it a curtain drain or trench drain) is basically a gravel-filled trench with a perforated pipe hidden inside. Think of it as a secret gutter for your yard—it pulls surface water and groundwater away from places you don’t want it (like your foundation) and sends it somewhere it can go (like the street or a dry well).

The best part of the project we’re doing? The drain isn’t just a functional eyesore—it’s the base of your new landscape. The entire river rock bed acts like a giant sponge: water soaks through the rocks, into the drain, and away from your house. It’s two fixes in one. No more soggy foundation, no more high-maintenance mess. Win-win.

Step 1: The Prep Work - Clearing the Slate

Every good project starts with a clean canvas—and that means saying goodbye to the old, overgrown stuff. I’ll be honest: this part isn’t glamorous, but it’s non-negotiable. Skip it, and you’ll regret it later.

Removing Old Bushes and Landscaping

First up: yank out all the existing plants, bushes, and edging. Here’s what I wish I knew before I started:

Pro Tip: For bigger shrubs, a small chainsaw or reciprocating saw cuts through branches fast—but safety first! I once skipped safety glasses and got a piece of wood in my eye (minor, but scary). Wear glasses, hearing protection, and long pants. Shorts seem like a good idea until a thorny branch scrapes your leg. Trust me.

Once the branches are gone, you’ve got to dig out the stumps and root balls. Don’t even think about skipping this. I tried to leave a small stump once, and when I dug the trench later? Hit it with the shovel, bent the blade, and had to stop to buy a new one. Not worth it. Grab a sharp spade, an axe for tough roots, and use your body weight—leverage is your friend here. Dig around the stump, chop the roots, and yank. It’ll take 10 minutes per stump, max.

Marking Your New Bed and Establishing Grade

With the area cleared, it’s time to design your new bed. This is where you get to be creative—sort of. The shape is up to you, but the “grade” (the slope) is non-negotiable. Here’s how to do it:

Outline the Shape: Grab a can of white marking paint or a garden hose. I prefer a hose—you can bend it, adjust it, and erase mistakes by just moving it. Paint is permanent, so if you second-guess the curve? Too bad. A hose lets you say, “Wait, that looks weird—let’s fix it.”

Establish the Grade: This is the most important step. If you get this wrong, water will still pool by your house. The goal is a gentle slope: highest by the foundation, lowest at the edge of the bed. Start by digging down 1.5 to 2 inches along the painted/hosed edge. Then work your way back toward the house, removing less soil each time. When you’re done, the ground right next to your house should be the highest point—even water that doesn’t go into the drain will flow away. I used a level here to double-check, and it saved me from re-digging a section. Worth the extra 5 minutes.

Step 2: The Hard Part - Digging the Trench

Let’s be real: this is the worst part. My back was sore for two days after I did mine, but hear me out—get this right, and everything else is easy. Think of it as a workout with a reward (a dry yard!).

Your trench needs to run along the lowest point of your newly graded bed. For most yards, 10-12 inches wide and 14-18 inches deep is perfect. Here’s how to make it less miserable:

Tools for the Job: A spade and shovel work if your trench is short (under 20 feet). But if you’re going longer? Rent a power trencher or mini-excavator. I rented a trencher for $80 a day, and it cut my digging time from 4 hours to 45 minutes. My back still thanks me.

Digging Strategy: Start at the “outflow” end (the lowest part of the trench, where water will exit) and dig uphill toward the house. This way, you naturally keep a downward slope—no accidentally digging a “hill” in the trench where water gets stuck. I made that mistake once when I dug from the house out, and had to re-dig a 3-foot section. Ugh.

Checking the Slope: The pipe needs a 1% slope to drain with gravity. That sounds fancy, but it’s just 1/8 inch of downward tilt for every foot of pipe. Grab a 4-foot level, lay it in the bottom of the trench. If the bubble leans toward the house (the high side), you’re good. Move the level down the trench every few feet—no need for fancy tools, just common sense.

Step 3: The "Burrito" - Installing Fabric and Pipe

I call this the “burrito step” because it’s all about wrapping everything up tight—just like you would with rice and guacamole. This is where the drain starts to come together, so take your time.

Laying the Geotextile Fabric

Some people skip this. Don’t be that person. Non-woven geotextile fabric is the secret to a drain that lasts decades. It lets water pass through, but blocks silt, soil, and clay from clogging your pipe and gravel. I had a friend skip this once—his drain clogged in 11 months, and he had to dig the whole thing up again. Not fun.

Here’s how to lay it:

Roll out the fabric along the entire trench. A 4-foot wide roll is perfect for our 10-12 inch trench—you’ll have plenty left over to wrap later.

Push it down into the trench so it sits flat against the bottom and sides. No wrinkles—if it’s bunched up, silt can get in.

Use landscaping staples (the little U-shaped pins) to hold it to the edges. Wind loves to blow this stuff around while you work—I learned that the hard way when a gust took half my fabric into the neighbor’s yard. Staples fix that.

Placing the Perforated Pipe

You need a 4-inch corrugated, perforated pipe—corrugated means it’s flexible (so it bends if your trench isn’t perfectly straight) and strong, and perforated means it has tiny holes to let water in.

Lay the pipe flat on the bottom of the fabric-lined trench. No twisting—if it’s kinked, water can’t flow.

Important Note: If your pipe has holes only on one side? Point them DOWN. This lets water pool in the trench and rise into the pipe, instead of debris (leaves, dirt) falling in from above. I didn’t do this once (oops) and had to fish out a handful of leaves from the pipe a month later. Not a big deal, but avoidable.

Use a few heavy pavers or bricks to hold the pipe down. When you add gravel later, the pipe can float up—pavers keep it in place. I used old bricks I had in the garage—no need to buy anything new.

Step 4: Adding the Gravel

Gravel does two things: it holds the trench together, and it creates gaps (voids) so water can flow freely to the pipe. Pick the right kind, and this step is a breeze.

What Kind of Gravel? Stick with #57 washed river gravel. It’s round, about 1 to 1.5 inches big, and clean (no dust or sand). The round shape leaves perfect gaps for water—avoid jagged rocks or anything with fine particles. That dust clogs the drain over time. I made the mistake of buying “all-purpose gravel” once—it had sand in it, and I had to sift it before using it. Save yourself the hassle.

The Fill Process:

First, add a 2-3 inch layer of gravel UNDER the pipe. Some people skip this, but pros swear by it—it’s extra protection against silt. I did it, and my drain’s still clear 5 years later.

Set the pipe on top of this base layer (you already held it down with pavers, so it won’t move).

Fill the trench with gravel, making sure it surrounds the pipe on all sides. Keep going until the gravel is 3-4 inches below the ground surface—you need room for the decorative rock later.

Wrapping the "Burrito"

Now it’s time to close up the fabric—this is what makes the drain self-contained.

Pull out those landscaping staples you used earlier.

Fold one side of the excess fabric tightly over the gravel—like folding a burrito so the filling doesn’t fall out.

Fold the other side over the first, overlapping by at least 6 inches. No gaps—silt finds any opening.

Use the staples to secure the overlapped fabric. Now you’ve got a filter system that’ll keep your drain clean for years. I remember stepping back after this step thinking, “That actually looks like it works.” Spoiler: it did.

Step 5: The Finishing Touches - River Rock & Planting

The hard work’s done—now it’s time to make it pretty. This is the part where you’ll look at your yard and go, “Wow, I did that.”

Spreading the Decorative Rock

The rock you choose sets the vibe—go with what makes you happy. I picked a mini cobble mix (1 to 4 inches) because it has different sizes and colors (browns, grays, even a little tan) that look natural. Here’s how to lay it:

Spread it over the entire bed, aiming for 3-4 inches thick. This thickness is key for two things: it looks full, and it keeps weeds down (more on that in a sec).

Once it’s spread, grab a hose with a spray nozzle and wash the rocks. Trust me—they’ll look dull and dusty until you rinse them. Mine went from “meh” to “wow” after 5 minutes of hosing. The colors popped, and it looked like a professional did it.

Why Not Use a Weed Barrier? A Surprising Take

Here’s the part where people argue with me: skip the landscape weed barrier under the decorative rock. I know—it sounds counterintuitive. Everyone says to use it, but hear me out.

Weed seeds don’t grow up from the soil below. They blow in on the wind, land on top of your rock, and then dust and leaves settle between the stones, creating a tiny “soil” for them to grow in. A weed barrier does nothing to stop that. Worse? When weeds do grow, their roots wrap around the barrier like a hug—you can’t pull them out clean. You’ll either leave the roots (and they’ll grow back) or yank up the barrier with them (ruining your rock bed).

With a 3-4 inch layer of rock and no barrier? Weeds have nothing to hold onto. The few that sprout (and there will be a few) pop right out—no roots, no hassle. I pull 1-2 weeds a month, max. My neighbor used a barrier—she’s out there every weekend fighting weeds. Trust me on this.

Choosing the Right Plants

The area around your French drain is drier than the rest of your yard—since the drain is pulling water away. So you need plants that can handle that. No thirsty flowers here!

Think Small Roots: Pick plants with compact, non-aggressive roots. Hostas are my favorite—they’re tough, come in tons of sizes, and look great. Ornamental grasses like Liriope, Heuchera (coral bells), and daylilies work too. They won’t mess with your pipe.

Avoid Trees and Large Shrubs: Big plants have big roots—and those roots will hunt for water in your drain. I had a neighbor plant a hydrangea near his French drain. A year later, the roots crushed the pipe, and he had to dig everything up. Not worth it.

Drought Tolerance is a Plus: Since the drain is pulling water, plants that can handle a little dryness will thrive. You won’t have to water them as much, which is the whole point of low-maintenance landscaping. I planted hostas and daylilies—they’ve survived heatwaves without a drop of extra water.

Step 6: Restoring Your Lawn

Last step—fixing the grass where you dug the trench’s outflow and along the edge of your new bed. This is easy, but don’t rush it—patchy grass will bug you later.

Add a 4-inch layer of topsoil over the end of the trench (where the water exits). This gives grass a good base.

If you saved any sod when you dug the trench, lay it back down. If not, grab grass seed that’s right for your yard (sunny? Shady? Check the bag—most say “sun/shade mix” which works for most people).

Sprinkle a little starter fertilizer—this helps the grass grow fast.

Rake the seed and fertilizer into the soil gently—you don’t want to bury the seed too deep.

Cover with a thin layer of straw. This keeps the seed moist and stops birds from eating it (I learned that birds love grass seed—who knew?).

Water gently every day until the grass sprouts (usually 7-10 days). Don’t blast it with a hose—you’ll wash away the seed. A light spray works best. I set a timer for 5 minutes every morning—easy.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

I get these questions all the time—so I figured I’d answer them here, like we’re chatting over coffee.

Q1: How much does a DIY French drain project like this cost?

It depends on how long your trench is and where you live (material prices vary). My 20-foot trench cost about $600: pipe ($50), geotextile fabric ($30), #57 gravel ($150), decorative river rock ($300), and a few odds and ends (staples, fertilizer—$70). If you rent a trencher, add $80-$100 a day. Professionals charge $1,500-$3,000 for the same job—so doing it yourself saves a ton.

Q2: How long does this project take?

For one person, plan a full weekend. Day 1: Tear out old plants, dig the trench (the longest part). Day 2: Install the fabric, pipe, gravel, wrap the “burrito,” spread river rock, plant, and fix the lawn. If you have a friend help with digging? You can knock it out in a Saturday. I bribed my brother with pizza—worked like a charm.

Q3: Can I use a different type of rock, like mulch?

You could use mulch—the geotextile fabric would protect the drain from rotting mulch. But mulch breaks down. I used mulch in another bed once—had to replace it every year, and a heavy rain washed half of it into the street. River rock is “set it and forget it”—I haven’t touched mine in 5 years. Worth the extra upfront cost.

Q4: What are the vertical pipes (risers) sometimes seen sticking out of a drain for?

Those are usually for checking or cleaning the drain—you can stick a hose down them to flush out clogs. But if you built the drain right (fabric, #57 gravel, pipe holes down), you won’t need them. My drain doesn’t have any, and I’ve never had to unclog it. They’re mostly for peace of mind (or if you’re worried about future clogs).

Q5: My yard is totally flat. Can I still install a French drain?

Yes—but it’s trickier. French drains need gravity to work. If you don’t have a natural slope (like toward the street), you’ll have to dig the trench deeper as you go away from the house (create your own slope). The outflow will need to end in a dry well (a big hole filled with gravel underground) or a sump pump (a small pump that pushes water to the street). I helped a friend with this—took an extra afternoon, but his flat yard is now dry.

A Project That Pays You Back for Years

Here’s the thing about this project: it’s not just home improvement—it’s peace of mind. I used to panic every time it rained, running outside to check if water was pooling by my foundation. Now? I sit on my porch and watch the rain disappear into the river rock. No more mud, no more weeding marathons, no more stress.

It’s hard work—your back will hurt, your hands will get dirty, and you’ll probably question why you started at some point. But when that first storm hits and the water doesn’t stick? When you walk outside and see a pretty, low-maintenance bed instead of a mess? That feeling? Priceless.

You’ve got this. Grab a shovel, call a friend, and let’s turn that soggy yard into something you love.

How to Install a DIY French Drain with River Rock Landscaping: A Complete Guide