What is a french drain and how is it used to drain water?
A. A french drain is a narrow trench used to collect and drain rain water or surface water from yards, lawns or pavement. The narrow trench is usually 4-6 inches wide and filled with gravel and perforated pipe to collect and drain the water away to exhaust to another area. The trench is best filled with river gravel, the orange, round and smooth surface gravel from the Meramec River. Limestone gravel may be used but the lime in the limestone affects the PH sweetness of the adjacent soil which will affect foilage, turf grass and tress. I suggest the river gravel and rigid PVC white perforated pipe for the french drain. Use a power trencher or hand dig a trench about 4-6 inces wide, corectly sloped toward where you want the water drain, put 1-2 inches of “B” or “C” sized river gravel in teh bottom of the trench, install the white PVC perforated pipe with the holes down in the trench properly sloped for drainage, and fill the trench to the top with gravel. You can use a larger gravel, “B”
