French Drains Vs Proper Grading

2 months after install of a French drain: Install started at the back yard and exited at the street.

Do French Drains Fix Every Drainage Issue? Not Even Close.

Short answer: French drains are great… for the right problem. Most drainage headaches start at the roof and are solved with downspout management, proper grading (aim for a 2% slope), and daylighting. A perforated pipe isn’t a magic wand… (but how cool would that be?)

The Myth vs. the Fix

Myth: “A French drain can fix that.” (says every uncle with a wikipedia degree)

Reality: If water is dumping off your roof and the lawn pitches toward your house, a perforated pipe won’t save you. Manage roof runoff, set proper slope, and daylight your discharge before you ever consider a trench full of pipe, fabric, and rock.

Start at the Top: Downspout Management

Roof runoff is the #1 driver of soggy yards and wet basements.

Do this first:

• Extend downspouts 10-20 ft away from the foundation using solid (not perforated) 4-inch pipe.

• Use pop-up emitters or splash blocks at the outlet, set lower than the house and in open lawn (not in beds or behind edging).

• Add leaf guards/clean outs so the system stays clear.

If problems remain after this, move on to grading.

Target Slope for Proper Yard Drainage

A simple target that works: 1–2% fall away from the house for the first 10–20 ft.

• Rule of thumb:

  • 1% ≈ 1/8" per foot (≈ 1¼" per 10 ft)

  • 2% ≈ 1/4" per foot (≈ 2½" per 10 ft)

• Example: over 20 ft, you want roughly 2½"–4" of drop.

Daylighting 101: Let Gravity Finish the Job

“Daylighting” means giving water a legal, erosion-safe way to exit at the surface, somewhere lower than where it started.

Best practices:

• Tie downspouts and surface drains into a solid pipe run that daylights at a curb, ditch, or low lawn with a pop-up emitter.

• Maintain consistent slope on the pipe; avoid bellies that hold water.

• Aim outlets away from property lines and sensitive areas; add riprap (angular rock) if needed to slow flow.

Tempted to route everything into Allen’s yard because he blows leaves into yours? Funny, but don’t. Lawyers (and codes) frown on it.

When a French Drain Actually Makes Sense

Use a French drain when you’re handling water moving through the soil, not just over it.

Good use cases:

• Seeping hillsides, a perched water table, or an underground spring that keeps a lawn spongy even after dry weather.

• Athletic turf or flat lawns that stay saturated despite proper surface grade.

Key details:

• Set the pipe where the water travels (often the clay/topsoil boundary).

• Use perforated pipe with holes down, wrapped in non-woven geotextile, surrounded by clean #57 stone.

• Give the system a real daylight/discharge (never trap it).

Note: French drains are for subsurface water. For surface runoff, prioritize grading, swales, catch basins, trench drains, and downspout piping.

When Regrading Is the Smarter Play

If water sits because the yard is flat or pitched toward the house, regrading beats a French drain every time. Not sure what you’re looking at? We can shoot the existing grades with a laser level and map a fix.

Typical regrade scope:

• Cut and fill to establish 1–2% fall away from structures (first 10–20 ft).

• Create shallow swales to route water around patios, pools, and beds.

• Replace sod or seed & straw for a clean finish.

• Tie downspouts into solid pipe that daylights.

Bonus: Regrading is lower-maintenance than any buried system.

Quick Decision Guide

Water pouring off the roof, puddles by the house? Start with downspout extensions using solid pipe to daylight.

• Yard slopes toward the foundation or is dead flat? Regrade for 1–2% fall and add a shallow swale if needed.

• Ground stays wet days after rain despite good slope? Consider a French drain to intercept subsurface water, still daylight it.

• No lower outlet available? Explore dry wells with overflow or a sump to curb (check local codes). Gravity is cheaper than pumps.

Common Mistakes We Fix a Lot

• Crushed or clogged pipe. The price jump from single-wall corrugated to double-wall/smooth-wall is worth it, thin pipe crushes easily and clogs.

• No outlet. Every system needs a true discharge point (daylight/pop-up).

• Fabric done wrong (or not at all). Sediment clogs stone and perforations; use non-woven geotextile correctly and protect it during backfill.

• Too little slope. Pipe and yard both need consistent fall.

• Burying pop-ups in mulch beds. They stick and clog, outlets need clear turf and access.

  

  
  

Working with Hyslip Excavation (Central Arkansas)

We design drainage with gravity first; downspouts → grading → daylighting—and add French drains only when they’re the right tool. You’ll get:

• A site walk and simple grade/slope plan (laser-verified).

• Clear options and phased fixes that respect your budget.

• Professional install, tidy finishes, and a system you can depend on.

Service areas: Little Rock, North Little Rock, Jacksonville, Sherwood, Cabot, Conway, and nearby.Ready for a dry yard? Call/text 501-680-1078 (Zach) for a quick site assessment.

FAQs

• Do French drains work in clay soil? Yes, when designed for subsurface flow and given a real outlet. In many clay yards, grading + downspout management delivers bigger wins, faster.

• What slope should my yard have away from the house? Aim for 1–2% (about 1/8"–1/4" per foot). Over 10 ft, that’s roughly 1¼"–2½" of drop.

• What does “daylighting” mean? Letting collected water discharge at the surface at a lower point (pop-up emitter, curb cut, or open lawn) so gravity can carry it away.

• Can I tie all my downspouts into one pipe? You can, but size the pipe correctly. If you’re tying 3+ downspouts, consider upsizing.

• Do I need to call before digging? Yes, always call 811 to locate utilities before trenching.