I'm planning to install a French drain along a retaining wall in my yard since it gets extremely wet here in Oregon. What's the best type of pipe or mesh to use? Should I go with the pipe that has a 'condom' or just use some permeable mesh with pipes that have holes and fill it with river rock?
2 Answers
If you’re dealing with typical soil, using the ‘condom’ isn’t a bad idea, especially if you pack the area around the pipe with crushed stone. It helps with drainage, but if you have clay soil, it can clog up pretty quickly, so be cautious about that.
From my experience in Olympia, WA, clay soils can really mess with drain systems. I recommend digging a trench that’s about 4" wider than the pipe on all sides. Use unwoven landscape fabric to line the trench and fill it with 3/8" washed drainage rock. Just remember to keep the top layer covered with fabric before adding back your soil. It makes a big difference for drainage!
Great tip! Keeping the fabric covered is crucial. I've had issues before when I didn’t do that.
Totally agree! If you have clay, it's better to skip the condom and just focus on packing around the pipe properly.