Gravel or pipe? Weird things I learned about backyard drainage

jlopez75 · 2026-01-03T10:16:10Z

Did you know that some French drains don’t even use a pipe? I always thought it was just a gravel trench with a perforated pipe, but apparently the “traditional” version is literally just gravel and nothing else. The pipe thing came later. Seems like overkill for some yards, but maybe not if you’ve got clay soil or something. Anyone tried the old-school style vs the modern one? Curious if it actually makes a difference or if it’s just marketing.

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French Drains & Yard Drainage

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geo_jessica

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I’ve run into the same clay soup problem more times than I care to admit. In my experience, fabric over gravel does help with silt, but if you’ve got tenants who like to dig or garden, sometimes it gets torn up. I usually go with a heavier-duty fabric and overlap the edges—seems to last longer. Also, if you’re dealing with a lot of runoff, don’t underestimate the value of a solid pipe in the mix. French drains alone just can’t keep up in some yards.

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Gravel or pipe? Weird things I learned about backyard drainage

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