Guess it comes down to whether you want to pay now or pay (and dig) later. Personally, my back votes for paying up front.
That line hits home. First time I helped dig out a failed corrugated drain, I was thinking, “how bad can it be?” Five hours later, I’m knee-deep in muck and cursing every tree root in the yard. The worst part wasn’t even the mud—it was realizing there’s no way to properly clean those pipes once they’re clogged.
Step-by-step, here’s what I learned:
1. Corrugated pipe goes in quick, but if you don’t bed it right or protect it from roots (which is nearly impossible), you’re just setting up a future headache.
2. Solid PVC takes longer to cut and fit, especially around obstacles, but at least you can snake it out if something goes wrong.
3. Gravel makes a huge difference—skimping on that is just asking for trouble.
I get the appeal of cheap and easy, but after seeing how much more work it is to fix later, I’m pretty skeptical about using corrugated for anything but temporary fixes. Not saying PVC is perfect either—if your slope’s off by even a little, water just sits there... but at least you’ve got options when things go sideways.
PVC all day if you want to avoid headaches down the road. Corrugated is basically a root magnet, and once it’s clogged, you’re not getting it clean—just like you found out. Ever try running a snake through corrugated? It’s like wrestling a garden hose full of marbles. Gravel’s non-negotiable too. If you’re going to the trouble, might as well do it right the first time... unless you like digging in mud every few years.
Tried corrugated once because it was cheaper and lighter—regretted it after the first big rain. Roots found their way in within a year, and cleaning it was a nightmare. Switched to PVC with gravel bedding, haven’t touched it since. Worth the extra effort upfront.
I get wanting to save a few bucks, but I made the same mistake with corrugated. Looked good on paper—cheaper, lighter, seemed easier. Ended up spending double fixing clogs and root issues. PVC with gravel isn’t cheap, but it’s way less headache long-term. Sometimes cutting corners just costs more down the road...
