Posts Tagged ‘What is a French Drain?’

What is a French Drain?

Posted: October 13, 2025 in french drain, What is a French Drain?
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What is a French Drain?

A French Drain consists of a Perforated Pipe with thousands of little holes in it similar to a Spaghetti Colander.   

The most advanced French Drainpipes have slits instead of holes.

Perforated French Drainpipe with Soc

Perforated French Drainpipe with Soc

In the case of the Spaghetti Colander, water is meant to flow out of the Colander away from the noodles.  With a Perforated French Drainpipe, the water needs to flow into the pipe from the surrounding area.

A French Drain is a perforated pipe placed in a drainage trench.  The Trench is dug across a problem drainage area where unwanted water stands or flows.

problem drainage area around new home construction In Edmond Oklahoma

Problem Drainage Area

Once the Drainage Trench is dug and the dirt is hauled away the French Drain can be installed.

Drainage Trench

Trench For French Drain

Next Steps for installation

A Trench liner should be installed in the trench and the perforated pipe with the Pipe filter placed on top.

Trench Liner and Pipe Filter Installation

Trench Liner and Pipe Filter installation

In the picture above, the Trench Liner is white, and the Pipe Filter is black.

If you want your French Drain to Last, Pay attention to the following Information!

The Trench Liner maintains the integrity of the Drainage Trench.  It keeps small particles from leaching into the underground sides of the French Drain.  A Trench Liner is essential for Longevity.

Without a Trench Liner French Drains will have performance issues as time goes by.

I installed my first French Drain in Norman Oklahoma in 1993.

The Pipe Filter is tightly wrapped around the Perforated French Drainpipe.  It keeps Debris and Soil from entering the pipe from the top through the gravel.

Dirt and Debris inside pipe

French Drainpipe with no trench liner or pipe filter

Once the Trench Liner and Pipe Filter are installed

Next, install the gravel or crushed limestone on top of the French Drainpipe, inside the Trench Liner.

Installing 4 Inch French Drain with trench Liner and pipe filter

The White Material is the Trench Liner. The black material is the Pipe Filter.

 

The Work above is not complete

A French Drain is an “Intake,” as part of a Drainage System.

A Transition Pipe and Exit must also be installed.

French Drain Near Driveway

French Drains Protect Driveways

This is a picture of a completed NON-CAPPED Version.

French Drains are Capped and Non-Capped.

 

To Learn More, go to DIY French Drain

Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair — Installing – French Drains – Surface Drains – Channel Drains – Sump Pumps.

Providing Expert Sprinkler Repair – Broken Sprinkler Pipes – Sprinkler Head Adjustment – Sprinkler Valve Replacement

We provide Service for Folks in: Norman, Oklahoma City, Edmond, Moore, Blanchard, Mustang and Yukon.

Central and Western Oklahoma is our Service Area since 1993.  

                                                           (405) 203-9419

What A French Drain Isn’t! The Surface Drain Mistake.

Posted: March 14, 2023 in french drain, French Drain Definition, French Drain Information, What is a French Drain?
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11

What a French Drain isn’t? The Surface Drain Mistake.

 

The Term “French Drain,” is used incorrectly a lot!  In my Business I hear the term used the wrong way daily.  Many people say “French Drain” to mean virtually any type of Drain.
Surface Drain Installation

Surface Drain Installation, this is not a French Drain

The Picture above Shows a Surface Drain Installation – Not a French Drain!

My name is Blane Callen.  I own and run Oklahoma Drainage.  We have been in business since 1993.  We install several types of Drains, Including French Drains.

The Picture Below is Not a French Drain!

 

Channel Drains are one type of Surface Drain.  A Surface Drain Is any type of drain that takes water in the top (Surface).  They have a Grate on top.

 

Below is a picture of a Surface Drain that many people will tend to call a “French Drain.”

 

What a French Drain Really is.

A French Drain is a Perforated Drainpipe with thousands of small holes in it.   It is placed in the bottom of a Drainage Trench that has been dug by the installer of the French Drain.  It should be placed on top of a Trench Liner which is placed first in the Drainage Trench.

The French Drainpipe has a cloth filter around the pipe as well.

French Drain Installation

French drain Installation
with trench liner and pipe filter

This is a French Drain as well.

Decorative French Drain

Decorative French Drain

Here is the same French drain before we added the colorful river rock.

Installing Decorative French Drain In Norman Oklahoma

Installing Decorative French Drain the Right Way

Once this is done correctly, the trench is filled with gravel of some type.  We use Crushed 67 grade Limestone.  The empty space from the top of the pipe to ground level is filled.  THE DEPTH OF EVERY FRENCH DRAIN TRENCH VARIES.  What Determines the depth can depend on several things.  But for now, just know that some French Drains are Shallow while others are Deep.  The Deeper the Drainage Trench, the more gravel it takes to fill it.

Installing 4 Inch French Drain with trench Liner and pipe filter

The White Material is the Trench Liner. The black material is the Pipe Filter.

Look Above

The Above French drain was installed in-between two houses where water was trapped every time it rained.

French Drain Near Driveway

Driveway with a Water Stain

Completed French Drain

In the Picture above you can see the water stains on the concrete.  Water has been standing there a long time to make those types of stains.  Eventually the grass will completely grow over the limestone gravel.  Note!  Dirt should never be placed on top of a French Drain.  In sunny areas, grass will put out runners and grow over the limestone gravel.  Once covered it creates a Natural Filter called a Thatch Filter.  The French Drain continues to work great, and you don’t even know it’s there.

I have installed French Drains all the way back to 1993 that still work great with no maintenance.

Grass growing over a French Drain

Grass Growing over a French Drain

In the picture above, you can see that the grass is growing over the French Drain more slowly in the shaded area by the trash cans.  This can be sped up by sprinkling grass seed directly into the gravel.

 

French Drains in Full or Partial Shade, can be decorated instead of letting grass grow over them.

 

French Drain Below River Rock

 in the shade.

Oklahoma Drainage. –  We installed our first Drainage System and completed our first Sprinkler Repair in Norman in 1993.

Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair — Installing – French Drains – Surface Drains – Channel Drains – Sump Pumps.

Providing Expert Sprinkler Repair – Broken Sprinkler Pipes – Sprinkler Head Adjustment – Sprinkler Valve Replacement

We provide Service for Folks in: Norman, Oklahoma City, Edmond, and Moore.

Central and Western Oklahoma is our Service Area since 1993.  

                                                           (405) 203-9419