- 1). Plan the location of the drain system. The system starts at the home or the area needing drainage. It needs to end at a lower point where the water is not a concern. Use interconnected pipes to widen the area of drainage leading to the outlet. Ideally the outlet flows to a natural water course.
- 2). Dig the trenches for the drainage system. Ten-inch wide trenches are common for the main trunks of the drainage system, while smaller trenches may work for feeder trenches. Slope the trenches away from the home. Drive a stake in the ground in the trench near the home. Place another stake at the other end of the trench. Tie a string to the stake at the home. Hang a string level, a small tool with a bubble that hangs from the string, and stretch the string to the other stake. Measure from the string to the base of the trench every few feet. The distance should get larger by at least 1 inch per 10 feet.
- 3). Place a 2-inch layer of gravel or crushed rock in the bottom of the trench.
- 4). Place 6-inch diameter perforated PVC pipe on the gravel bed. Glue the joints of the pipe together following manufacturer's instructions. Connect the pipe from any feeder trenches to the pipe in the main trench using T-fittings. Cover the pipe with water-permeable landscape fabric to prevent sand and dirt from entering the pipe.
- 5). Add another layer of gravel on top of the pipe. Minimum depth of the gravel should cover the pipe.
- 6). Fill in the rest of the trench with dirt removed earlier from the trench. Try to place the top soil at the top to provide the best plant growing conditions. Seed grass over the trench.
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