Flush out annoying drainage problems with these methods
Rain can be beautiful and soothing—and it’s always a welcome relief after a scorching hot day. But rainfall is also a constant source of frustration for homeowners who deal with puddles of standing water in their driveway.
Unfortunately, drainage is just one of many driveway problems homeowners often face. This guide covers specific steps for fixing driveway drainage problems so you can enjoy a properly drained driveway that lasts for years.
Why Do I Have to Fix Driveway Drainage Issues?
Water with no place to go can wear down your driveway faster—not to mention your soil and landscaping. Driveway materials and your mulch could wash away with the rainfall.
Plus excess moisture isn’t good for your foundation. Driveways that don’t drain water away from the home will eventually reach your home’s structure, which could weaken or crack under poor drainage.
How Much Does It Cost to Fix Driveway Drainage Issues?
Your costs will fluctuate depending on your preferred repair method.
A French drain can cost anywhere from $1,000 to $18,000.
A channel drain costs between $3,000 and $9,000 per 100 linear feet.
A swale system costs around $0.50 per foot to install, according to HomeAdvisor.
Paver stones cost between $15 and $60 per square foot, according to HomeAdvisor.
If you decide to hire out for this project, foundation specialists, plumbers, and other certified professionals can install French drains or channel drains. Just make sure they have experience installing the specific type of drain you need outside your home. If installing pavers or swales, they might work hand in hand with a local landscape grading service to resolve your drainage problems.
How to Identify Signs of Driveway Drainage Issues
Pooling water, rocks and sand sitting on your driveway, and foundation issues are all signs of a drainage problem. If you notice these things after a rainstorm, it’s best to make a repair plan sooner rather than later.
How to Fix Driveway Drainage Problems
You have a few options for rerouting water away from your driveway and home. Depending on the type of driveway and your aesthetic preference, you can choose between installing a channel drain, french drain, swales, or permeable pavers.
Channel Drain
Channel drains are a perfect drainage solution for sloped driveways since they’re installed inside the driveway, capturing water and channeling it to your designated location.
First, gather these supplies:
Circular saw with diamond-impregnated blade
Shovel
Wheelbarrow
Level
Trowel
Pipe glue
PVC pipe and elbows
Channel drain
Asphalt cold patch
Concrete mix
Then, follow these steps to build a channel drain:
Plan out your channel drain’s route along your driveway; make a line showing the drain’s location. The drain needs to be lower than the pavement to help water flow.
Use a circular saw with a diamond-impregnated blade to cut through the driveway.
Remove loose pieces of your driveway with a shovel.
Dig a trench approximately six inches deep along the driveway.
Fit, connect, and glue drain pipes together on the side of the channel drain you want to direct water.
Mix concrete in a wheelbarrow and fill the trench with it.
Smooth the concrete and place the channel drain into it, leveling it at a gentle downward slope.
On the opposite side of the channel drain, angle the concrete with a trowel.
Dig a trench in your yard where you want the channel drain and the water runoff to go.
Cover the drainpipe in the trench with soil.
Use flat stone around the exit end of the drain pipe to prevent erosion.
Patch up and compact the gap between channel drain and driveway with an asphalt cold patch.
French Drain
French drain pipes collect water alongside a driveway away from your home using pipes with small holes on the top.
For this drainage method, you’ll need:
French drain
Land markers
PVC pipe
Pipe glue
Shovel
Gravel
Fabric liner
Topsoil
Sand
Next, scope out the part of your driveway with the best drainage potential. Then, follow these steps to build a French drain:
Locate an area alongside your driveway with the best drainage potential and a slight downward slope.
Mark the drainage route, placing land markers at every 50 feet, ensuring the grade slopes six inches per 50 feet.
Use a shovel to dig the trench deep and wide enough for the drain to be level.
Layer the bottom of your trench with gravel.
Add fabric lining on top of gravel inside the entire length of your trench.
If more than one drainpipe is needed, glue the joints together.
Place your pipe in the trench with drain holes facing up.
Completely cover the drain pipe with gravel, only leaving a small portion at the top exposed.
Use additional fabric lining to cover the pipe, serving as protection.
Fill the trench with sand, then cover with topsoil to grade.
Swale
Swales are subtle depressions in a landscape where water can collect. They're a good solution for driveways with drainage problems since the landscape on either side slopes toward it.
The bottom of the swales needs to be at a lower elevation than the surface of your driveway. It’ll collect water during storms, allowing it to enter the ground instead of flowing onto the driveway slowly.
Plus, subtle swales are barely noticeable once the grass fills in, and you can hide deeper ones with rocks or plants, creating a custom landscape while you solve your drainage problem. Win-win, anyone?
Raid the garden department at your local home improvement store and gather these supplies:
Swale
Land markers
Shovel
Gravel
Topsoil
Sod
Here’s how to create a swale:
Plan your swale by analyzing the slope and water runoff pattern in relation to where you want to direct the water flow.
Use land markers to lay out its path (e.g., your driveway’s entrance to your designated location.)
Use a shovel to dig a U-shaped ditch with a slight slope of around three inches per ten feet that the water can flow down while preventing erosions.
Line the swale with at least three inches of gravel.
Cover gravel with topsoil and sod.
Add your desired landscape.
Permeable Paving
Often, drainage issues near a driveway are simply a result of the pavement preventing water from entering the ground. You can fix these drainage problems by getting a driveway repair company near you to install a driveway that allows water to pass through it.
Permeable paver driveways are built from materials that allow water to pass through, like concrete or recycled glass. Porous driveways use plastic, concrete, or stone in a grid pattern with space in between where water can pass through and grass can grow. Either solution will fix drainage problems caused by poor driveway placement.
While this method might not work for everyone, if your driveway has reached the point of no return, replacing it with a permeable one can work out in your favor.
First, you’ll need these tools and supplies:
Backhoe
Crushed stone
Permeable paving
Level
Plate compactor
Two-by-four
Here’s what to do to install permeable pavers for better drainage:
Get the soil tested to check its absorption rate.
Start the excavation process based on the soil results.
Cover the freshly excavated driveway with a six-inch layer of crushed stone, compacting it twice.
Add a four-inch layer of crushed stone over the existing one, compacting it twice.
Level the bedding layer with a two-by-four.
Set the pavers on top of the bedding, double-checking that the pavers are close together.
Fill in paver joints with bedding stone.
Clean off the excess stone of the driveway’s surface.
Use a plate compactor on the entire driveway, locking the paving and bedding layers together.
Repeat steps seven through nine if some joints settle deeper than intended.
Tips for Dealing With Drainage Problems
French drains, channel drains, swales, and permeable pavers will likely solve your drainage problem. Still, you can implement a few other solutions to ensure your driveway is protected during the heaviest rains.
Add plans and large trees to help absorb excess runoff
Lay down permeable materials in other areas with drainage issues
Install a rain barrel or cistern to catch runoff from your roof
Redirect water from downspouts and gutters away from your driveway
FAQs
How do you fix a concrete drainage problem?
Water that pools on concrete indicate a low spot somewhere on your driveway. You can level low spots with a concrete patching compound that will fill the hole and help redirect water. You can also install drainage over existing concrete by digging out enough space for a channel drain.
How do you divert water runoff from a driveway?
You must first assess where water is coming from to drain water runoff successfully. Redirect downspouts and gutters to reroute runoff from your roof away from your driveway and foundation. Then, install drain systems, swales, or porous materials to help manage water and improve drainage.
