Non-woven geotextile fabric is the best choice for drainage applications where water flow through (permeability) is the main concern. Non-woven landscape fabric is commonly used in French-drains, drain-fields, and erosion control.
That's why non-woven fabrics are the top choice for creating a landscape drainage system. These can be used for french drains, along with GeoCell bases, and nearly every other water filtration option. You can also purchase non-woven geotextile fabrics in a variety of densities and sizes.
A french drain needs a non-woven geotextile wrap around the stone. Otherwise fines will enter the stone long term and reduce the effectiveness of the system.
Pea gravel is one of the best materials for landscape drainage because its small size allows for outstanding drainage. These rocks are only about ¾ inches in size. Pea gravel is available in a variety of shades, including brown, grey, blue, and red, making it a good choice for a number of different landscapes.
Always Use Filter Fabric for the Best French Drain
And the longer you have your system in, the better the soil filter zone that's formed becomes.
Landscape Fabric vs Drainage Fabric. Landscape fabric / drainage cloth is used in landscaping for water to pass through. Drain Field fabric is used in septic drain fields as a filter. They both act as a barrier, are from the same class of synthetic textiles and are similar in their construction.
Using a geotextile fabric wrap around the drainage pipe and gravel can significantly improve the efficiency of French drains in clay soil. The fabric acts as a filter, preventing the fine clay particles from entering and clogging the drain, while still allowing water to pass through.
For example, thinner fabrics may be suitable for flower beds or vegetable gardens, where you want to allow for easier water flow and nutrient absorption. On the other hand, thicker fabrics are recommended for areas where heavy foot traffic is expected or where soil erosion is a concern.
Swales: A Natural Solution
They're a great option if you're looking for a more natural, eco-friendly alternative to French drains. A swale is typically lined with grass or vegetation that helps slow down and absorb water.
Geotextile is generally more durable and resilient, making it ideal for intense erosion control projects, while landscape fabric is a more affordable option for weed control and shorter-term applications.
Landscapers have the expertise to work the French drain installation into your existing landscape design, ensuring it not only functions well but also doesn't interfere with your yard's aesthetics.
French drain depth: About 8 inches to 2 feet deep should be sufficient for many water-diverting projects, though related systems, such as those built around foundations and sub-ground living spaces, as well as the bases of retaining walls, may be deeper.
Clay soil has poor permeability, meaning it doesn't allow water to pass through easily. In such cases, the effectiveness of a French drain may be limited as the water may struggle to drain away from the area efficiently. French drains may not be suitable for areas with high water tables.
The best landscape fabric is going to depend on what you're using it for. As a weed barrier around trees, shrubs, and low-maintenance beds, woven landscaping fabrics work best. For stability and weed blocking under rock or gravel, non-woven landscape fabrics work best.
Fill the trench with topsoil and compact to completely cover the entire French drain system.
On the contrary, the weight of non-woven geotextile is a common differentiation, often nonwoven fabrics will be named by their ounces per square yard such as 4oz, 6oz, 8oz, 10oz, and so on. The higher the weight the more heavy duty the fabric.
If you want to ensure your system continually performs for decades to come then be sure to line your trench with professional-grade non-woven geotextile drainage fabric using the "Burrito Wrap" install method.
One step you can take is to install a filter or strainer at the inlet point of your French drain. This can help catch larger debris before it has a chance to enter the drain and cause a clog. Just be sure to clean or replace the filter regularly.
Dewitt Non-Woven 12-Year Landscape Fabric
While many landscape fabrics only last a season or two, this hardy fabric from Dewitt claims it will last for up to 12 years, making it a great choice for any garden area where you'd like to cut down on weeding permanently.
Some of the most common alternatives to landscape fabric are cardboard, newspaper, burlap, ground-cover plants, straw, wood chips, bark mulch, pine needles and lawn waste.
The best type of fabric for a drainage project such as a drain field or french drain is non-woven geotextile landscape fabric. If you're project requires high strength and also good drainage then a high end combination woven fabric could be suitable for your application.
Things You Should Know
Add gravel to the bottom of the trench before laying down your drain pipe. Cover the drain pipe in gravel, then fill in the rest of the trench with the displaced dirt you dug up before.
An ideal backfill for a French Drain system is 1 ½' round rock.